Happy Thanksgiving 2020

Bob Piper's Corner - Introduction

“BOB PIPER’S CORNER”

(an introduction - items from the Chariton Herald-Patriot)

It took me well over a year after his death to enter the sanctuary on Sunday mornings without expecting to see Bob Piper at the front door. His faithful job as head usher brought a sense of presence for me to the Lord’s Day. He was there. He was there more than I was. I would go on vacation, but Bob never did. I would go each Sunday to the pulpit Bible where he would leave highly-illegible scribbled messages noting birthdays, illnesses, special thoughts, and in the spring and summer, notes on the kinds of flowers he had helped George Dunshee pick for the morning worship. It was only as I moved to the back of the sanctuary during the final hymn that I would receive a copy of the weekly church newsletter. That was my official decision. If the newsletters had been distributed before the service began, there was no sense pretending people would listen to the sermon. They were as anxious as I to get to the newest installment of “Bob Piper’s Corner.”

Our church newsletter had no official status in those years. It had grown out of the enthusiasms of Hortense Guernsey Becker, a much-loved former high school teacher. Hortense had called me one day and asked what I thought of her starting a church newsletter. As the unofficial church secretary, I thought it fine, especially when she informed me that I would neither have to type the stencils nor run the mimeograph. It was Hortense’s idea to ask different church members to contribute to the newsletter. Various people did, but when she asked Bob Piper to write a few of his church memories, we found a surprising wealth of information. Soon people wanted to know more about the people and events Bob remembered.

After Hortense’s death, Bob took on the responsibility of the newsletter’s copy. He would scribble out his thoughts and Dannice Cox would assemble the newsletter. Oh, I would occasionally sneak in a promotional piece, but the most important material consisted of Bob’s writings. There would be a summary of the previous week’s worship, including what my sermon had been about --a good checking point for me. Then Bob presented his “corner” recollections. This was followed by his observations of the local flora and fauna he observed during his weekly Sunday afternoon ride with George Dunshee and Charles Prior.

Every couple of weeks Bob and George would mail off the newsletters to absent members and friends. The two found out that four pages, or two-weeks’ worth of newsletters, could be mailed for one first-class stamp. This was what set the mail schedule. The mailing list, however, was as eclectic as I could imagine. Bob had already started the church’s habit of sending birthday, get-well and other greeting cards to members and friends. This, along with the newsletter, were both self-sustaining projects. People would drop off either money or stamps in order to stay in touch.

The popularity of Bob’s writings had several reactions. Thanks to Yvonne Taylor, John Baldridge of the Chariton Newspapers discovered Bob’s writings. What we Presbyterians read on Sunday was available to everyone the next Thursday. People started writing to Bob with questions about their family’s history. Frequently visitors would drop into his store and ask him where to find old family homes or information on someone from the past. Occasionally a reader would inform us that a certain event didn’t really happen the way Bob had told it. I concluded that the truth probably lay somewhere between the two accounts. The real truth was that Bob Piper could tell a good story.

Along with the three “Piper Girls”, I am thankful to the Chariton Public Library staff, especially the Head Librarian, Rosemary Evens, and to Roberts Reynolds and Kristin Tyree, who have taken the time to re-copy Bob’s writings. Personally I never save the newsletters. I suppose I secretly hoped they would simply go on forever. I did finally guess that we were onto something special the Sunday morning I discovered that Bob had titled his piece, “Dead People I Have Seen at the Depot.” I had to say the Benediction just after reading that title and found myself more than a little tongue-tied.

Oh, the stories Bob told--both in the newsletter and in person! He loved to tell them and thankfully our church newsletter became a path in sharing. We in the church know the importance of a good storyteller. Anyone who is looking for accurate historical accounts probably shouldn’t read Bob’s writings. But those who want to feel the times now past will relish Bob’s accounts of life and living, over and over again.

Sara Speer Palmer, Pastor

First United Presbyterian Church

Chariton, Iowa - December 1990

Piper's Grocery 1978

Piper’s Grocery – 1916

Joseph Lincoln Piper and his wife came to Iowa from Illinois about 1890 and settled on a farm near Clio.  Soon after this he bought a general store in Oakley and began a lifelong career as a Lucas County merchant.  Several days a week he drove a huckster wagon, selling groceries and other merchandise to farm families near Oakley.

When his brother Rob came to work for him, Joe L. went to work part of each week for the railway mail service (In 1978, we have no passenger service to Chariton, but many freight trains.)  Then, Mr. Piper got on the north branch of the C.B. & Q. (now the Burlington Northern) at Oakley, rode to Chariton, took a passenger train to Chicago where he boarded the mail coach on the train to Omaha, working the mail on the way.  He then rode the mail car on the passenger train bound for Chariton, and then home to Oakley on the North Branch.

In 1900, Joe L. sold the Oakley store and moved his family to Chariton to 1118 Ashland, which was the family home until Mrs. Piper’s last illness.  He and his brother, Rob, opened a grocery in the north part of the Hollinger building on North Main and Joe L. continued part time in the mail service.

In 1903, he bought the Stanley building at the east end of the north side of the square, going into business on his own again.  Piper’s Grocery and Market is still active in the same location at this time.

In a few years’ time he had bought land for feeding cattle and had built his own slaughter house.  He opened a bakery which specialized in fine pastries, as well as a variety of breads.  He shipped bread by train to Melrose, Derby, Humeston, Corydon, Allerton, LeRoy, Garden Grove and Coin, Iowa on the south branch of the C.B. & Q. and the T.P. & W.

Free delivery has always been a part of the business, and in those days of little refrigeration and few telephones, there were two deliveries a day, six days a week.  At 6 a.m. each day, Theodore Peterson, Emil Larson and Elmer Patterson left the store with order books and a list of customers to see.  By 9 a.m. the orders were filled and groceries on the way by horse and wagon.  The Joe L. advertised that he would install a pho9ne for any of these people and pay one half of the monthly fee as long as they remained his customers.

Every other week two wagon loads were delivered to the people at No. 1 mine five miles’ northeast of Chariton.  One wagon carried groceries and one carbide for the miner’s lamps and other non-food items.  Gas rationing in W.W. II put an end to daily delivery, and we are now delivering two days each week.

In 1912, Mr. Piper bought the first delivery car to be used in Lucas County.  Harold Brightwell had taken lessons in driving and was ready to take over when “Messrs Piper and Vaughn brought the vehicle from Des Moines in the record time of four hours”.  Berty Vaughn did the driving.  The second truck was soon needed and a chassis was purchased and then taken to the Schriebers and a cab and truck body added.

Pipers had six sons and one daughter, and everyone helped with the work.  In 1922, the building was enlarged to cover he half block.  The store itself was a half block long with the market and big cooler at the back.  Another entrance on the east was a loading dock for groceries, and extra stock went by freight elevator to the basement.

Early each Saturday morning, Joe l. put out a “Line Call” to each of the party lines in turn saying “Piper’s Store will pay – cents for eggs today” and give the price to be paid in cash or trade for chickens, butter, cheese, etc.  Piper’s script money was used for those who brought in more produce than they could use that day in trade and still wanted the higher trade price.  Often several farm families at a time would buy fresh baked goods, meat, cheese and fruit for their noon meal and would sit together around the elevator or the egg candler to visit before going out to spend the remainder of their Saturday in town.

Piper’s roasted their own blend of coffee and also Jumbo peanuts in the shell.  Each Christmas they sold hundreds of trees.  With the basement full of trees and the fragrance of trees, baked goods, coffee and peanuts is still recalled by the ‘old timers’.

By this time the family began to come home from college or service and some joined their father in his growing business.  Dayton was an excellent baker and an expert cook, and he took over the Bakery and helped Bill Beck in the market.  He was very active in community affairs.  Will came home from college and worked in the Chariton store until his father bought a store in Corydon and Will went there as manger.  Helen graduated from Iowa State College at Ames and went away to teach Home Economics.  John, Joe Howard and Bob graduated from Iowa University.  John went into business for himself with a very successful coffee roasting business in Iowa City.  Later it became Piper’s Home Made Candies.  In 1928, Joe Howard was made manager of a South Side store which was located where the First State Motor Bank is now.  In 1930, Bob joined his father and Dayton in the North Side store.  At this time the store was remodeled to its present size.  Joe L. closed the South Side store and bought a store in Mt. Ayre.  He and his family moved there and he was store manager.

In a short time, Mr. Piper decided to retire and devote his time to his farms.  Each manager bought his own store and Bob and Dayton became partners in the original store.  Bob bought a store in Millerton and Morris Scott managed and later bought this store from Bob.

