of Dr. Andrew Patton, deceased, of Nevada. It was organized October 16, 1883, by C. H. Brock, of Marshalltown, with the following officers: J. C. Burkhart, C.; Ira Barnes, S. V. C.; S. R. Davis, O. D.; D. E. Weatherly, Q. M. ; H. F. Dimmit, O. G. ; Gordon Wood, J. V. C.; T. E. Delaney, adjutant; M. Hamilton, S. at A., and I. F. Oldenburg, Q. M. S. Very soon the post was presented a choice steel engraving of Dr. Patton mounted on his warhorse; it was the gift of Mrs. Patton, and is highly valued by the post. Their membership has grown to twenty-six, and their headquarters are the Odd Fellows' hall. The successive commanders are: J. C. Burkhart, 1883-85; M. V. Bump, 1886; J. C. Burkhart, 1887; Ira Barnes, 1888-89, and W. H. Shafer, 1890.
The railroad business of the place is illustrated by the following figures for an average month : Charges for forwarded matter, $1,386.88; for receipts, $788.64.
Huxley is a young Norwegian station, with a clump of houses between a church and the depot, and two or three stores at the east side, and all north of the railway track. The site was owned by Mr. Oleson, who claimed such damages that the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Land Company bought him out, and laid out the town in February, 1882. Oleson & Mickelson had the first store. There is now not more than three stores and a population of fifty to seventy-five Norwegians. The land was entered by Rebecca McDaniel in May, 1855. The postmasters are Jacob Steenson, June 1, 1882, and Ole L. Hatteberg, since April 22, 1890. It is a considerable Norwegian shipping point.
Maxwell and Iowa Center are really partners who control the rolling, wooded banks of the Indian Creek, there securing a footing by which to attract the trade of many miles of prairie. It is laid out on the edge of the prairie with a background of native forest; it seems built to attract the keen, bustling Yankee business man; at least that is what it has done, and Maxwell's reputation for a live class of business men is acknowledged wherever known. Maxwell is feverish, congested; her hands are full; she needs more houses and more men to do the business to be done. She is clean-cut and intelligent, the brightest, busiest, cleanest of the St. Paul's numerous progeny in Story County. And all this with about 600 people-live people though, and scarcely more than eight years old at that. Her trade is extensive, too-her market prices seem to have a power of gravitation for the country producer, that reaches out a long distance. Her most vital lines of business are stock shipment and general merchandise, the latter especially represented by Baldwin & Maxwell and J. G. Wells & Co. and others. These two lines of business stock and merchandise, stand pre-eminently above all others, and furnish the sinew of the town. Next to this would probably come grain, with that of butter, eggs and poultry next. Following this it would be difficult to distinguish between banking and lumber and coal, while the tile and brick interests might at one time come next, although the R. R. Thompson & Co.'s factory, established several years since, with a trade that warranted the planting of a side-track to their works, are not running at present.
But how did it all come about? Did John G. Wood, as he entered this site on May 10, 1853, imagine that a town would arise on it? Probably not, and 1863 came, then 1873 passed, and almost 1883 came before there was any thought of it, meanwhile Iowa Center held its own, as has been already indicated. Mr. Daniel Brubaker owned the land. The St. Paul Railway will not go to Iowa Center, so " Mohammed goes to the mountain," and Baldwin