The Odebolt Chronicle
Volume Forty, Number 3, FEBRUARY 17, 1927
Pioneer Days
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Experiences of Early Settlers Told by Odebolt People
John Williams
Before coming to Odebolt Mr. and Mrs. Williams lived at Onawa. In the fall of 1877 Mr. Williams came to Odebolt to visit a friend, Gus Nagarnox, who lived on a farm a few miles southwest of town. After a day or two of visiting he started for town on foot to take the train for home. When half a mile from Odebolt, he saw the train he expected to go on was leaving. Not being acquainted in Odebolt he decided to walk as far as Ida Grove that evening, and the next day he finished the remainder of his trip on the train.
One train a day was the service the Northwestern road was giving at that time.
John enjoyed his visit with his friend and was delighted with the outlook of Sac county. The prairies covered with bluestem grass was more than he could resist, for in the early spring he moved his family to Odebolt.
There was a new store building that a man by the name of Kalmer had built and Mr. Williams rented this and bought a stock of groceries, shoes and a few bolts of dry goods, and opened up for business. Everything was on the boom at that time. Business houses and homes were being built, emigrants were buying land and moving here almost every day and all had some cash which made business good in all lines.
Men buying grain and stock then did not, as a rule, give checks on the bank, but instead, elevators or stock buyers had some storekeeper "Pay off" for them. This manner of doing business helped the merchant more or less and it did not make any difference to the stock and grain men.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams lived over the store. This was very handy, as stores did not close then at 6 o'clock, but kept open house sometimes till late in the night. Now and then a farmer would get them out of bed to buy some groceries etc.
After conducting this business for three or four years Mr. Williams sold out to Henry Hanson and the late John Mattes, who continued the business for some years after.
After selling out, Mr. Williams entered the employ of Sampson & Jenkins, who were running a general merchandise store in the building where the Boston store is now located. Wm. Sampson is still the owner of the building. The Williams family bought a lot on which a small house was standing, the home being sold to Dr. Groman a few years later. After selling this property they moved to the house now owned by George Smith, and a short time later they bought the house and lot which has been their home for many years. Mr. Williams bought this property of John Bruce, grandfather of James Bruce of Odebolt. John Bruce at that time operated a lumber yard, and had sold the lumber to the man Mr. Williams bought from. He was unable to pay the lumber bill and the house went back to Mr. Bruce who sold it to Mr. Williams.
The house was not a pretentious one judging from the price paid. Mr. Williams says that sunflowers covered the lot and were from 6 to 8 feet high. The lot was cleaned up, a kitchen added to the house and a little later a dining room was added and later the roof was raised and a two-story house with three large chambers was the result.
The residence is on the south end of Main street and about the first built on that street and it was some time before a sidewalk was built toward town.
After selling groceries for Sampson & Jenkins Mr. Williams accepted a position with C. W. Sutton & Son, who were in the hardware and implement business.
John was well liked by the firm's customers and remained with them a long time.
For the past 35 years Mr. Williams has been janitor of the Odd Fellows hall, but he gave up the care of this on account of advancing age.
On the 24th of next April Mr. Williams will be 81 years old, and on April 5th Mrs. Williams will have reached her 77th birthday. All the children are away from home. Albert, Edward and Harry are living at Blencoe. They are in the hardware and machinery business and doing fine.
Frank resides at Van Nuys, California where he is a practicing veterinarian. Dr. C. D. Williams is a veterinarian at Red Oak.
The children are here quite often to see their aged parents and to say hello to old schoolmates.
Mr. and Mrs. Williams are surely pioneers in Odebolt. They are the only ones now living in Odebolt, who were residents here in 1877. They have the respect of their community and those who reside close to them say they are mighty good neighbors.
transcribed by B. Ekse from microfilm