Holt County, Missouri - Chapter 9, 1917

AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS. - SOIL OF EXCELLENT CHARACTER. - CEREAL PRODUCTION. - FRUIT LANDS. - COUNTY FAIRS. - HOLT COUNTY AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL SOCIETY - NURSERIES AND FRUIT GROWING. - PEOPLE.

Holt County has often been referred to by non-residents - men, too, competent to speak on the subject - as the garden spot of the world. It has been said by these disinterested persons that this county could come nearer supporting itself with the products of the soil than. any other section of land of like size in the United States. By this is meant that a greater variety of food products grow out of the soil in Holt County than elsewhere. So far as food is concerned the people of this political sub-division are independent of the rest of the world. They could live like lords without the importation of a single article of food.

This is due to two principal facts - the excellent and varied quality of Holt County soil and the thrift and industry of her people. Of course the soil is the first requisite. Given that the rest is comparatively easy if the owners and tenants have the disposition to work it properly. That this disposition is shown here is clearly demonstrated by the large shipments of all kinds of farm products to other markets each year. After producing an abundance for their own needs the good people of Holt County send their surplus to other sections where the God of nature has hot smiled so pleasantly upon the inhabitants.

The soil is of such character that it retains moisture with a remarkable tenacity, and the natural drainage in the uplands has been so admirably adjusted in the economy of nature that but little, if any, of the cultivated lands are ever damaged by water. In the Missouri and Nodaway bottoms, large tracts which formerly were considered unfit for cultivation have been brought under the plow and harrow by the hand of man. Drainage districts have been organized and drainage work developed to a degree that would seem like a revelation to the pioneers who sought out the hill lands and gave little heed to the rich soil in the bottoms which, at that time, grew nothing but bluestem grass and willows.

Looking back over the years that are gone one sees, not a long, uninterrupted season of abundance, for the most productive areas in the world have their lean years. One of these was the drouth of 1881, when practically every section of the United States suffered unprecedented losses from crop failure. In many of them absolutely nothing was raised and actually suffered from lack of food resulted. Not so in Holt County. While the yield was far below the average, it is said by those who were here at the time that at least half a crop of nearly all cereals, vegetables and fruits were realized. The grass for pasture withstood the effects of the dry weather exceptionally well. The crop was as abundant and nutritious as on the preceding year. This assisted materially in the production of cattle and sheep for food and horses for the activities of the following crop year.

Agriculture received a decided setback as a result of the Civil war, as it did all the other counties in this and adjoining states. The devastation and ruin wrought by that terrible conflict left its impress upon the country for a long time. The days of reconstruction were hard ones for the people of Holt County and many interesting stories are told of the struggles that were necessary in order to get matters righted, agriculturally, after the war. It was the acid test for the integrity, perseverance and spirit of the populace, but there was at no time any doubt about the outcome. The people were here to win against all odds and they did win.

As if the depression and desolation following the war were not enough, the grasshoppers came in 1866, 1874 and 1875. This was much like adding the last straw to the already overburdened camel. But still the people persevered. The grasshopper scourage left them with little for the winter, but they did not complain. Confident of the power of the grand resources of their soil, and ever hopeful of better days, they scorned, at the hour of their calamity, to solicit the aid of their more fortunate neighbors, and ultimately triumphed over the ills which were poured upon them by malignant fortune. Phoenix-like, Holt County has risen from the wreck of every calamity, more beautiful and enduring than before, and today, she presents to the world a spectable of solid growth and substantial wealth, of which many an older and more fortunate community might be justly proud.

No county in the state has, perhaps, a greater number of pure, living streams of water than has Holt County; veining its surface in every direction, they afford an abundance of water for both man and beast, convenient to almost every quarter section. Good well water can be obtained at an average depth of twenty-five feet.

