IOWA GHOST TOWNS
COUNTY OF MITCHELL
DAVID
ORGANIZED 1892
Jenkins Twp, Mitchell County IA
By: Vivian Emerson Du Shane
a
click picture for a larger image
The village of David was located on the Chicago Great Western Railroad line
between Little Cedar and McIntire, IA. In 1892 David E. McLaughlin donated the right- of-way across his farm;
he also gave land for a depot, stockyards, etc. As a compliment to McLaughlin the company (E.S. Fonda and Mrs.
Simpson) named the station David. A post office was established that same year and David McLaughlin was named
postmaster.
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In 1895 David was s busy little town with a population of 75 or more. At that
time there were many businesses: A wicker chair factory owned by W.H. Mack; the Farmers’ State Bank, George
Hammond, president, a branch of the Osage band and was started in 1905. A Shoe Shop and Harness Repair, H.
Haake, owner; Dr. H.E. Lynn, dentist, from Elma, Iowa; Creamery and Co-op Grain Dealers, David McLaughlin;
Western Elevator Co., Frank Griffin, Owner; Mr. Robbins, blacksmith; Post Office’ F.E. Taylor’s butcher
shop; L Chatman, lumber dealer; H.A. Atkinson, poultry dealer; Farmer and Implement Dealer. Nickolas; General
Store and Postmaster in 1899, Mr. Poorte; C. Hanson, livestock dealer; Hotel run by Mr. and Mrs. Henry Meiers;
Millinery and Dressmaking, Miss Jennie Bloomhagen.
A private cemetery was located one mile north and one mile west of David. In the
year 1898 a grade school was built one mile north and one mile east of town. The David Free Will Baptist Church
was dedicated in August 21, 1898. Charley Makepeace, his crew of carpenters and several other men of the church,
built the church. During the dedication ceremony the first automobile was heard in the streets. Due to extreme
curiosity, the ceremony was interrupted while everyone went outside to observe the new invention. Ironically,
the curious congregation was witnessing the very cause of the decline of David. That day the minister commented
"This will be the downfall of our city." Today the church is the only building left standing and church services
are held there regularly.
There was a murder in David in 1898. The shooting took place at the hotel which
was operated by Mary and Henry Meiers. DeForest Fairbanks, a resident of the hotel, was linked romantically
with Mary Meiers and had been ordered from the establishment by Henry. On Saturday, December 3, 1898, at
approximately 3 p.m., Fairbanks came to the hotel to talk with Mrs. Meiers about remaining in David with him
instead of moving to Milwaukee with her family. When she turned him down, Fairbanks became angry, drew a gun
and threatened to shoot Henry Meiers. Mrs. Meiers and her two children reportedly screamed and nine year old
Eddie ran across the street to Dave McLaughlin’s office to call for help. McLaughlin came across the street,
reportedly followed by Robbins, Poorte, Smith, McNulty and several others. McLaughlin kicked down the door
to enter the building. The first shot fired struck McLaughlin in the left side of the breast, but was deflected
by clothing and articles in his shirt pocket. McLaughlin backed out of the hotel, saying, "Boy’s. I’ve been
shot, but I’m not dead."
George Robbins, the village blacksmith, came into the hotel next to face Fairbanks.
Fairbanks aimed at him, shooting him in the left leg, nine inches about the knee. Reports have Robbins turning
from the door, staggering out into the alley, where he died. DeForest Fairbanks was convicted April 3, 1899,
following a two week jury trial. He was sentenced to life imprisonment at Fort Madison where he died at the
age of 70. His body was cremated and the ashes scattered across the Mississippi River. The town’s people of
David hung a rope over a rafter that extended between the grocery store and the ice house; they planned to
hang Fairbanks immediately. A lynching however was averted but the rope hung there for many years, until only
the tassel remained.
Picture from David, Iowa
Click the picture for a larger image
(This story of David was written by Vivian Du Shane who was a resident of the David Community. Vivian
was a distant cousin of David McLaughlin, her mother’s second cousin.)
Scenes from David, Iowa.
Click pictures for larger images
5/24/04
The records I have from the CGW RR show that David had a depot 16' X 24’ and that
it was retired in 1937. I think it was probably closed in the 1920's but have never been able to find the
exact date.
When I started with the CGW in 1956 there was a train dispatcher at Oelwein by
the name of B. J. "Bart" Vaughn who started with the CGW in 1902 and I was told that he grew up in David,
Iowa. He died there in Oelwein and was buried in Leroy, Minnesota.
The following CGW records for agents at David:
| Sept 15, 1902 |
C. W. Watt |
| Oct 1, 1906 |
H. F. Smith |
| Aug 1, 1909 |
F. L. Hill |
| Feb 1915 |
J. Muth |
The records show that the depot at Little Cedar was closed Oct 21, 1931.
I was the relief agent at the depot in McIntire for 2 weeks back in March 1959 during a blizzard. Will never
forget it.
The records I have show that eng 140 was built in 1891 and it was sold in March 1915 to the Manchester & Oneida
RR of Manchester, Iowa. I have a collection of M&O material and it shows nothing of this engine on their
locomotive roster. Maybe it was sold to them to use for parts and they never added it to their roster.
Jim L. Rueber Boone, IA.
THE TOWN OF DAVID, MASTER DOCUMENT 032705.doc
| Transcribed by: |
Neal Du Shane |
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040105 |
BUCKNAM MCHS MASTER 052704.doc
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