Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Norwood, IA

Norwood was never a town.  It was a Community Center.
  At one time, it could boast of two churches; a school house; Odd Fellows Hall; two general stores, - one operated by Charlie Ferguson, later by Lewis Ashby; the other one by Tom Nelson; a blacksmith shop, by James Benway grandfather of Mrs. Roy (Elsie) Cook of Chariton; drift coal mines; half a dozen houses scattered about; mines; a barber shop operated by Roger Martin; a granite boulder the size of a small house wantonly blasted to bits when the farm-to-market road went through; and last but not least, Aunt Kate Cackler’s sorghum pan – 10 ft. long, 3 ft.. wide and 10 inches deep.  Mrs. William Curtis states that people came from miles around to have Aunt Kate make their sorghum.  

                          
  The Lacona Ledger of October 16, loaned to this writer by Mrs. Robert Willets, features Aunt Kate's molasses in its "Peach Valley News" column stating that Aunt Kate and her son Ted had made 490 gallons that fall.  Then as now, Fuller's Earth was used to clarify and make it more like honey.  There were taffy pull parties and sleigh rides and the most popular driver was the one who could affect the most "spill" in the largest snow banks.
Setting Up the Altars
  Since time began people have felt the need to worship a Divine Being.  Noah, as soon as he had evacuated the Ark, "built an Altar unto the Lord and offered burnt sacrifices on the Altar".  A study of our pioneers shows that they were no less diligent than the Patriarchs and even as they unloaded their covered wagons they were planning to hold regular worship services in their log cabins until they could build their proper altars.  In 1853 the United Brethren and the Presbyterians formed their regular "Societies" and a little later the Methodists also organized – each with less than a dozen members.
Pioneers
  "They rise to mystery of rain and snow
  They go like soldiers grimly into strife
  To colonize the plain.
  They plow and sow and fertilize the sod
  With their own life
  As did the Indian and the buffalo"

Hamlin Garland

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