Mr. Piper (Joe L. as everyone called him) died very suddenly in the summer of 1936.

The bakery was closed in 1936.

After Dayton’s death in 1946.  Bob bought his share and has operated the store since that time.  In 1947, the Pipers – Bob and wife, Ruth, with John as their teacher, learned to make homemade candy.  This has become a major part of the business since that time, with their candies shipped all over the world.  In the last few years a basket shop has been an interesting addition to Piper’s Food Market.

Bob Piper's Corner March 23, 1986

March 23, 1986 

How I kept from being lonely and still do. First I took to writing letters, eighty-five to ninety-five a year. This was outside of my own family. Most of these letters went to people that had a death in the family, or sickness. The church had a program called, “Talk With Your Neighbor.” This prompted me to call three or four people a week. I still do these things. I found, too, that people I had written to had in turn written to others as well as to me. That is what makes this all worthwhile. I dream of writing a book about ideas for people who have been left alone in life.

Railroading from 1900 to 1950 is a big thing with me. That was the steam era. The interest in this era is great right here in Chariton. Both men and women who lived in this time really like to reflect back to these days.

My library of books and pictures grows each week. It is a nice hobby. Ruth and myself studied and watched birds for forty-nine years. We started many people in this field and these people in turn started others. I answer lots of questions and in turn learn more myself. We did the same about flowers. This hobby is rather dormant just now, but with the coming of trillium before long, it will start all over.

I work a long day but I love every minute of it. People are great. I find time to ride on Sunday p.m. with George Dunshee. After all is said and done I think I get the most satisfaction and enjoyment from a forty-five minute Bible study class on Sunday a.m. than anything else I do. Never a dull moment.

Bob Piper's Corner - March 30, 1986

March 30, 1986 

Another Sunday p.m. ride in Lucas and Wayne Counties. Charles Prior and myself went as George stayed home due to his sister’s death. We zigzagged back and forth and wound up north of Promise City at the buffalo farm. There are now twenty-two adults that we saw and two young. Owner just does it for enjoyment. They usually butcher one each winter. I warn you they do not smell like roses. In the Colyn area we saw many Canada geese along the roadside. Many coots, canvas backs, teals. West of Highway 14 along Wolf Creek we saw a flock of wild turkeys in a corn stubble field. They crossed the road majestically in front of us. Many pheasants were sighted, too. The first thing we did Sunday p.m. was head for a hillside east of town to see if the flowers, snow trillium were out. They were and the north slope was white. Very fragrant and they often come up throught the snow. More next week.

Some more thoughts about Hortense in earlier days. Her Grandfather Parr lived with them. He was an avid gardener. He would go by our home place to get to his garden which was at the end of Ashland Avenue along the C.B. & Q. Railroad tracks. Now the Great Northern tracks. He always pushed a wheelbarrow to and from the garden. My brother Joe and muself used to tease him but Mother caught up with that and spoke to us with her hand. That put an end to that. Now if we couldn’t tease him, why not be friends? We did this and got many a free ride in the wheelbarrow. The reason I tell this is that almost every morning and late evening Hortense would come to meet him. It was a very close-knit family. Another chapter on Hortense next week.

Bob Piper's Corner - April 6, 1986

April 6, 1986 

A little more about Hortense. In 1924 the two big study halls in high school were in the auditorium. There was trouble no end. No one seemed to be able to keep order. Hortense was put in charge and the trouble stopped. Just why, no one knows. It was her way. She talked to the troublemakers, of which I was one, and it seemed you were on her side at once. I mention this to bring out another facet of her life. Shortly before her death we were discussing her early teaching in Chariton. She taught Ancient History. By error one day she wrote on the blackboard Papa Bull instead of Papal Bull, which she meant to write. The class roared with laughter. Hortense was calm and said, “All right, we’ll talk about Papa Bull today and Papal Bull tomorrow.” She asked one of the farm boys if he would like to come up and talk about Papa Bull. No one came. There was silence. The discussion of Papal Bull went on as though nothing had happened. Hortense remembered all this vividly.

Bob Piper's Corner - April 13, 1986

April 13, 1986 

George and I left at 2 p.m. and returned at 6 p. m. Did not go too far as we stopped to look at and find flowers. Birds are scarce. Saw a cock pheasant at five feet for three minutes. Great view of its coloration. In Stephens Forest we drove a lane flanked with Dutchman’s breeches for half mile. Indians used this flower for kidney problems. Bluebells were not in great numbers but will be next week. This flower was used by the Indians as a general tonic. Saw millions of wood anemone and spring beauty. No known use by the Indians. Saw many blue and yellow violets. Mustard or charlock was blooming. Many pussy toes. Indians made a cough syrup of this and often it was used as tobacco. Bloodroot was thick. Indians used it as a dye. Adder’s tongue was used by Indians as a treatment for gout. Remember, it’s about three weeks earlier than usual. Came upon Floyd and Marian Miller out for a walk near Williamson Pond. Nice visit with an invitation to home make ice cream later on. George is a mighty sharp-eyed partner. He is good to jump out and get the specimen, too. Saw a huge blue blanket of blue flowers at Red Haw. Many think it is violets. It’s not. It’s a flowering weed, a pest known as gill-over-the-ground.

The threat of war is much in the news. It is at my house, too. A robin has built a nest on top of the wren house. Just wait until the wren gets back from the South. That’s it for this week.

Bob Piper's Corner - April 20, 1986

April 20, 1986 

Mrs. Kendall, a dear friend of Hortense’s, walked to town to thank me for a newsletter we sent to her about Hortense’s service. She is 96 years old and it was a real effort for her.

It seems some churches have a special way with children. The other Sunday a church bus pulled up in front of a house to pick up the children for Sunday School. The children were not out in front waiting as usual so the bus driver went to the door and just as he was getting there, a little boy came running from the house toward the bus. The only problem was that the child (two or three years old) forgot to put on ANY clothes! That sounds like real Sunday School devotion to me.

Report on the Robin/Wren war. As you know the robin built a nest on the top of the wren house. The wren has arrived and is taking the nest apart stick by stick. Robin has now left and the wren is in control.

More of George Dunshee and Bob Piper’s Sunday p.m. rides. We took Charles Prior along. We went to check out many things, but rain seemed to dampen that effort. Redbud trees are not quite out in Red Haw. The sun must shine to bring out the color to its peak. Went to Colyn. Wildlife must have been where it was dry, as we saw very few. Came back to Chariton to view the many beds of tulips. Went north to the little White Breast sand flats. A mile west and a mile north of White Breast Church. Found the roads not too great and actually saw a big flock of chickens, all breeds and colors. Too wet to pick flowers, but we saw plenty. George did pick an adder’s tongue or dogtooth violet. Next week will be the peak for early flowers. We saw a little hail. P.S. Frost got to redbuds, they lost their brilliance.

Some memories of Don Fuller in his early life. His family lived across the alley from us. We faced Ashland and they faced Park Avenue. Our bakery was near our house and was a great attraction. Don’s sister Ruth helped my mother in the house and some in the bakery. Don naturally came along. He was young enough to be a nuisance to us boys, but my mother liked him. We all liked him but didn’t want him in our gang because of his age. We had twelve to fourteen at the table all the time and one more didn’t bother my mother or father. Fuller’s had a big family and most were grown and gone. He had no one to play with. At our place someone was there most of the time. His mother knew where he was all the time. She and my mother were great friends. My father liked Don a lot, and put only one restriction on him and that was he was attending the University of Iowa and then he went into the service. When he came back he entered railroading, my favorite hobby. From then on we were close friends. I spent a lot of time in the ticket office as I was fascinated by all that went on. He kept me in railroading magazines, which I loved. We visited at least once a week and I’ll miss those visits.

A little interesting history about the Old United Presbyterian Church that joined this church in 1926. It was where the Assembly of God is now. It was an annual affair to have a picnic in the country. Mr. Seaholmes from southwest of town came with two big horse-drawn hay racks. We left here shortly after church. In mid afternoon we had church service again. It was then necessary to get back to town for the evening service. Church service was three times each Sunday. We always had ice cream where someone sat on the freezer to hold it down. That was the best ice cream.

One Sunday it rained all day. They decided to have the picnic in the Sunday school room, just off the sanctuary, just as church is now. To that time no food had been brought into the church, but the elements caused a bold venture. Just as the picnic started, a group of four people marched in with an axe and broke the 20 gallon jar of lemonade and departed. They were members of the church who did not agree with having the picnic in the church.

In a way this started a new trend in the church for becoming more modern, as only the Psalms were used and never any musical accompaniment, not even a tuning fork for the choir. Three months later, during church, a vote was called on talk of buying an organ. This was a legal vote, and they voted to buy one. Half the congregation went home. Most everyone came back in the evening, but a few never did. My folks went home in the a.m., but came back in the p.m. More next week on old times.

