Sylvan Grove
Business and Industry,
Part 4

Excerpts from chapter: "Business and Industry Through The Years" from "Honoring Our Heritage" by Marge Lawson, pg. 52. Used with permission of the author.

Part 4

Sylvan Grove Postmasters and the dates they were appointed are:
Charles M. Heaton, 1872
Harvey S. Merriman, 1878
William F. Morgan, 1885
Edmond C. Raffety, 1889
William W. Dehler, 1893
Harvey L. McAdams, 1897 Edward Buehring, 1900
John P. Lang, 1906
James A. Schilling, 1911
William J. Dehler, 1915
Josie B. Stewart, 1924
Edward Behrhorst, 1936
William E. Wohler, 1939
William J. Dehler, 1942
Wayne W. Mueller, 1946
In 1887 the "Sylvan Sentinel" was the first newspaper. On April 18, 1895 the "Alert" began publication. The editors were Vern Jeffers and H.C. Smith. That partnership only lasted a few weeks and then Jeffers and Hower were the owners. By the end of 1895, Mr. Hower was the owner. In 1900 he sold his interest to W.G. Hoffer and St. Clair of Lincoln who changed the name to the "Sylvan Grove News". H.C. Smith bought it and conducted it until September 1902 when he leased it to J.C. Atkins and Eugene S.W. Cross became a partner. In 1903 Miss Kate Stotts of Salina assumed the editorship for about a year. Then Hylas Smith took over the duties of the editor. In 1906 A.L. Harter and John Poore of Plainville bought it. Tell M. Peterson was editor until 1911, when James A. Schilling purchased it. Mr. and Mrs. Schilling were both editors until March 1919 when P.L. Walmer bought the plant and moved it to Lucas, combining the plants but continuing with two separate papers. Miss Gertha Schreck, became editor. She was editor of the anniversary issue of 1927.
L.G. Simmons bought the plant and N.E. Simmons was the editor. Albert F. Whisnant bought the plant in 1933. In 1946 W. B. Langdon purchased the plant and in 1963 Bill and Wanda Langdon took over the two papers. Later they combined the "Sylvan Grove News" and the "Lucas Independent" into one paper the "Lucas-Sylvan News".
Some of the photographers in the city of Sylvan were Stolz, who had a shop near "Spracklin's", E.E. Miller, whose shop was in the building that later became the news office. and Ivy Morgan, who lived where Grandma Bacon lived in later years. Stolz was killed when he fell from the second floor of the bank building where he was painting.
Grandma Bacon operated a babysitting service for many years in her home. Homer Hurlbut, a shoe cobbler, had a shoe and harness shop in his home.
Over the years, Sylvan Grove had many doctors, Dr. Creighton, who was located by the mill was the first doctor in town. Some of the doctors following were: Dr. Simpson, Dr. Shelksohn, who it was believed was one of the top doctors in knowledge for his time; Dr. Dierker, Dr. Fortney, Dr. Dennis, Dr. Neel, Dr. Higgins, Dr. Kirsch, Dr. James, and Dr. Dlabal. Dr. Paul Andreson was a dentist for many years.

Part 1, Business and Industry in Sylvan Grove
Part 2, Business and Industry in Sylvan Grove
Part 3, Business and Industry in Sylvan Grove

Sylvan Grove Tidbits