By DUANE NOLLEN
OSKALOOSA — The Oskaloosa Public Library’s Teen Advisory Board took about 40 residents on a trip through Mahaska County’s past Sunday afternoon with the 2008 Forest Cemetery Walk.
During the hour-long walk, the audience met 10 prominent farmers, doctors, businessmen, Civil War veterans, and their wives, who settled in Mahaska County. Teen Advisory Board members dressed as the characters and gave their biographies by their tombstones in the cemetery.
Youth Librarian Linda Fox said the people’s biographies were taken from the 1887 book, “Portrait And Biographical Album of Mahaska County.” This is the seventh Cemetery Walk, she told the audience.
Fox said the Cemetery Walk gives Teen Advisory Board members, “a glimpse of local history and genealogy, all at the same time.”
Some of the early settlers people met included James and Zerilda Asher, portrayed by Felicity Westercamp, who operated the Asher Hotel. Andrew Comstock, portrayed by Christopher Meinert, was a Mexican War and Civil War veteran. James and Elizabeth Finley, portrayed by Cheyenn Fallis and Lisa Witt, were farmers. James Finley made a trip to California, by way of Panama, to be a hydraulic miner. He came back to Oskaloosa to farm.
Other prominent residents were farmer John C. Fallis, whose story was told by his great-great-great-granddaughter, Ashley Fallis. Lex Sparks, Taylor Crawford and Libby Boer portrayed jeweler Adam Foehlinger and his wives, Katarina and Kate. Bailee Benson told the story of William and Sarah Edgar, who established a harness shop in Oskaloosa. Samuel Jones, played by Tim Harned, was a farmer who later sold his land, which had a rich vein of coal, to the railroad. Nicolas Palmer and Sharon Boer told of the lives of John and Angeline Wiley, who came to Oskaloosa in 1871. John Wiley was a doctor. George and Hannah Morgan also came to Mahaska County in 1875. He was a lawyer. They were portrayed by Charlie Feist and Ginny Lane. Marcus Messamer told of the life of Dr. J.C. Barringer, a doctor and surgeon for the Consolidated Coal Company at Muchakinock. Finally, Sam Nunnikhoven and Hanna Sampsel portrayed J.B. and Cella McCurdy, who moved to Oskaloosa in 1861 and later founded a furniture and undertaker business.
Herald Editor Duane Nollen can be reached by email at oskynews@oskyherald.com