Bob Piper's Corner - May 4, 1986

May 4, 1986 

George Dunshee and myself went to Margaret Holmes’ birthday party. Very nice. We then picked up Charles Prior. I took them on the old Capitol Trail from Chariton to Norwood. It was the main road from Chariton to Des Moines. That is, it was the Chariton/Norwood section. We started at the water tower by the armory, went one block west and turned north to Curtis one block, then west to Johnson Machine Works, then by the County Home to the first intersection. Take the middle road (now marked “Low Maintenance” to the Oakley Road, go north one mile to the intersection, and turn west into Swede Hollow. Go over the Wheeler Bridge (the only big iron bridge over White Breast), turn north and to Oakley/Norwood Road. This was known as the Capitol Trail. Telephone poles were marked with a black band in center and yellow bands above and below. Sometimes no poles were there so the mark was on fence posts. A man named Junkin painted these poles every other year, through there. My father was acquainted with him and he stayed at our house for one night. He pushed a wheelbarrow from town to town. People fed and lodged him to get the news from down the road. Paint was shipped to towns along the way where he picked it up. I have traveled the trail many times.

In 1919 I drove our neighbors to the state fair over this road. I was twelve. The car was a T-Model Ford with a Puxtel axle. Left here at three a.m. and got there at nine a.m. Got home at midnight. It rained and we drove through mud with chains on after leaving Indianola. The first pavement we reached was on Auburn over in front of the C. B. & Q. freight house.

Saw quite a few birds and flowers. Did find a patch of Jacob’s ladder or Greek valerian. Lots of larkspur, sweet William and Virginia water leaf. Visited Jencho Hills north of Lucas.

An update on the robin/wren war at my house. As you know, the robin built a nest on top of the wren house. The wren came back and took the nest about half down. Now both are gone. My three birdbaths are fed by a pipe turned on inside the house. George thinks this is a Rube Goldberg invention. (Rube Goldberg was “way back when” in a comic strip.” Monday evening George and myself walked the Red Haw dam and along the east side. The beautiful well-care-for path goes clear around the lake. Benches every so often, path about twelve feet wide. Half a mile was enough for me.

Bob Piper's Corner - May 11, 1986

May 11, 1986 

Some more thoughts about the First United Presbyterian Church in Chariton before the union. Some humorous, some not. On the last Sunday of church in the old building, they had almost perfect attendance. All moved out into the street carrying the Bibles and communion service. People stood
out on Grand Street, many shedding tears. Colonel Dungan, who lived across the street, came out and talked to the people. His kind words helped a lot. The people then moved over to the Presbyterian Church where we are now.

The communion set was given to the old Otterbein Church. As it disbanded, the set fell into the hands of Fannie Redlingshafer Kincaid. Years later after Fannie’s death, her brother George located it in her basement. Sometime later it was given to the historical society and is lodged in the Otterbein Church.

Colonel Dungan was a former Lt. Governor of Iowa. The big chair in Sara’s study was given to the church by Myra Dungan and Edna Culbertson, his daughters.

I have heard my mother say it was quite a change from the Psalter to the hymnal. The people in both churches knew each other well so that was no problem to fit right in. The choir was good size, around twenty. Mr. Lon Mickle was the leader. Remember there were no musical instruments, no pitch pipe, no tuning fork. Most of the time they had a person with perfect pitch and that was a big help.

One Sunday Mr. Mickle couldn’t locate his wife in the congregation. He slipped out and came in the back door to ask his son Bob where she was. He thought she might be ill. Bob informed his dad that he had forgotten to bring her. Fortunately, Mrs. Mickle saw the humor in the whole thing. Mr. Mickle was a lucky man, I say. My father said the same thing.

Another humorous incident at the old church. My father seldom missed church. One Sunday he came at Sunday school time. I never knew him to do this before. I think he had heard something. He found my brother Joe and me sitting on bicycles right in the Sunday School room. We had done it before and nothing was said. My father put an end to this right there with his hand and it lasted for years. We even borrowed the bicycles because we had Model T Ford trucks to drive at the age of ten years. The trucks were used in our business and we didn’t need bicycles of our own.

Last Sunday when I picked up Louise Strohman to come to Sunday school and church she was not wearing her glasses. I called her attention to this and she said she really didn’t need them all the time, that she could read without them at ninety-three years of age. However, I have persuaded her to wear them because they make her look younger.

A little about Louis Strohman, Louise’s husband. He could be called the father of Red Haw Park. In the early years of Red Haw one of his supervisors from Des Moines ordered him to cut the Red Haw trees around the entrance and up the hill. He didn’t like them. Strohman could see this and refused to cut them as they were part of the park. He said if they insisted they could get someone else to do it. He never heard it mentioned again.

George Dunshee, Charles Prior and myself rode Sunday p.m. We went down to the Colyn area. Couldn’t see any geese at first but discovered they were squatted down in the grass. Cock pheasants in plain view along the roads as the females are nesting. Found seas of Sweet William, the largest thicket I have ever seen. Found wild larkspur. George argued with me on this one. This is a good part of the game. Be curious. We found swamp buttercup and yellow violets, and many others, too.

Bob Piper's Corner - May 18, 1986

May 18, 1986

The happenings in this article took place sixty-six years ago.  I remember it well.  I talked to Victor Peterson, who lives on Osage Avenue in Chariton.  He remembers all I am going to tell because part of it took place at his farm.  My brother Dayton came home from the Navy, married Kathryn McDonald of Melrose.  They wanted to farm.  Father put them on a 460-acre farm southwest of Oakley.  Before long they had a pet dog named Wud and a pet pig named Petunia.  The pig and the dog rode in the back seat of their Ford touring car.  They had to remove one door so the pig could get in.  When they came to town the pig rode two miles to the Peterson’s house and got out there and waited for them to come back.  The dog came with them to town.

One Sunday morning on the way to church they stopped at Peterson’s and no one was home.  They brought the pig to town and by this time it was near one hundred pounds.  We were all at church so they brought the pig, still in the car, and parked by the church.  It really caused a scene.  It was quite a Sunday morning.  It really upset things.  Dr. Story, the minister, my folks and Dayton and Kathryn put their heads together and decided not to let this happen again.  My father saw the humor but my mother couldn’t quite see it.  Remember this story had a slight church connection.

Everyone should go by Lewis Morrow’s at 512 North 5th and see the beautiful azalea bush on the north side of their home.  It is at the peak and rain may cause it to lose its brilliance.  It is the most beautiful shrub you can imagine.  It’s ten or twelve feet tall.  Don’t miss seeing it.

George and myself went down the Cinder Path Sunday minus Charles Prior as he went to a birthday party.  Before going on the path we went to the three lakes and checked the water going over the spillways.  Not as much as we thought.  We also checked out Stephens Forest area southwest of Lucas.  Not too many unusual birds although we saw a mocking bird.  Flowers we found were wild columbine, bedstraw, yarrow, pussy toes, gromwell, wild geranium, Virginia water leaf, wild larkspur, golden alexander and other.

Bob Piper's Corner - May 25, 1986

May 25, 1986 

George Dunshee, Charles Prior and myself went for a ride Sunday to see the high water. We saw lots of it. Went by the buffalo farm north of Promise City. More there than we had ever seen before. Lots more young. We went to Bridgeport at the lower end of Rathbun and then zigzagged northwest toward Chariton. Charles saw a strange bird, on a post. We stopped and I could hear the song of a bobolink. We went up the road to drive into an abandoned farm. On the way we waved at a farmer looking after his cows and calves. As we wnt back to see the bird we waved at the farmer again. We got a good view of the bird and several more. We went up the road, turned around, came back, saw the birds and waved at the farmer again. I told George that the farmer probably thought we were up to something. 

About a mile away we drove into a turnaround overlooking south Chariton backwaters. In a moment or two here came the farmer in a pickup truck. He pulled up and asked if we were looking for something. I told him what we were doing and he was quick to tell why he was upset. He probably realized too, that he was in the wrong. It seems they had been losing calves. A car would drive up, grab a calf, toss it in the car trunk and take off. He had lost several. He didn’t actually see the act, but other people had seen it happen. It turned out all right and we had a good visit. Flowers were about as usual. George found a rather nondescript flower. I had seen it before, but I am rusty. Haven’t had the big bird and flower books out for seven or eight years. George’s interest is putting me to work and I love it. In the evening I was looking at the specimen he found. It had quite a root. I saved the plant and cut up the root to go down the garbage disposal. At once I realized it was wild horseradish. Strong order. We did get home Sunday without any more unexpected events. I always take candy along. I limit myself to three pieces. They have no limits, it seems. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon.

