Readstown Village

Readstown Village

In 1855 Daniel Read had platted a village to which he gave the name of Readstown. It is situated on a portion of sections 7 and 8, town 11, range 3, and lies upon both sides of the Kickapoo river. Mr. Read built the first house upon the site of the prospective village, in 1848. It was of round logs and located upon the east side of the river.

Before the village was platted quite a settlement had been made, and the first store opened by William H. Austin, early in the year 1854 Mr Austin continued in the business about one year, when he closed out. Albert Bliss opened the next store, in the fall of 1854. He continued in the business for several years, finally disposing of his interest to his son, Parker, who continued it until his death. His widow still carries on the business.

The citizens of Readstown, and those wlio did business at this point, were without mail facilities until 1857, when an office was established with Hiram Austin as the R\>t postniasitr, with the office at his residence. Mr. Austin was succeeded by Hugh McClarrieii, who gave way, in, 1801, to A. P. Bliss, u ho continued to discharge the duties of the office until his death, when liis widow was appointed. In February, 18S1, Albert lUiss was commissioned and held the office until March, 1883, wlien he resigned and Mrs. A. P. Bliss was again appointed. Mail is now received three times a week.

The "village smith" is celebrated in poetry and illustrated by the artist, and no well regulated village is considered complete without a representative of tliis branch of industry. In 1850, five years before the village was platted, Orin Wisel opened a blacksmith shop in the place. He continued to work at his trade until 1860, when he closed the shop. It was reopened shortly after, by William Dailey, who continued until sometime during the war.

Albert Bliss, who was the second merchant in the place, opened the first hotel in 1855. It was a commodious frame building and considered an lionor to the village. The hotel is now run by tiie widow of his son, Albert P. Bliss.

In the fall of 1854, a distillery was erected ou the west bank of the river, by William H. Austin. The building was washed away in the spring of 1 857, and never replaced, though Mr. Austin erected and run a brewery for about four years, upon its site. The brewery building was destroyed by fire.

In a new country, and cut off from general markets, and where the inhabitants are generally of the poorer class,a mill for sawing the native lumber, is greatly appreciated. In 1849 Daniel Read built a saw mill on what has since been known as Read's creek. It was supplied with a perpendicular saw. The mill stood about ten years, when it was replaced by another and better one, erected near the site of the old one. The new mill stood until 1881, when it was torn down.

A greater blessing, even than the old saw mill, was the grist mill, erected in a new settlement. As often narrated, the pioneers of this western country often suffered great inconvenience from the lack of milling facilities, and the man who erected a mill for the purpose of grinding the corn and wheat of the few settlers, was considered a public benefactor. In 1851 Daniel Read built a small mill, securing power from Read's creek, through a r.ace one-third of a mile in length, and which afforded a seventeen foot tall. For two years the mill was supplied with but one run of buhrs, which was sufficient to meet the requirements o% its patrons. A second run of buhrs was added in 18.t6. B. D. Hale was the first practical miller employed by Mr. Read. In 1859 the mill was rented to Thomas Hardin, who run it two years and was succeeded by Henry Lockwood, who also rented and run it two years. In the meantime Mr. Read died and his sister, Anna Hale, inherited one-third interest in the mill, which went to her son, B. D. Hale. Thomas Cade purchased the two-thirds interest. As soon as Lockwood's lease expired, Mr. Hale took charge of the mill, purchasing from Mr. Cade an amount sufficient to give him a half interest. With the exception of about two and a half yetrs, when it was rented, the mill has been run by Mr. Hale, to the present time. It lias now three run of buhrs - one for flour, one for middlings and the other for coarse grinding. It has all the machinery for making first-class flour. The building is 24x30 feet, one and a half stories high, with an addition 12x30 feet. In 1883 Francis II. Rogers bought Mr. Cade's interest, and is now associated with Mr. Hale in the management of the mill.

The west side of the river had the mon poly of the trade until 1876, when W. H. Aikins opened a store on the east side. The second store was opened in 1882 by J J. McCarty.

A blacksmith shop was erected and the trade followed, by George Read, before the war. In 1868 Mr. Read disposed of the shop to George Kemmel, who yet continues in the business.