Although not claiming to be the banner county in Missouri in the production of cereals and live stock, yet Holt County ranks well up toward the top one year with another. Statistics for any one year would be of little value here, as they would soon be out of date and the story attempted to be told by them would be unreliable. The county stands well to the fore as a corn producing section. The gross yield has increased year by year as more land has been brought under cultivation. It is believed that Holt and the other counties in Northwest Missouri show, one year with another, a greater yield per acre than any other section of corresponding size in the state. Indeed comparisons with other states could be made to the advantage of these counties. It is nothing unusual for a farmer to report - and prove his statement - that he has raised fifty, sixty or seventy-five bushels of corn per acre. In fact cases of 100 bushel yields have been reported in exceptionally good years.

More attention has been given to the production of wheat in recent years. In the pioneer days the farmer raised wheat because he needed it to "bread" his family. Later he turned his attention more in the direction of corn and hogs and bought his flour from the grocery man. Things had changed so that he found it more profitable to do this. But wheat came back into its own, the land needed a change of crop and the production of wheat throughout the world lessened in proportion to the consumption of flour. This made wheat raising more attractive and now large shipments are made each year to the markets of the world and the farmer, of course, keeps what he needs for his own use.

Oats form an important crop, too. In earlier days oats were used principally as feed for horses and rotation of crops for the benefit of the soil was about the only excuse for raising them. But with the development of the time oats came to be used extensively in the manufacture of food stuffs, thereby adding greatly to the commercial value of the crop. The production increased quite naturally.

Barley and hemp are farm products which have practically disappeared from Holt County. In the early days both crops were produced in abundance, but the times have changed. The pioneer mode of living made hemp a desired and necessary article and the same might be said of flax. But there is no longer the same need for their production and the fertile acres of Holt County are devoted to more remunerative crops.

In the raising of live stock this county has risen to a place well toward the top of the list. Not only does she claim rank for the number of animals produced annually, but the quality has been improved year after year, until now very few of the old time "scrub" cattle and "rail-splitting" hogs are to be found within the county. Some of the best bred hogs and cattle in the country are to be found here, in fact the first thoroughbred cattle in this part of the state were brought here by J. G. Cowan, of which mention is made later.

The farmers have never turned their attention to sheep raising in any special manner. In 1881 there were about 4,000 sheep in the county, but the number has dwindled until a sheep is a curiosity to the younger generation. The climate is well

It has been said by experts that there are few places anywhere in the world more suitable to the cultivation of fruit than the southern part of Holt County. It is here that the loes formation is found and, while the same kind of soil is found in Germany and other countries, the quality is said to be inferior to that of Holt County. There is in the hills and bluffs at the base of which the town of Forbes stands, a strip of country about ten miles long by three wide. The hills and hollows of this remarkable locality formerly abounded, in ordinary seasons, with a superior variety of wild blackberries. These constituted a valuable item of local export, and the amount gathered and shipped annually was almost incredible. In one year, about 1880, the peak of production of this delicious fruit was reached, when nearly 40,000 quarts were shipped from the town of Forbes.

But this amount was comparatively small when contrasted with the vast quantities hauled away by wagon. In the height of the season as many as forty two-horse wagons passed through the streets of Forbes in a single day, laden with blackberries gathered in the near-by hills and hollows. The section referred to was known as the "Big Blackberry Patch." It was so thickly covered that a person not familiar with the country could easily lose his way and wander about for hours before his friends could find him.

The fact that this land would produce such a remarkable crop of wild fruit soon attracted the attention of the horiculturist and nurseryman. It was patent that domestic fruits would grow there, too. It was thus that this section of the county became famed for the fruits it would produce. The farmers soon turned their attention to raising peaches, apples, grapes and other fruits. During the year before mentioned when blackberries were so plentiful there was shipped from Forbes nearly ten thousand boxes of superior budded peaches.

One of the men who first engaged in fruit raising with success was George Meyer, whose location on the oldest settled farm in the county added interest to the undertaking. His orchards of about thirty acres of apples, peaches, plums, pears, etc., attracted much attention in the early days and, in fact, such enterprises are not without interest nowadays. Of apples alone, he had at one time nearly one hundred varieties. At the St. Joseph Exposition in 1873, at which was the finest display of fruit that had been exhibited in the state at that time, he had on exhibition no less than two hundred varieties of apples. For this display he was awarded the sum of $200, the largest premium offered by the society.