My mother and father met at the teachers’ college in Normal, Illinois, in 1885. They were married in 1889 and moved to a farm near Clio, Iowa. Father came out the year before on the T. P. & W. Railroad. The railroad put a flatcar before the engine and pushed it through the country for interested land buyers to observe the countryside. Old church pews were fastened to the flat car. Father didn’t think he could see much so he got off at Corydon, hired a horse and buggy, and wound up at Clio where he met some nice people by the name of Barker. In 1925 and 1926 their daughter taught in high school here. The first year they raised sheep. Mother had never been on a farm and the smell of sheep made her ill. Father said they would change to hogs the next year and that was worse as it was a wet year. This led to their moving to Oakley, Iowa, where they engaged in the food business. They couldn’t sell the farm as nothing was selling.

One of their neighbors had a son who was returning from working on a cattle drive where he was a cook. His folks thought it was great to have a cook around. This was a joke as he knew nothing but cooking in great quantities using big kettles of buffalo grease and corn meal, beans, etc. Father hit upon the idea of letting the boy run his farm until they could sell it.

The boy came but he brought an Indian wife. A group called upon the family and told them she wasn’t welcome. No person of color ever stayed in Wayne County overnight. This was true up to 1960 and as far as I can learn it’s still true. The Indian wife went to Missouri and five years later the couple went back out West.

While this was going on my folks had a visit from a cousin, John Piper, of Philadelphia. They had had slaves in their home and after the slaves were freed they took the Piper name, as they had no last names, and stayed at the home and worked. When cousin John came to visit he brought two black boys with him. My folks were visited by a group telling them the boys couldn’t stay overnight. Since it was Sunday and my folks were going to church in Allerton at the United Presbyterian Church, they decided to all go and cousin John and his black boys would board the late p.m. train and leave. As they came to the church a group met them and said the black boys weren’t welcome in the church. A family by the name of Rick took them all home to dinner and kept them until train time in Corydon. My brother Bill lived in Corydon thirty-five years and he was much aware of this unwritten law allowing no person of color to stay the night in Wayne County. Remember this story has a slight church connection. I was baptized in this same church in 1913.

Bob Piper's Corner - June 1, 1986

June 1, 1986

George Dunshee, Charles Prior and myself went for a three hour ride Sunday. We found out it had rained north east of here. Struck some muddy roads. Birds were about as usual. Found a false Solomon’s seal, also a beautiful display of water parsnips in bloom between Wolf Creek and Gwen Crozier’s old home place. They show up like Queen Anne’s lace, only taller, larger flowers and really white. Flood waters always bring them out. One of our favorite roads through Stephens Forest to Stoneking Cemetery was washed out. We hope they put it in shape again. It’s a great place for wild flowers. Saw some deer too.

While my folks lived in Oakley, many interesting events took place. Many of these my mother told me about. One was blackberry time. The berries flourished along the railroad. People came for miles and camped, bringing their stoves and jars and canned right there. As long as they were on railroad property no one could say a word. Really no one cared as these people all brought news from other areas. In the main they were nice people and were fed and lodged by people free of charge. Mother made lots of friends and many of the people came back year after year.

The foot-washing Baptists were active there at this time. My folks were not of this group but the people did take them to a service down on White Breast Creek north of Oakley. The church was situated in Mt. Zion Cemetery and was just removed in the last seven or eight years. These people were very devout but a few years the visiting of rowdy people put an end to their meetings outdoors.

Another yearly event was the entertaining court trials. Someone would take someone else’s rain barrel or wheelbarrow. Something of little value. The person would sue and since Oakley had no place for court, the trial was moved to the opera house in Lucas. It would drag on and on for weeks. Again, people came by buggy and again were fed and lodged by the people of Lucas. In this way people living in Lucas and those visiting could exchange news. The jury usually fined the one being sued $3.00 to $5.00. It was great for winter entertainment. One Sunday church was held in the opera house. Remember this story has a slight church connection.

The Piper business was slow in Oakley. Father’s brother Robert came back from out west where he was a U.S. Marshall. Father let him run the business part-time while he helped his half-brother, John, in the railroad mail service. He came home one day and Uncle Robert had bought several barrels of used clocks. They all needed repair which he intended to do in his spare time. There never was time and they were in the way so Father took them to the back door and stored them on the porch. The porch fell off and clocks rolled down the hill a good two blocks. No one of the firm ever went after them. However, Alfred Nussbaum picked up a cuckoo clock, worked on it, and oiled it with oil from crushed walnut meats. It worked for seventy-two or seventy-three years. He told me my name was pasted inside and I was to have it after his death. I went to the sale and pointed this out to his daughter. She said I could bid like everyone else. I said I wouldn’t give a dime under the circumstances. The clock was sitting up six or seven feet from the ground to keep people from handling it. Just then a gust of wind blew it off the shelf dashing it to the cement driveway. That ended the clock’s life.

Bob Piper's Corner - June 8, 1986

June 8 , 1986
This is an article about my father and huckster wagon days.  As George and myself travel over the old roads around Oakley I can visualize my father traveling in his huckster wagon eighty-five or ninety years ago. We in luxury and he bumping along as bolster wagons were not in as yet.  This wagon was a good deal like the ones that crossed the plains.  Wagons, like cars, improved as the years went by.  What was a huckster wagon?  Staple goods were carried on this wagon which were in turn traded for chickens, turkeys, butter and eggs.  Orders were also taken for the next visit two weeks later.  Remember, people didn’t come to town only two or three times a year.  Churches were mostly rural.  Father carried Bibles on the wagon and you could trade your produce and put something down on a Bible.  When you had enough credit the Bible was yours.  We used to have one at home and it was nice and quite large.  Why so large I don’t know.  It was a home Bible, not one to be carried with you.  Occasionally someone tells me they have one.  I have tried several times to talk people out of one.  I wouldn’t think of buying one but have offered a fancy new one in trade.  No luck.  Father left a pair of pincers at the Kirton residence.  Pincers were the forerunners of pliers.  Every farm or working person had a pair.  James Kirton, a young man of twelve, found them and saved them for Father’s next visit.  For being honest my father gave him the pincers.  This story was related to me by James Kirton and he showed me the pincers not too many years ago.  I wanted to give him a new pair in exchange but he declined as he said they would be mine in the end.  As such things go I never saw them again.  

This following episode I have heard my father tell many times.  There was one home he always tried to miss at lunch time.  He had the only dish and fork, as guest, and everyone else ate out of cans.  One day a rim came off a wheel and he was stuck there at noon and until repairs could be made.  At dinner the only food was a deep blue mixture.  He felt he just had to ask what it was.  It was blackberries and mashed potatoes mixed together.  This could go on for page after page.  However, this short account tells you of the huckster wagon days.  Shortly before Thanksgiving turkeys were brought in.  They were in the back room of the store with feet tied.  One got loose, flew the length of the store and out through a glass window and was not found.  Perhaps that was a forerunner of wild turkeys.

George and myself took a three-hour ride Sunday p.m. without Charles Prior.  We traveled southwest, south and southeast on the little traveled roads.  Birds are scarce this time of year as they are nesting and some are molting.  Flowers were more in evidence.  George spotted a European bellflower.  Look it up in your flower book.  Yarrow and cinquefoil were plentiful.  Saw lots of rocket, a good deal like phlox.  Found several flowers that I haven’t had time to identify as yet.  Sometimes it takes a little time but it is fun.  Just talked to Emma Thomas about the European bellflower.  She is one of Ruth and my pupils.  She has been working on flowers and birds for fifteen years and is very good at it, better than myself.  She saw this flower in Mae Gasser’s garden corner.  That is going back a ways.  It was later transplanted in the Yocom Hospital gardens.  No one I have contacted as yet has seen this bellflower in the wild.  George gets the credit.  He has a sharp eye and will jump out many times to find something.  We also watch car safety as we stop.

Bob Piper's Corner - June 15, 1986

June 15, 1986

Last week I wrote about the huckster wagon days in Oakley where my parents were in business. Here is a little more. The day Father made the deal for the business someone came and said a fight was going on under the loading dock. Most store had such a dock for wagons to back up to with steps at each end. Father said to the former owner, “Are you going to stop it?” The man said “No, the business is yours now.” Father stopped it and lost his shirt. It was torn off. The day he sold the business the same two people were fighting under the dock again. The new owner said, “What do we do?” Father said, “The business is yours, now. You stop it.”

