An Inland Village
Jamestown is a pretty inland village, which was laid out by Wm. LENOX and James M. MASSEY, June 4, 1850, on the southwest quarter of section 2. LENOX afterward, in 1852, laid out an addition. On June 17, 1853, Wm. UZZELL laid out an addition of two blocks. He opened a store, and afterward took in Charles KANNE as a partner. They did business together some time and then dissolved partnership, and carried on two separate stores for many years.
The post office was opened in 1861, Mr. Wm. UZZELL
being the first post master. A watermill, east of Jamestown was operated many
years ago. Prior to the platting of Jamestown its site had already been
inhabited; as early as 1818 William and John BRISBANE, two brothers from
Tennessee built a cabin within the present limits of the village. Jamestown now
contains a number of stores and business houses. Among the most prominent are:
J. H. OSTERMANN
Mr. OSTERMAN is a manufacturer and dealer in
blankets, lap robes, saddles, harness, whips and other goods for the horse and
vehicle. He also does repairing of all kinds and makes a specialty of oiling
harness, etc. He was born in St. Louis in 1888, and educated in the Benton
school in that city. He learned the business of making harness under J. J. PHILLIPS,
of St. Louis. Mr. OSTERMANN is also a barber and in 1912 bought out the
interest and good will of L. G. HABBEGGER which was one of the oldest
firms in the city. His business is increasing in both lines. He lives with his
mother and two sisters in a fine residence near his place of business. He has
been located in the city for the past year and, judging from his present rate of
increase in business, it is safe to say that within a few years he will have
built up one of the finest business enterprises in the county.
Samuel SENN
Samuel SENN was born in Jamestown in 1865.
He attended the FRICKER school near the little city and graduated from
there with high honors. At the age of fifteen his father died and left him to
take care of a family. H remained on the farm with his mother until at the age
of 23, when he started out to do threshing for other people. In 1894 he sold out
his threshing interests to George LEU and started into the butter making
business. For seven years he continued at his work, being successful all the
time. In 1901 he again went to threshing and in 1903 he took into partnership
with him his brother, August. In1905 he started his present business, a saw
mill, in the southern part of Jamestown, which at that time was known as Cowford.
Mill no. 1 is still located there. Last year he erected another mill in another
part of the little city known as Goodingford and which is styled as mill No. 2.
He also has a cider mill at Jamestown in which are hydraulic presses. This mill
was built in 1911. Mr. SENN sells hardwood lumber for ten miles around
the city and does all kinds of commercial and custom sawing. He lives in a
handsome eight-room residence, which has a modern lighting and heating plant,
and is one of the finest residences in the city. Mr. SENN is married and
has a wife and three children to share his prosperity.
R.J. FOEHNER
Mr. FOEHNER was born in Jamestown, January 24,
1877. He was educated in the public school of the city and at the age of 15
began working for his father in the blacksmith business. He learned the
trade thoroughly, and when his father died, in 1902, he took over the business
and has conducted it successfully ever since. His father’s name was Fred FOEHNER,
and he was one of the pioneer business men and settlers in Jamestown. Mr. FOEHNER
also deals in implements and handles International, Kingman and Rock Island
lines of farm machinery. He also does general blacksmithing, horse shoeing and
repairing of all kinds. He was married November 18, 1900 to Miss Malda JUSTI,
of Pocahontas, and has two children, both living. On December 1, 1912, he took
into partnership with him Oscar ESSENPRIES, one of his employes.
J. F. MEYER
Mr. MEYER was born in Clinton county, January 21, 1872. For many years he attended the Beaver-Prairie Hull School and at the age of ten years, after school hours, began working for his father, assisting him in grinding feed and other work. At the age of 23, he started a saw mill in company with E. C. BURGISSER and in 1904 bought him out. Today he operates a model saw mill and is doing an excellent business. In 1898 he installed machinery for grinding purposes and does a general grist mill business in connection with his saw mill. His business is increasing every year. He was married in November, 1898, to Miss Louise HEDIGER. He lives in a fine home adjoining the saw mill and is one of the best known young men in the vicinity of Jamestown. He is very energetic and progressive. The saw mill covers an area of 18X80 feet and is one of the largest buildings in the town.
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The Clinton County portion of this Directory was
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