1851 by the man from whom he bought his land. His advancement along horticultural lines was steady and permanent, and until he moved from his splendid farm to spend his declining years in Oregon, he took great interest in his trees and vines. Mr. Meyer died in Oregon April 16, 1914, at the age of 87 years.

While Mr. Meyer was developing his apple orchard, N. F. Murray was getting a start in another branch of fruit culture. He liked peach raising and concluded that the southern part of Holt County was a likely place for the culture of that delicious fruit. Later experiences proved the soundness of his reasoning. The once barren hills of the timbered region were admirably suited for this purpose. Mr. Murray began in 1868 on his farm three and a half miles northeast of Forbes. He first planted 500 peach trees. Each year he added more until he had 3,000 bearing trees, of fifty choice varieties, and all of them were producing fruit. The total receipts from fruit sold from the first 500 peach trees planted, was $50 an acre for a number of years after the orchard began bearing. In time the fruit industry on this farm became known as the Murray Brothers Orchard. It was well advertised and had a reputation that extended far beyond the confines of the state. After twenty-five years' experience in fruit raising in this section, N. F. Murray gave it as his opinion that Forbes Township possessed certain natural advantages for fruit culture unsurpassed anywhere in these latitudes. "The peculiar elements of soil, admirable natural drainage and absence of excessive humidity in the atmosphere, combined with other natural advantages, renders this one of the finest fruit countries on the continent," said Mr. Murray. The mutations and developments of time have proved these words to be those of a prophet. The many fruit farms that dot the hills and adorn the valleys in southern Holt County are a living testimonial to the foresight of the man who made the foregoing statement. There is scarcely a farm in this section which has not its orchard and, in many cases, its vineyard, by which is meant an acre or more devoted to small fruit.

It was estimated, in the early days, that Holt County had 25,000 acres of admirable fruit lands, much of which was unsuitable for the production of any other remunerative crop. Perhaps not all of these lands are planted to the trees and vines for which they are adapted, but it is true nevertheless that this industry has developed to proportions unthought of by Meyer and Murray when they began planting trees in the Forbes Township hills. This land, at one time, was considered of little value - much of it was brought for $3 to $10 an acre and it took a good tract to bring $30 an acre. Now its value is not less than that of any other part of the county, the prevailing price ranging from $100 an acre upward. It has been estimated that if all of this fruit land were devoted to this purpose it would accommodate an orchard of four million trees, give employment to 3,000

The orchard quite naturally brought the nursery. Where one thrives the other is bound to prosper. The two go hand in hand and both are profitable investments in the hands of the right persons. The first nursery in Holt County was established by Josiah Springer in the spring of 1853. It was a seedling nursery and consisted chiefly of apple trees which, instead of grafting, he budded where the first branches started from the stem. This nursery was located three miles southeast of Oregon, in Forbes Township. It was operated until the death of the proprietor, which occurred in 1858. Hugh Pennel budded his trees in the same way, and sold a few on his place, a mile and a half east of Oregon. This nursery, which was on a small scale, was started in 1855.

The first trees imported into the county were purchased by Dr. H. W. Peter, who afterward became a leading physician in Louisville, Ky. They were bought from Ellwanger & Barry, of Rochester, N. Y., in 1858. In the spring of 1859 Dr. Peter and George P. Luckhardt associated themselves in business under the firm name of Peter & Luckhardt, and imported from the nursery of Ellwanger & Barry, a large number of trees. In the fall of 1859, Dr. Peter, Ira Peter and E. H. Burches entered into partnership and purchased 160 acres of land adjoining the town of Oregon on the south and west. The entire tract was planted to nursery stock. They also built a greenhouse. This enterprise prospered until the breaking out of the Civil war in 1861, when, in common with many other kindred interests it was forced to succumb to the inevitable consequences of those disastrous times.