When the folks moved to Chariton the huckster wagon came along, as the new owner didn’t want it. It was put in our barn and rested there for years. Our family used it once a year for a picnic to Swede Hollow at Wheeler Bridge. Father also loaned it to others for picnics. They had to be responsible people. He never loaned our horses as he trusted them only to himself in such cases.

One Fourth of July we were going on a picnic to Swede Hollow. The Ruben Tinder family was along as guests. It was time to leave and brother Bill couldn’t be found. Mother saw Mumford James coming in his buggy. She asked him if he had seen Bill. He had seen him early going by his house riding our white family cow. Mother called Laurel Boss who had a phone and lived on the Oakley road where you turned in to Swede Hollow. He had seen Bill go by riding the cow. We took off and Bill was there when we got there. He said he just couldn’t bear to leave the cow at home all alone. The folks didn’t scold him. He stayed all night at Mace Wheelers and rode the cow back the next day. Ice cream was made out there. We took ice along that was taken from the ice house that stood where Kum and Go stands now. It was put up in the winter from the fair grounds’ pond which is still there. The boys all went swimming as the creek was right there. No bathing suits. John was the hit of the day as he stood on his head in the water and the water wasn’t deep enough. Captain Black of the National Guard came out in his buggy with his wife. Some neighbors out that way also came over to hear Captain Black give the afternoon sermon. It was dark when we got home. Fireworks were part of the day too, and were used that evening. 

A very nice tribute was paid to Charles Wennerstrum in the local paper, written by John Baldridge. However, I want to touch on the more personal side of him and also little-known things about him. We were true friends. He told me one time, if I repeated what he had told me he would be out of a job. By the same token if he repeated what I had said I would be in jail. We never gossiped, just heart-to-heart talks. 

Way back he talked me into being teacher of the men’s Sunday school class. I wasn’t qualified but he and my Ruth said they would be my helpers. Ruth knew the Bible from beginning to end and Charles was well read. When I got stuck which was often, I would pass a question to Charles and he would take over and start a discussion. We had learned Bible scholars there such as Frank Lunan, Gifford Tuttle, Leland Brownlee, Frank Spencer, Frank Stevenson, A. B. Pond, Hank Henderson and others. It was effortless for Charles and he enjoyed it. He worked at building up the Sunday school as a whole. He did a good job. He was a great friend of the little ones. Whenever he entered a room there was respect in the air. He didn’t want this to be but it was just natural. 

The church was having a dinner. Helen Wennerstrum made rolls, and buttered them. The Wennerstrums had been painting their kitchen and the butter tasted like paint. Charles rose to the occasion and said Helen had created a new thing in food. It brought the house down. In things like this he was at his best. One time he went over to the Methodist Church to hear a guest speaker. The man talked on and on. Charles had to make a train. As he left he heard the man say some people’s cup got full quicker than others. Charles saw the humor in this and told it often. Another time there was a big dinner at church. Charles had been injured in an automobile accident in Indianola some months before. His knees were injured and it took a long time to recover. It didn’t seem possible for him to get down the stairs. Just as the dinner started, here he came walking out of the kitchen to everyone’s surprise. It seems Scott and Roger had used some thick law books on the back steps to make little steps instead of one big step. 

Another time he was in Des Moines at Younkers. He met the walking preacher of the Ozarks, Guy Howard, who came from out around Newbern, Iowa. He talked him into coming to Chariton to talk at a church dinner. We had a huge crowd. In the Ozarks as he walked his route he learned many of the secrets of the people: who killed who, which ones had a still. This was brought out in his book. People were somewhat disappointed as he preached a gospel sermon. He did mention that all these things were told to him in confidence and he wouldn’t dare go back there if he revealed anything. Bill and Elgin Stuart first learned of Charles’ death when they read it in a newspaper in London. Remember Charles was one of the judges in the Nuremberg Trials in Europe. This is how I remember Charles. Just a great guy. He also had a marvelous wife.

Bob Piper's Corner - June 22, 1986

June 22, 1986

This is an article about the old United Presbyterian Church and the Piper brass pig. In 1898 Fred Stanley built the building we are now in. He had a friend who helped him on the building and who also worked in a foundry. It stood where Shimp’s Service Station stands now on West Braden. This man’s name was Bentley. He wanted to go to Alaska as gold had been discovered there. He tried to talk Stanley into going but couldn’t do so. It was at this time he cast the brass pig as a present to Mr. Stanley. If he came back, he wanted the pig. If he didn’t come back the pig was to stay with the store. It has been at the store for almost one hundred years. The pig is a two-pound paper weight. Bentley struck it rich in Alaska but was greedy and didn’t winterize soon enough and froze to death. A cold wind and rain came and temperatures dropped to sixty below. Dogs and people froze to death where precautions hadn’t been taken. The old saying, there is honor among thieves, was true here. His gold was gathered up and shipped back here. There was an enormous amount. His family lived on it for years.

This pig was stolen several years ago. I called the sheriff and told him who was in the store about the time it disappeared. In two weeks it came back in the mail. Since then I have kept it on the back counter, although it can still be seen. The foundry where the pig was made had a greenhouse in connection. The ingenious owner used the heat from the foundry to warm the greenhouse. The owner was a good friend of the minister of the old United Presbyterian Church, Dr. Findley. Several times when the heat failed at the church, meetings were held at the greenhouse. It seems, where there’s a will there’s a way. One time when the heat at the church and the greenhouse both failed, church was held in the huge lobby of the old Bates House. This building stood where National Bank and Trust stands now. Dr. Homer and Dr. Charles Stewart, veterinarians, worked in his foundry when they were young. Dr. Findley was minister of the church when these things took place.

Later, Dr. Story came. He was a huge single man, not fat but tall and broad. Mother invited him to dinner one Sunday. All went well until he detected the pie was warm. Nothing was to be cooked on Sunday. He mentioned it to Mother and she said it was baked on Saturday but she felt it would be better warmed since it was a cold day. The minister pushed it aside. Nothing more was said but Father was put out so he ate the pie. Mother thought this a little out of place but Father couldn’t have cared less.

George and myself went for a three-and-a-half ride. Went east to the old mining camps of Consul and Haydock. They are between Weller and Hiteman in Monroe County, northwest of Albia. We located Consul two years ago and talked to the lady who lives there now and was born there. She showed us a block tile building in the timber which is all that is left of Consul. The two mines were owned by the Northwestern Railroad. We realized we were standing on the old roadbed of the railroad. Haydock was a mile south. We backed out and went a mile east, a mile south and a mile west. From that point we could see the old roadbed winding up the valley. It crossed the road into a grove of trees. Hills were on three sides and Haydock was right there. Birds were not too much in sight but we heard many. We saw quail, turkeys, indigo buntings and twenty other rather common birds. Flowers are just in-between time. We looked for butterfly weed. Just a little early. Saw one swamp milkweed. It is a beautiful Flower. There will be plenty. We also saw hairy angelica. It was almost inaccessible due to briars, and wet from a shower. Water parsnip was in bloom too. Brown-eyed Susan’s and rose mallow too. Five leaved cinquefoil is a beautiful hearty plant but is definitely a weed due to its great numbers. We saw beautiful luxurious thistle in bloom, big as a large pin cushion

Bob Piper's Corner - June 29, 1986

June 29, 1986
This is a story of two chairs in the Piper family.  The rocker is upstairs in my home at the present time.  It is in good shape and is used by company as it is so comfortable.  It is not in my bedroom so I seldom use it.  My folks obtained this chair while in business at Oakley before the turn of the century.  The folks saved tobacco coupons.  When the right amount was saved they sent them in to the tobacco company, and received the chair.  They also saved coupons and got two huge leather chairs and a library table.  Where these things are I have no idea.  When my brother John and sister Helen were real small, my mother was sitting in this chair upstairs during a violent storm.  Father was gone that night.  The wind blew the roof from the house and landed it a block away.  Neighbors gathered the next day and sawed the roof into four sections and put it back on.  Mother got wet as did the children who were downstairs during the storm.  Dayton, Will and George were down there.  Joe Howard and myself were born in Chariton.

Now the story of the second chair.  Ladies Aid was being held at our house in Chariton.  We children were to stay outside and be quiet.  Mother’s orders.  We had the running gears of a buggy that we were riding down the hill on.  Four rode down and eight pulled it back up.  The next time down the other four rode.  One of our neighbors had a huge mastiff dog that was always chained.  Somehow it got loose and came over to where we children were.  The dog got excited and grabbed one of the boys by the upper arm and wouldn’t let go.  Several men came but couldn’t make the dog let loose.  I ran into the house to tell Mother and she came outside, sized up the situation, grabbed my old high chair and hit the dog with all her might.  The dog let loose and ran home.  The Ladies Aid was royally entertained that day.  Today the chair is up in my attic tied up in a bundle with twine.

