Primghar, O'Brien County, Iowa ...part of Genealogy Trails

Primghar History

Primghar has been the county seat since 1872. It is located at the center of the county on a high and well drained prairie, twenty-five miles from Cherokee, twenty-eight from Spencer, and twenty- Primghar's closest railroad station is six miles, north, on the line of the C., M. & St. P., and its next nearest established station is Hosper, on the S. C. & St. P. R. R., some fourteen miles west.

The following humorous acrostic, descriptive of the origin of the name of the town, has been published heretofore: eight from Sibley. The place is laid out with a public park, which has been planted with forest trees, and as it is surrounded by a region of great fertility, will doubtless continue a steady and a healthy growth.
The town is in Summit Township.
P umphrey, the Treasurer, drives the first nail—
B oberts, the donor, is quick on his trail,
I run an dips slily his first letter in,
M cCormack adds M which makes the full Prim;
G reen, thinking of groceries, gives them a G,
H ayes drops them an H, without asking a fee,
A Ibright. the joker, with his jokes all at par,
R erick brings up the rear, and crowns all PRIMGHAR.

W. C. Green built the first store in Primghar in 1872. The first dwelling was built by A. H. Willets. The population is about 200.
Summit Township's first teacher was Clara Healy, who taught school in a building erected in Highland, and used as a store and postoffice by Mr. Paine. This building was moved to Primghar and used for a Court House. Afterwards it was used for a drug store; then as a printing office.This building has since been moved to Sanborn by A. H. Willets. The present township officers are: J. Harris, T. G. Stewart, J. L. Rerick, Trustees; D. Algyr, Clerk; A. H. Willets, R. C. Tiftt, Justices of the Peace;
W. H. Willets, G. W. Ginger, Constables.

The first paper printed in the county was conducted by L. B. Raymond & Co.

The members of the first Board of Education were: A. J. Edwards, President; J. T. Stearns, A. H. Willets. Present Board: W. W.
Johnson, President: J. A. Smith, W. N. Strong, D. .W Inman, Treasurer; W. H. Willets, Secretary.
A school house was built in 1874, size 40x00 feet; two stories high, with two departments. It is a handsome and substantial building.
The Court House was built in 1875, is 30x40 feet in dimensions with an addition, l0x14 feet; is two stories high, the upper part being used for the court room, and the first floor for offices. The cost was 85,000. The court yard is enclosed with a nice board fence, and the yard planted with a nice growth of soft maple trees. The cost of the school building was $3,200. S. Harris is the principal. Miss Ive Inmau. Assistant. The total enrollment is 59 pupils.

There are in Primghar, a general store, hardware store, agricultural implement store, bank, meat market, lumberyard, newspaper,
hotel, furniture store, drug store, blacksmith shop, grocery and saloon.

The Primghar Times is a weekly paper, Schee & Achorn, proprietors.
The first issue was January 12th, 1882. It is a seven- column folio, Republican in politics, and has a circulation of 600. Mr. Bundy is the editor.

Abiff Lodge No. 347, A. F. d- A. M., was instituted in 1874.
The charter was granted in 1875. Charter members: H. Day, A. H. Willets, Geo. W. Schee, D. H. Wheeler, E. C. Foskett, J. T. Stearns,
J. C. Doling, W. Pursel, C. W. Inman, W. H. Brown, M. Dimon, A. B. Husted, S. J. Jordan.
First officers: H. Day, W. M.; A. H. Willets, S. W.; G. W. Schee, J. W.; D. H. Wheeler, Treasurer; E. C. Foskett, Secretary;
J. T. Stearns, S. D.; J. C. Doling. J. I. Present officers: A. H. Willets, W. M.; S. Harris, S. W.; D. Algyr, J. W.; E. C. Foskett, Secretary;
T. J. Alexander, Treasurer. Membership, twenty. Meetings are held every Saturday on or before the full moon, in the Court House.

At the Methodist Episcopal Conference in Sioux City, held October, 1871, the Rock Rapids Mission was organized. This Mission took in the counties of Lyon, Sioux, Osceola and O'Brien. Rev. Ira Brashears was put in charge of this mission. At that time there were two societies in O'Brien County, with a membership of about twenty people.
The M. E. Society in Primghar was organized in 1873. C. W. Clifton organized the first society in O'Brien County in 1871.
Present officers of Primghar Society: T. J. Alexander. D. Bysom, Mr. Robinson, Trustees. Membership, twenty-four.
The Sabbath School averages an attendance of sixty pupils. D. Bysom is the Superintendent.
The church was built in 1880 at a cost of Si,300, is 26x50 feet in dimensions. There is also a parsonage.

Source: Western Iowa ,It's Settlement and Growth,1882 [Contributed by Candi H. 2008]