George P. Luckhardt, in 1866, purchased eighty acres adjoining the northwest corner of the townsite of Oregon. He embarked extensively in the nursery business, in which he continued for about twenty years. He planted never less than 75,000 apple grafts a year and the business prospered from the start.

In the spring of 1873 Mr. Luckhardt had planted 175,000 apple grafts, seventeen and one-half bushels of peach seed, four bushels of apple seed, one bushel of apricot seed, one bushel of Maccard cherry seed, and one-half bushel of Mahalleb cherry seed. All this, with the promise of splendid results, was up and growing luxurantly, until 9 o'clock on the morning of May 15th, when a cloud of grasshoppers descending, a besom of destruction, swept from the face of the earth the entire growth. In four hours, this beautiful picture of promising vegetation had entirely disappeared, nothing but the barkless twigs and sprouts remain-

The damage occasioned by this terrible visitation extended, besides, to 60,000 two-year-old apple trees, 80,000 yearlings and about 20,000 three-year-old trees. The entire loss thus sustained by Mr. Luckhardt, amounted to about $10,000. Though terrible beyond expression, the scourge failed to prove permanent in its results, and Luckhardt's nursery revived and achieved the reputation which kept it in the list of live business enterprises in Oregon for a number of years.

On the eighty-acre tract on which his nursery was located Mr. Luckhardt had also an orchard of thirty-five acres, containing several thousand fruit trees. Besides the apple which constituted the bulk of the orchard, there were peach, apricot, cherry, pear and plum trees. In his later years Mr. Luckhardt devoted much of his time to the cultavation of pears. He gave the subject a great deal of study and was an authority on pear culture. He was always in demand at horticultural society meetings when information was wanted on pear culture.

On the lawn in front of his residence Mr. Luckhardt kept a stately grove, containing nearly every variety of evergreen grown in this latitude. Mr. Luckhardt died Nocember 30, 1901, but the evergreen trees he planted are still there, a mute, but charming monument to the memory of an enterprising citizen.

In 1852 Felix Fraley started a small nursery at the north end of Oregon. This he operated until 1864 when he sold out and turned his attention to wine growing.

Hanson Murray and his son, N. F. Murray, started a nursery eight miles southeast of Oregon in 1868. The death of the senior Murray occurred in 1874. He came here from Morgan County, Missouri, in 1869. He settled there in 1863 with the idea of establishing a nursery, but not finding the soil and conditions suitable, moved to Holt County, and it is not indicated anywhere in the records that he ever had cause to regret the change. With him came another son, Linville Murray, who engaged in the nursery business on his own account.

The Murray nurseries which have stood the storms of many years, were established by Hanson Murray and his son, Nicholas F. Upon the death of his father, Nicholas assumed the management of the business. He was an indefatiguable worker, a close student of every branch of horticulture and was generally known as one of the live wires of Holt County. The business grew and prospered under his management. In his later years he was associated in the business with Silas Bucher, now engaged in fruit raising in Idaho. Nicholas F. Murray died May 26, 1908, but the industry to which he had devoted the energies of a busy life, still lives. It is now in the charge and under the management of his son, George R. Murray.

A generation or more ago the town of Oregon resembled one large orchard and vineyard combined. Many of the early settlers engaged in grape growing and converted this grand fruit into wines for their own use. Some of it was sold. Many of these vineyards adjoined the town and others were inside the corporate limits. Gradually this industry extended to the country eastward where many Germans had settled. The same is true regarding a portion of the county adjacent to Mound City, Craig and Corning. In recent years, however, grape culture has not been carried on for the purpose of wine making to any considerable extent.

Another industry which flourished in the early days was the manufacture of sorghum. Samuel H. Whitmer was the pioneer in this line. He started a mill near Oregon in 1876, operating at first on a small scale. The enterprise met with fair encouragement and steadily progressed and for several years it gave employment to a number of men during the late summer and autumn months. In the fall of 1879 the product of this plant was 4,600 gallons. This was the highest amount produced for sorghum, in time gave way to other forms of sweetness.