George, Charles and myself went northeast, stayed north and west of Knoxville, reaching Red Rock later on.  Crops look great up that way and more rain than here.  It was mostly a new area to us.  Didn’t see many flowers or birds.  We stopped at the south end of the dam to visit the museum.  A wonderful place.  Tells of the future and the past.  Good view from the lookout.  It’s all air-conditioned with movies of your choice in a theater.  Coming out we found George’s car had a flat tire.  We all changed it but George did the work.  During a short ride Friday eve, we found butterfly weed and other.  George arranged four vases at church.  Beautiful orange butterfly weed in the two Wiley Curtis brass vases.  The other two vases had verva in, with lead plant, black-eyed Susan and baby’s breath.  We always give the flowers away to someone to enjoy.

Bob Piper's Corner - July 6, 1986

July 6, 1986

A PARADISE FOR CHILDREN GROWING UP

In 1913 we built a bakery on our home lot. Before that for a short time, it was under the J. C. Flatt Ice Cream store. Flatt’s was where the east half of the Ben Franklin store stands now. The bakery was in the front half of the basement and the ice cream was stored in holding boxes in the rear, kept frozen by ice and salt. A bakery and ice cream storage didn’t go together at all. Father decided to move the bakery to the basement of our present store. It was here until 1913. This is where Code Shelton learned the bakery trade from Wally Murphy. Code was well-known in Chariton and later had a bakery right where Meyer’s law offices are at present. He told me personally with the advent of cake and cookie mixes the small bakery would be a thing of the past. Most all towns had a small bakery or two but Code was right, bakeries were doomed. Also large bakeries with trucks covering the area sounded the end of small bakeries. One Saturday the store was out of bread. Father borrowed a baby buggy from a customer. Someone held the baby. We lined the buggy with paper and I pushed the buggy two doors away into the basement and brought back a load of bread and that saved the day.

The bakery at home was to be at the back of the lot but Mother was back home visiting her folks and Father decided if it was built upon the front of the lot it would be handier. When Mother came back it was built, much to her displeasure. To soothe Mother’s feelings, Father built an addition to the house that Mother had wanted for some time. The bakery oven was a great help in our home cooking. Close to the fireboxes it was always hot. Remember we were cooking on a range at home using coal & wood.

Many times when company came Mother would send us children to the bakery to heat something. I remember one time Ladies Aid of this church was meeting at our home. Mother later learned that all were concerned as no preparations were being made for the lunch. Mother was in the group all the time. Little did the people know that my brother Joe and I had lined bakery pans with crackers sprinkled with cheese. Two big pots of tomato soup were heating also. When it was time and the cheese had melted, we carried it all to the house. Mother came to the kitchen and presto the luncheon was served.

George and myself didn’t ride together Sunday as he had nine of his family visiting and I had fifteen. Wednesday eve and Friday eve we did ride for a short time. Wednesday we checked out the town as to paving progress, new houses, etc. Friday we went to Red Haw. Rabbits are thick at Red Haw. Jack Coffey, state officer of the Colyn area, says this is a banner year for rabbits. Coffey’s special work is with rabbits. Why they were scarce last year and plentiful this year is a mystery.

Bob Piper's Corner - July 13, 1986

July 13, 1986

More about the Piper Bakery. Most of our bread that was shipped, went south and southwest. The Rock Island was new in 1913. We shipped to Millerton, Corydon and Allerton on this line. On the St. Joe branch of the C.B. & Q. we shipped to Derby, Humeston, Kellerton. At Humeston we shipped on the old T.P. & W. clear down to Coin, Iowa. Coin was the headquarters of Dr. Bown. Dean and Keith, his sons, were dealers in fine horses. Some of the towns in this line were Van Wert, Tingley and others. Bread was shipped by railway express in wooden boxes holding forty-eight one-pound loaves not wrapped. Bread was wrapped at the store in plain white paper, not wax. Once a month we had to go to these stores to collect and round up our bread boxes. Stores seldom returned them with any regularity. We might find them anywhere in town. With our name printed on the box they were easy to claim. State food inspectors notified us the boxes had to have ventilation. We drilled eight one-inch holes in each side of the boxes. Imagine unwrapped bread and coal-burning engines and having to drill holes in the otherwise quite tight boxes.

The only person I can remember in a town was a minister at Tingley, Iowa. By wagon he took bread to several other small towns for us. At Chariton we were selling six one-pound loaves for twenty-five cents wrapped in one package in white paper. What bread wholesaled for I do not know. Had to be cheap. The first lady in our retail bread department was Zora Holmes. She was there for years. 

Going back to Dr. Bown. Father came by way of Chariton from Clio, Iowa, to look over the town of Oakley business-wise and of course located there later. He had to stay in Chariton overnight and wanted to stay at the new C.B. & Q. passenger station hotel. It was full. They sent him over to the Mullen Hotel just across the street. They had room for one. He paid his fifty cents and went upstairs. He came back down and reported the room was occupied by another man. They said the other half of the bed was his. He got his money back and sat in the railroad waiting room until the train next a.m. While waiting he met Dr. Thomas Bown who was waiting for a train. It was the beginning of a lifelong friendship. 

Father’s brother, Robert, had gone to New York to live. Dr. Bown asked Father if he would like to ride with a car of horses to Buffalo. It cost nothing and he could see his brother and his fare back to Chariton was paid. He did this several times. The horse cars were like Pullmans with quarters for the caretaker. These horse Pullmans were carried on the fastest and best trains. Even on mail trains. I am always amazed when I think of how fast trains ran in those days. Much faster than now. Between seventy and ninety miles an hour was common, especially on mail trains. 

George, my daughter Jan and myself went for a ride. Went south and east of Chariton to Colyn area. Saw Canada geese and their young. Saw more cardinals and brown thrashers than usual. Picked quite a bouquet of flowers; butterfly weed, bergamot, swamp milkweed, whorled milkweed, and partridge pea. Toured the town of Russell. Took all the old roads south of where Gwen Crozier was born and raised.

Bob Piper's Corner - July 20, 1986

July 20, 1986

GROWING UP WITH JENNY AND JACK MULES

Out home was on one corner of our big lot. Horse barn on another, bakery and the lard and sausage building on the other two corners. We had four teams of small mules that we delivered with. I often wonder what became of this herd of mules as I don’t see them anymore, mainly because there is no need for them. With the advent of trucks and more paving they weren’t needed. The men at the barn always told us boys to look after the mules as they were no bother. This is true. They will not overeat. You could leave the grain bin open and they would eat only so much, would not drink too much, never get overheated and would never strain to pull more than they should.

They seldom kicked from the back and if they did they got ready for several seconds giving you time to move. However, they did reach out front with shod hooves. This was an unlooked for trick and they had to be watched. Strangers had to beware. One mule wouldn’t move without the other and when one stopped the other did too. They were afraid of nothing alive or dead.

On the intersection where Sid Larson lived they were laying the brick pavement. A steam roller was in use to roll the bricks down level into the sand base. We came along with a mule team and wagon. Bill Baster, boss of the gang, stopped the roller and came over to lead the team by. We warned him not to come up to the front of the mules. One mule reached out and split his shirt and pants from top to bottom. Didn’t put a scratch on him. The mules went up to the roller which was hissing and shaking, smelled it and ambled on as though it was nothing.

We sold the teams over a time as we had less mud streets and more trucks. The last team we sold to Howard Culbertson. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. His wife wanted a quiet team to drive around their farm. The jack wouldn’t stay and came home time after time. Father gave them their money back and brought the team home.

The jenny died, and the jack loafed around home for years. Didn’t get into much trouble. Got into someone’s garden now and then and Father would pay thirty-five or fifty cents to take care of the damage.

The jack went swimming with us and watched out clothes. He wouldn’t let you ride him. He went to the football games because my brother Joe and myself were playing. He ran in in spite of everything and ate grass along the corners of the field. Had to be chased off the field now and then.

When I went away to school he was still there at home. I’ll write more about this mule later. After no more boys were home Father thought the mule went to look for us and had a brush with the switch engine which ended his life.