Henry Zachman also operated a sorghum factory in the county. He was located in Hickory township and continued in business for several years.

The first entertainment by an Agricultural and Mechanical Association in Holt County was held at a point northeast of and adjoining the corporate limits of Forest City.

These annual exhibitions, which were creditably conducted, and largely attended, occurred successively in 1858, 1859 and 1860, when the breaking out of the Civil war put an end to the enterprise. The late William Zook was, during the three years of its continuance, president of the association, and R. E. Turner, who later became one of the wealthy wholesale merchants of St. Joseph, was secretary. The records from which detailed information concerning these fairs has long since passed out of existence, and there only remains the memory that, in their day, they were regarded as complete successes.

A period of eight years elapsed before a similar enterprise was inaugurated in the establishment of the Holt Coutny Agricultural and Mechanical Society. On March 28, 1868, the fol- lowing named persons assembled in the court house in the town of Oregon, and organized the above named society : E. Van- Buskirk, Samuel Watson, R. C. Watson, I. H. Iddings, J. G. Cowan, T. K. Slaughter, H. Watson, Isaac L. Wray, Charles W. Bowman, Bennett King, George Cummins, Ehpriam Oren, Watson Baker, Samuel Stuckey, John Marsh, M. Saville, Peter Price, William Kaucher, John Kyle, W. B. Davis, E. L. Allen, Henry Meyer, R. H. Russell, W. M. Patterson, Quincy A. Gordon, William Baker, T. C. Dungan, Horace Cooper, Solomon Loffer, Allen T. Bloomer, F. M. Caison, F. S. Howard, Joseph Polly, J. H. C. Curtis and M. Spoerle. The formality of organization was carried forward by the election of the following named directors: Eastern District of Lewis Township, E. VanBuskirk and Bennett King; Western District of Lewis Township, W. A. McCoy; Nodaway Township, John G. Cowan and I. H. Iddings; Clay Township, W. M. Patterson; Benton Township, H. S. Busick; Union Township, George P. Skeels; Dallas Township, T. K. Slaughter. The following named officers were elected at a subsequent meeting: John G. Cowan, president; Charles W. Bowman, secretary; William A. McCoy, treasurer and Bennett King, collector. At the next meeting held April 20, 1868, E. VanBuskirk was elected vice-president and William Kaucher, corresponding secretary. The bond of the treasurer was fixed at $2,000 at this meeting. At a meeting held April 29, 1868, Bennett King, E. VanBuskirk and W. A. McCoy were appointed a committee to purchase grounds for the use of the society. George Meyer was later added to the committee.

This committee reported at a meeting held in Oregon, May 28, 1868, that they had negotiated with R. H. Russell for the purchase of a tract of land adjoining the corporate limits of Oregon. The price was $120 per acre, the seller reserving the largest timber. The report was approved and the committee ordered to have the tract, which contained ten acres, surveyed. At a meeting held July 31, 1868, it was determined that the time for holding the first annual fair should be October 14, 15 and 16. The following general program for the fair was adopted at a meeting held September 25, 1868:

First day - Class E, jacks and jennets; class F, mules; all articles other than live stock competing for premiums to remain on exhibition during the entire fair.

Third day - Class B, stallions and mares; C, geldings; R, walking, trotting and pacing matches; W, display of horses, mules, cattle, hogs and poultry; equestrian display by ladies; slow mule race - no rider to ride his own mule. Premium for slowest mule, $5.

The following appointments of officers were made : Samuel Stuckey, Marshal; S. W. Thornton, Robert Markland, A. D. Stephens and D. P. Kyle, Assistant Marshals; George Colvin and John Masters, Gatekeepers.

In consequence of inclement weather on the 14th of October, the opening day of the fair was deferred until the following day and the exhibition was ordered to continue until the close of the 18th instead of the 17th as originally planned. The fair was well attended and proved a success.

At a meeting of the directors October 31, 1868, a statement of the financial operations of the organization was made by the treasurer. It is interesting at this time from the fact that it shows what a small amount of money was necessary to finance such a proposition in those days as compared with the cost in later

John G. Cowan remained in the office of president during the second year. A. N. Ruley was chosen secretary to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Charles W. Bowman, February 27, 1869. Ruley held office until the following July when he resigned and was succeeded by G. W. Cummins who continued in that capacity until the dissolution of the society in 1875.

The second fair was held Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, September 15, 16 and 17, 1869. The following report of the board of directors, made in January following, affords an interesting exhibit of the resources of the county at that period in its history :

"At the close of the second annual fair of this society, the membership numbers one hundred and eighteen of the most substantial citizens of the county and representatives of almost every class of industry, men who promptly came forward and gave of their means to aid in the permanent establishment of the society.

adjoining the southwestern portion of the town of Oregon, were purchased by the society in the beginning of the year 1868, which is now worth, exclusive of the improvement thereon, two thousand dollars. The improvements consist of a fence seven feet in height and constructed at a cost of one thousand dollars; a floral hall built at a cost of one thousand six hundred dollars; a good well, costing one hundred dollars; seats, stalls and other improvements to the amount of three hundred more, making the total value of grounds and improvements five thousand dollars. Against this there is a total indebtedness of one thousand five hundred dollars. To meet this there is an outstanding stock subscription, payable January 1, 1870, amounting to five hundred dollars, still leaving a balance of indebtedness, amounting to one thousand dollars. The principal improvement necessary for properly conducting the annual fairs have been made, no difficulty is apprehended of the ability of the society to meet its obligations promptly.

"At the second annual fair of the society held at their" fair grounds September 15, 16 and 17, 1869, one hundred and fiftyfour premiums were awarded, amounting, in the aggregate to one thousand dollars. The live stock on exhibition included many fine specimens of horses, mules, jacks, jennets, cows, bulls, sheep, hogs, etc., and numbered in all, one hundred and thirty. The industrial department contained one hundred specimens, representing many of the most useful and ornamental articles of home production. Forty-six agricultural and horticultural entries were made, embracing wheat, corn, potatoes, apples, pears, peaches, plums, etc., of the best quality. The floral and fine art departments were well represented, but might have been more complete. An effort will be made at the next annual fair to give greater encouragement to these departments.

"The present year, despite the ravages of the grasshoppers in the spring and early part of the summer, and the extraordinary fall of rain, has been one of unusual prosperity in our county. Many new citizens have been added to our population; towns having sprung into existence as by magic, and thousands of acres of lands have been fenced and cultivated. The staple products of the county have increased, in many instances, more than one hundred fold. Fully one million bushels of good corn have been produced. Of this, the average price will not be less than forty cents per bushel. The product of wheat, rye, oats and barley, although injured by the grasshoppers, will not fall far short of two hundred thousand bushels. The number of bushels of apples for the year is estimated to exceed fifty thousand. Fifteen years ago, the product was less than two thousand five hundred bushels - very little more than is now produced in the City of Oregon alone. The number of bushels of pears will exceed two thousand, the average price of which will be at least three dollars and fifty cents per bushel. Of other fruits, including grapes, cherries, plums, etc., our farmers have produced large quantities of the very best quality.

"The clip of wool is estimated to reach thirty thousand pounds annually. Of this a considerable portion is manufactured into cloth, etc., in the county.

"At the close of the season not less than thirty thousand head of hogs will have been marketed. These netting an average per head of at least $16, will amount to an aggregate of $480,- 000. Add to this the cattle, sheep, mules and other live stock sold during the year, and we have a total of sales of live stock for the year 1869 largely exceeding a half million dollars. To this may be added the surplus fruit, grain, firewood, saw logs, etc., and we find that our sales for the year amount to more than a million dollars.