Sunday, July 20th, George Dunshee, Charles Prior and myself took off at 2 p.m. for a ride. Went south first to look into the location of a little settlement west of the Slab Castle area where five or six families lived, now gone for years. We went south on Highway 14 to the second road running east. If that road ran clear through it would come out on the Confidence road or the road that goes by Salem Cemetery. The west end was closed when the Rock Island went through. It was near the junction of Wolf Creek and the Chariton River. It was north of Frank Ambelang’s farm, east of Braden School, south of the Joe Shore farm and west of Slab Castle. Hupps had a saw mill on Wolf Creek and Cumpston had one on the Chariton River. It’s hard to find anyone old enough to clue us in on all this. More later on this. Went from this area to the crossing where people were killed Sunday a.m. Talked to Burlington Northern investigators a moment and then headed for Stephens Forest out by Thousand Acres to check on flowers, especially Joe-Pye-weed. We found plenty and it was beautiful. Had a lesson on the difference between Joe-Pye and boneset. Plenty of selfheal and germander, but no blazing star. Checked out the strip mines and headed back to Chariton. We were on low maintenance roads we had never been on before. One joke about this is we pick up Charles Prior in town and haul him back to the country where he lives.

Bob Piper's Corner - July 27, 1986

July 27, 1986

George Dunshee, Charles Prior and myself left Chariton at 2 p.m. and arrived back at 5:45 p.m. Traveled mostly northwest. Went by McCrosky bull farm and by where Ruth Ruddell was born and raised. We forded a creek and then went down to Swede Hollow. The old red barn on the Vic Peterson farm is gone. It stood halfway out in the road. It was built in 1909 by Vic’s father before the road was put there. Mark Frazier owns it now and will let it go back to its original state of timberland. We went on some roads today that made me think of the old fairy tale where they left bread crumbs behind so they could be found if they got lost. That is stretching it a little bit. We searched for a huge hornets’ nest that we saw last year but it was nowhere to be found. We usually check out one or two cemeteries on our rides. This week it was Brownlee Cemetery about a mile straight east across the fields from Esther Karn’s. Very interesting place because of the old, old, old dates on the stones. Lots of dates over one hundred years old and a few back to the 1860’s. It was pretty well kept up. Down the old roads you see many killdeers especially this time of year. When they lay their eggs they don’t build a nest, just lay them on the path or in some coarse rock. It’s a beautiful bird and calls constantly. Heard true rain crows and cuckoos but couldn’t spot them. Same with Maryland yellowthroats. We have been working some on the sunflower family. There are dozens of them. We did identify cup-weed that is of that family. It’s more flower like. Saw evening primrose, bouncing Bet, four-star bellflower, butterfly weed, field milkwort or better known as candy root. Acres of partridge peas. Have also been working on the song of the cardinal. I have concluded the female sings too, same song as the male, but not always from a high perch.

I have never mentioned this before in the newsletter, but we always have something to discuss. Words of phrases. Sunday we discussed which word to use in this phrase: The new rules infringed or impinged on one’s usual privileges. Also the difference between blatant and flagrant. Altogether it makes a pleasant ride.

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SLIDING ON BAKERY HILL

The hill is pretty tame now as the top has been cut down ten feet and the bottom has been filled in a good fifteen feet. It was mostly small sleds as the bigger bobsleds went out to the Mallory place two blocks north. The hill was a popular one as we usually could find broken cookies at the bakery for snacks. One could also get warm too. Last week I talked of our mules and the one jack that wouldn’t stay sold. We put him to work on the hill. We put a light shoulder harness on him with a rope dragging behind. He would run down the hill with us and then we would hang on to the rope and he would pull us back because he always got a bite of cookie. Once he got enough cookies and he wouldn’t pull anymore until he was hungry again. We could get a few more pulls by using raisins, then a few more pulls with a marshmallow as a treat.

We used four teams for delivery work. I spoke of these mules in an earlier article. Joe Howard and myself hitched them up before school time. We hooked the wagons tandem, no driver, and they went nine blocks to town where they knew their food and water was. At night it was reversed as the feed was at home and they would come. They usually went the same route to town but not always. Sometimes in the spring they cut through someone’s garden. Father always paid the damages. Once in a while they would cut a corner too close and get hooked up on a post. Sometimes we had to go free the wagon. People knew they went every day and would ride free and often drove them. A few years back a man stopped in the store and said he worked for us in 1914. I somehow doubted that he had. He said he could name the mules. They never had names and were not the same pair each day. You must have a jenny and a jack to get them to work. We also had three horses and this man named them in the order of their age. So he must have been around. Kate was first and she had Mary and Mary had Daisy. Before leaving the mules I want to say that they didn’t bray. They were lazy and this probably took too much effort.

Bob Piper's Corner - August 3, 1986

August 3, 1986

THE BAKERY WOOD PILE

In the early years the bakery oven was heated with wood. After the bakery burned we rebuilt it and then used coke to burn. The wood-burning times were the most interesting. Wood was cut on our farm in Swede Hollow and hauled to town. Two trips a day for several months. It was cut into 16-foot pole lengths and hauled by wagon by George S. We hired a man to cut wood and live in the timber. He had five children. Father ran into this man in Milwaukee while looking for a war-time baker. This was the first World War. One of these children was later head of the Salvation Army in Iowa. He was killed by a hitch-hiker in later years. We envied those boys as they didn’t have to go to school, take a bath, etc. Mother didn’t go along with these things. This pole wood was piled in our huge wood lot. Later, Dad Miley, father of the famous Miley brothers, Oscar and Jack, brought his one-cylinder power saw and cut this wood in four-foot lengths.

Before this happened, we kids built log cabins and log houses. It was disappointing to us when the saw came. However, we knew another year would come and we could build again. The few nails we put in the logs brought out choice words from the saw man. This all had to be split for the oven. Most of the splitting was done by hobos, tramps, or Knights of the Road. They were all from the railroad. Somehow they knew there was work for a good meal. Sometimes two worked at the same time. Some of these tramps came back year after year. The wood was stacked in cocks to shed water. The tramps told us there was a sign in the rail yards telling where there was work and food. Some worked an hour or so and left. Others would work four or five days and sleep in the haymow.

It took five big arm loads of wood to fire the oven. We started the fire with a corn cob soaked in kerosene. One 2-hour firing heated the oven to proper temperature. The oven was sixteen feet square and lined with an oven tile that retained the heat. Things requiring the most heat were baked first, and so on. More about the bakery later.

George, Charles and myself rode Sunday p.m. until 6:30. Went southwest to Decatur, Wayne, Clarke and Lucas Counties. Went through Woodburn, old Smyrna, LeRoy and Humeston. Hail damage around LeRoy was bad. Acres of beautiful corn had been reduced to sticks about two feet high. Lots of trees damaged in LeRoy. We were on lots of roads that were new to all three of us. Saw many quail, pheasants. Two baby coons crossed in front of our car right in the middle of Humeston. We’re not in any hurry so we stopped the car and watched. Saw the reddest deer we have ever seen. Much more so than is common. We are continually amazed how beautiful farm lawns are, due to the advent of the riding mover. Not only in front of their homes, but up and down the roadside. Makes for a beautiful countryside. We were on one old road that was marked B grade. However, it was smooth as glass. Suddenly, here was a mud hole. A real bad one. We turned around right there and went another way.

Our topic for the day to discuss was about snakes. They are able to swim real well. Do they have bladder-like floats as fish? It seems not. They are just good swimmers due to their many vertebrae. They wiggle in the water just as they do on land. They must come up for air. In all our travels we have seen only two or three snakes and they were dead. It must be that they are on the ground and come into contact with chemicals found there. Caterpillars are becoming a rarity too. Birds are molting now and not many seen. They are back in the woods. We heard their songs. Didn’t visit any cemeteries this time, although we passed several.

Bob Piper's Corner - August 10, 1986

August 10, 1986 

ANOTHER BIT OF PARADISE

On one corner of our home place things took place. Here was the building in which we rendered lard and made bologna. Just across the alley was the building that housed the carpet-weaving machine of Matilda and Christina Newman. The lard and sausage making was done by Fred Nichols. His home stood right where the high school stands now. It took several hours to render a batch and it was very hot. Everyone was careful not to get a drop of water into the lard. A little water would clear everyone from the room as it spatters. Now and then the roof would leak and that was really dangerous. 

Mr. Nichols had a son, Tippy. I can’t remember his real name. He was mad at his father one morning and he tossed a snowball in the window, which landed in the lard. That caused the lard to boil over hitting the fire, and a raging blaze engulfed the building, burning it to the ground. The fire department came with Old Betsy. Our building was gone, but they saved the Newman Carpet building. Mr. Nichols didn’t scold Tippy, which made the boy suffer more than if he had spanked him. Following this incident, Mr. Nichols retired and the lard rendering kettle was moved to town.

When the lard was done, it was dipped into a press and the liquid pressed out, leaving the cracklings. These were good and fresh and crisp. Families who were poor came and got them to use as flavoring in stews or just to munch on. We would tie a string on a tail, leaving the string hanging out. Long before the lard was rendered the meat on the tail was done. We could then pull the tail out, go over to the bakery and get a loaf of fresh bread and what a feast!

Back to the Newmans and carpet weaving. This machine was powered by someone using foot power on the treadle. That is where we boys came in to good use. People brought strips of cloth to have a rug made. The women didn’t like to have visitors. Therefore, it was sort of mysterious. Beautiful rugs came from there.

We couldn’t locate Charles Prior, so George and myself went out at 2 p.m. and back at 5:20 p.m. Didn’t travel so many miles as we stopped and looked at flowers. We drove northeast out by Bethel to see how the new road was coming. Next Sunday it will all be torn up. Some big changes will be made mostly for the good of us all. Doug Prather’s home was down in the bottom. Realizing the road would be high above him, he built a new earth home in the side of the hill. He is far from high enough yet. George was out Saturday gathering flowers for church Sunday. He brought in a specimen, but no leaves. We went out there today and the leaves told the story. It was wild lettuce. We saw both common and shrubbery primrose, Joe-Pye-weed, beautiful swamp milkweed, five-star bellflowers and gumweed. Went to Stephens Forest across from the Thousand Acres. Going down into the area we discovered it had rained. Lucky for us it was just a few yards and we ran out of it. We went on through Stephens Forest and on into the Thousand Acres. J. T. Crozier and my father were interested in buying this land years ago, but John H. Curtis, Wiley’s grandfather, outbid them. My father was always glad he didn’t get it. Saw several beautiful new homes that have sprung up. Discovered later that Prior had gone to Des Moines to see how the preparations for the fair were coming.

Bob Piper's Corner - August 17, 1986

August 17, 1986

One-day brother Joe Howard and myself were out to the east farm. We overheard a conversation between Father and the tenant farmer. It seems there was a sow that had a litter of ten pigs. One was a runt. We heard Father say to the tenant, “Just do away with the runt.” We asked why we couldn’t have it. Father said OK, but we would have to take it home and raise it. Neither he nor Mother had time. We brought it home in a burlap bag. Mother showed us what to do. It lived, and we had it around for a year and a half.

It was a pet for sure. It had several tricks. It could play dead, sit down, and show its teeth. We took it up to the North Park to perform. Anyone could play with him. His main drawing card was that he would eat chunks of coal and black walnuts. People would toss him a chunk of coal and he would catch it. People would stop by to see him perform. Mother wouldn’t let him run loose so we had him in a big pen. The jack mule that ran around loose was enough for one place, Mother always said. One evening we took him over to a neighborhood picnic to perform. He did great. He trotted home with us seeming as usual. Next morning, he seemed ill. Father called the veterinarian, Dr. Homer Stewart, to come see the hog. When we told him what we had been feeding him, he was appalled. It was a miracle he lived as long as he did. We had a funeral and buried Hog. That was his name. Father or Mother never scolded us as they realized we were heartbroken.

George Dunshee, Charles Prior and myself took off at 2 p.m. and arrived back at 5:30 p.m. Went mostly southeast. Went through Plano, Promise City, Corydon, Numa, Centerville and Iconium. Didn’t see the buffalo as they seemed to be elsewhere on the farm. All bodies of water we saw were smooth as glass, great for boating. Centerville’s business district is oddly arranged. Signs say don’t go here and don’t go there. That seems to be where people want to go if it says “No.” Topic as we traveled was thunderheads. I know very little about clouds, but George and Charles were in agreement, as there were many fleecy clouds to see. Flowers and birds are at a low ebb. We see lots of things, but not showy enough to bring to church.

Sara and Jack brought the flowers today. They were beautiful and from their garden. I heard George Dunshee tell Sara thanks for bringing them, as he got an hour extra sleep. It takes about an hour to arrange the flowers. She turned it back to George for next week. If anyone else has flowers, please tell us, or better yet, just bring them.

Another pig story. A farmer had a sow that wouldn’t have a litter. The farmer tried everything. Finally, one night the good fairy appeared and said she would find the trouble. Next day she told the farmer he had a smart sow. It seems out along the road was a sign saying “Don’t Litter.” The sow read this, and naturally didn’t litter.

Ask a question and sometimes you learn something, or find out something. A lady was in to the store recently. She was nicely dressed in a frilly white blouse with a tiny little pocket with a button on it. I jokingly asked what she carried in the pocket. She said, “I’ll show you,” and she promptly produced a $100 bill all folded up. Now we know what is in those tiny pockets. The lady lived in Woodburn and was coming to Chariton to shop. As she left home her husband gave her money just to be sure she had enough.

Bob Piper's Corner - September 7, 1986

September 7, 1986

George Dunshee and Charles Prior and myself took off at 2 p.m. in my car with Charles driving, as he was going to lead the way. We rode longer than usual, but it was pleasant, and we saw a lot of towns and interesting places. We went to Lacona and turned west, going as far as you can and we came to Otter Creek Park, a Warren County conservation project. Very nice and not too well known, I am sure. Beyond the timbered part are acres of native prairie. Three-foot-wide paths are mowed all through this prairie for people to walk along and observe. There is a lookout in there to climb up and get the view. There is not a real lake as such, but a good-size pond. It’s worth your visit. We went to Indianola. Not much time there, but went west to New Virginia, Peru, St. Charles and Truro, ending up on that end of Winterset. We toured the city park from one end to the other. It is a scenic tour. Saw John Wayne’s birthplace, then went to Pammel Park. None of us had really gone through it from end to end. It’s really large and beautiful. The ledges are very interesting. Limestone ledges are everywhere and they always make you think of rattle snakes. They are there but if you leave them alone they will not bother. The watchword is to be alert. We had no special words or subjects to discuss as we rode but I did observe that three men of our ages do have a lot of knowledge when we pool it together, whether it is stars, politics, livestock, wild flowers, birds, etc. It was a pleasant day to ride and the countryside is really green for this time of the year. The only flower we found was beautiful cow vetch.

More about the Piper Bakery in 1917 -

The bakery was started in 1912. We had our first bakers, Harry and Zula Roten, husband and wife, for five years. Harry became ill with a lung problem brought on by smoking, the doctors said. So many men had gone to war, bakers were scarce. Father heard there were German bakers out of work in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He went there and hired a man by the name of Offenhouser to come here. It was a good deal. Husband and wife and two children. I remember they lived in a little house right where the Senior Ball Park is now. This house originally was the famous Red House located one and a half miles north of Mallory Castle. In later years it was moved to town and later was moved again and still stands one and a half blocks south of the ball park area. It still is a good house and is occupied.

The bakery business increased and Father hired Dort Allenburger to come from Milwaukee. These two German bakers produced wonderful products. I noticed in some old files where our bakery was awarded prizes several times for bread made from corn flour and corn sugar and lard. The awards came from the state of Iowa. These two men were just doing their thing because in the old country corn flour and corn sugar was what they used all the time.

The bakery was just a short distance from our home and Mother was there often. She discovered the bakers were making beer in the basement. This was something they always had done. They had it on the table and young and old drank it with their meals. We children tried a little, but it was too much for us. It was never given away or sold. In fact, this was part of the process of making what was known as old-world bread starter. Yeast was scarce and this starter seemed just as good. Looking at it from this angle, Mother went along with the idea. Often when going to school we would go by Offenhousers to walk with their children and the mother would have them come back and finish their beer. 

They were really homesick all the time they were here. Once in a while they got up to Bauer where they met some German-speaking people. As the war wore on and they were so pro-German, it was thought best for both families to go back to Milwaukee for the peace of all.

The last we heard of them they were making candy for a firm in Milwaukee. They would send us some at Christmas time. The piece of candy I remember was about as big around as a nickel and about an inch long and it was hollow with candy glass windows in each end and a beautiful scene inside. Hold it up to the light and human figures, animals, and trees could be seen. Years later they sent us a box of figures to be used in making cornstarch molds, such as fish, rabbits, Christmas wreaths, etc. I still have them and they are perfect and over one hundred years old.

Have you noticed the robins and blue jays are back from the deep woods where they have been molting? They are around by the hundreds.

Lester VanZee and gang took Old Betsy to Wisconsin to show what a good old steam pumper could do. They had a great time. Nice article in the local paper about it all.

Noticing the dry cracks in the ground recalls to mind the year of 1915 or near, when there were no water meters. Water was a dollar a month. My folks didn’t know this, but we would put the hose in a crack and let it run all night and all day without the crack filling up.

A week or two ago several Red Haw campers went out to the White Breast Church, which is being held together by Gloria and Larry Morton. This was a nice gesture on the campers’ part. The little church doesn’t owe a cent and is determined to go on.