The fair seems to have prospered until about 1873. In that year the office of librarian was created and William Kaucher was chosen to fill it. In 1874, in an effort to keep the enterprise on its feet, twenty-eight citizens of Oregon and vicinity contributed an aggregate of $148. The premiums offered that year were considerably less than formerly, being only about fifteen hundred dollars for regular premiums and one hundred seven dollars for special. This was about one-half the amount of premiums awarded at some other periods of the organization. This was the last fair held by this society.

The last election for officers of the society was held March 20, 1875, when the following named were elected: John G. Cowan, President; George Meyer, Vice-President; R. Montgomery, Treasurer; G. W. Cummins, Recording Secretary; T. C. Dungan, Corresponding Secretary; Samuel Stuckey, Collector; Levi Oren, Marshall; William Kaucher, Librarian. An adjournment was taken to March 27, same year, but there is no record that the meeting ever was held. Shortly afterward John G. Cowan assumed the indebtedness in the grounds and property of the association, securing himself by a deed of trust. There being no prospect of the society being able to meet its obligation, Cowan foreclosed the mortgage and sold the property to a Mr. May. It later came into possession of D. M. Martin, and is now (1916) owned by Ulrich Burger.

The Maitland Fair was the next effort in the direction of a county exhibition for the use and benefit of farmers, business men and the people generally. This association was organized in 1882, with a capital stock of $8,000, which was shortly increased to $10,000. The first fair was held in September, that year. William H. Maurer, who afterward became prominent in business in Chicago, was the first president and E. F. Weller, who has been in the banking business in Maitland for many years, was the first secretary.

The grounds were situated a short distance northeast of Maitland on the level ground of the Nodaway bottom. The half mile track was said to be one of the best in the west and some record time has been made there by the fast stepping horses which competed for the purses offered by the association. The exhibits of live stock were of surpassing excellence and the floral hall was always an attractive spot for the ladies, horticulturists and those who enjoyed looking at the products of the soil.

After nineteen years - which is a long time for one fair association to stay in business - the interest waned and the fair was discontinued in 1901. The grounds were sold under a mortgage for $1,300. Judge Leeper bought the property for $3,950, leaving a balance of $2,500 to be divided among the patriotic stockholders, after deducting the expenses of the sale.

Three years without a fair convinced the business men of Maitland, the live stock men and the farmers in that part of the county, that they could ill afford to be without the advertising which these annual exhibitions gave the town. So they set about reviving the fair and in August, 1905, the Nodaway Valley Agricultural Fair Association was organized. The old fair grounds which had been bought at foreclosure sale by Judge Leeper, had passed into the hands of E. F. Weller. He offered to sell the tract for $5,000 and, this offer being considered a very generous one, was promptly accepted. Successful fairs are still being held there (1916).

Mound City has never undertaken an entertainment in the form of a county or district fair, but she has her Harvest Home, which amounts to practically the same thing. It is really a county fair with the horse racing eliminated. The Harvest Home Association was organized in 1882 by the enterprising citizens of the town who desired to show their appreciation of the patronage received from the farming community by providing an annual fete to which all could be invited with the assurance that they would be well entertained.

The Harvest Home grew in popularity as the years passed and the attendance increased as the people came to know it as a clean, entertaining and instructive gathering of farmers, business and professional men and people generally. A good speaking program has always been presented and one of the strong features has always been the music. Some years as many as half a dozen bands have been employed, some of them coming from St. Joseph and other large centers.

The people of Holt County are large hearted, genial and ever ready to assist in any enterprise that tends to their future well being and the material prosperity of the county. The original settlers, practically all of whom have been called to another world, were from Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana. Later came a considerable number from Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. The population today represents all the leading middle and western states, many of the eastern states and a goodly number who came directly from the old world. Among them are settlements of Germans and Irish, constituting a people sufficiently homogenius in habits, thoughts and modes of life, not only to cause them to be proud of their county, but to cause them to labor unitedly for their common interest and their common welfare.