History of Waupaca County - by J. Wakefield 1890
Transcribed and submitted to the Waupaca County Website
by Paula Vaughan January 2002

The Village of Iola is located in Section 35. It has 5 general stores, 1 hardware store, 1 drug store, 1 tailor shop, 1 meat market, 1 livery stable, 
1 saw mill, 1 shingle mill, 1 grist mill,  2 blacksmith shops, 1 wagon shop, 1 hotel and 1 barber shop. In the Spring of 1883 the Iola Messenger, 
a weekly newspaper, was started by J. M. Hatch, present Clerk of the Court. It was discontinued after two years.

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From Wisconsin County Histories, Waupaca County Edited by John M. Ware 1917
Transcribed and submitted to the Waupaca County Website
by Paula Vaughan January 2002

IOLA VILLAGE

IOLA'S BANKS
Located on the south branch of the Little Wolf River, in the western part of the county, and surrounded by a productive agricultural and dairy country, the village of Iola represents one of the most prosperous communities of which this volume treats. It has a population of between nine hundred and a thousand and enjoys railway communication over what was formerly known as the Iola & Northern line, now a part of the Green Bay & Western system.

The water power at Iola is first class and, as was the case with all the other 'settlements in Waupaca County, was the means of bringing permanent  growth to the place. The flour and sawmills, so long in possession of the Wipf family; another planing mill and customs sawmill owned and operated by the Dahle Brothers, who also are proprietors of the Iola Electric Light and Power Company; several large potato warehouses and the plant of the Iola Creamery Association; a pickling station; a number of substantial farm produce and mercantile establishments, with well stocked stores; two banks; a newspaper and modern school; three churches and as many secret and benevolent societies form perhaps the most noteworthy institutions which work for the rounded development of the village.

THE SETTLEMENT FOUNDED
Iola was born as a settlement when Col. J. W. Chandler and S. S. Chandler and S. Miller appeared upon the scene and commenced to build a dam and otherwise develop the water power. A short distance east, on section 36, two sturdy young Swiss, J. and C. Wipf, who had mastered several branches of the silk industry in their fatherland, had commenced to clear the quarter section of land which their father Henry had secured from the Government.

VILLAGE PLATTED AND POSTOFFICE ESTABLISHED
Messrs. Chandler and Miller had their little sawmill in operation before the end of 1854. In the meantime S. S. Chandler had built a log house, and the following year M. R. Baldwin became a resident of the settlement and erected the first frame house. The village was also platted in 1855, and C. K. Blandin started a store. The outlook was so, bright that the postoffice of Iola was established by the Government in 1856, and Mr. Blandin, the storekeeper, was named as the postmaster.

THE WIPF MILLS
In 1860 Henry Wipf, with his sons, Jacob and Conrad, traded their farm east of Iola for a two-thirds interest in the sawmill, and later secured sole ownership. They rebuilt the mill both in 1862 and 1898, during the latter year a stone engine house being erected, in which a 60-horsepower engine and boiler were installed. A shed for storing dry lumber was erected later.

The flour mill was built in 1862. In 1874 Henry Wipf disposed of his interest in the mills to his sons, J. and C. Wipf, who conducted them until the time of their deaths. Conrad died in 1889, and his sons, Henry C. and Frederick C., succeeded him in the business, which they are still conducting under  the old firm name, J. & C. Wipf. The Wipf Mills  therefore embody the entire history of Iola.

IOLA IN 1856
The following is a description of the village written in 1856, the year after it was platted: "Iola is a wide-awake and promising little village, located in the western part of Waupaca county, twenty miles west of New London and eleven miles north of Waupaca village. It is about equidistant between that village and Stevens Point. Iola is in the midst of a beautiful prairie and opening country, possesses good water-power and was settled about two years ago by New Englanders, mostly from Maine and Vermont. The prospects of Iola are flattering. The Stevens Point State Road will pass through the place,
which will tend to make it an inland village of growing importance. Iola is in an excellent wheat-growing district. There is also good waterpower in the vicinity."

CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES
The Methodists and Lutherans have organizations in Iola. The first religious organization was the Methodist Episcopal Church, founded in 1858, Reverend Alcott being the first settled pastor. Their church building was erected in 1880.

Both the United Lutherans and the Synod Lutherans have organizations which have existed for a number of years.

The village also supports a number of lodges, the Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America being the strongest. The Odd Fellows' Lodge was organized in 1878, erected a new hall in 1891 and has a membership of over fifty.

THE SCHOOL AND NEWSPAPER
Iola has a good high and graded school, of which the principal is J. F. Barber. The enrollment is 245, and the pupils are housed in a convenient two-story brick building, neat and substantial in appearance.

The Iola Herald was established in November, 1891, by F. H. Johnston, and Charles E. McCullough succeeded him in 1893. In the following year it was leased by the Post Publishing Company of Waupaca, with B. I. Bierce as local manager. Mr. Bierce purchased the paper in 1895, and after two years he sold a half interest to a Mr. Benedict, the firm thus becoming Bierce & Benedict. In the spring of 1897 Mr. Bierce's interest was disposed of to C. E. Worby, the firm then being Benedict & Worby. Mr. Worby later absorbed his partner's interest and soon sold the business to Hugh E. Jones. After a short time Mr. Jones disposed of the paper to a German Lutheran clergyman, who, being a non-resident, employed Mr. Worby as local manager. In a real estate deal the plant and paper were, in the early part of 1902, traded to the late Fire Chief Foley, of Milwaukee, who sold almost immediately to the Herald Publishing Company, which had been incorporated by H. J. Severson, Edward Chapin and Frank Black. Within the coming year the plant was managed successively by Messrs. Worby and Bierce, the latter resigning in the summer of 1903, and J. E. Ziller, of Eau Claire, succeeding him. After three years Mr. Bierce again assumed the editorial management, but resigned in July, 1910, and within the succeeding three years was followed by William Gannett, William F. Daley and William Moeschler. Mr. Moeschler died in April, 1913; in the following month Mr. Bierce returned and continued in charge until July, 1916, and he was succeeded in November of that year by L. A. Drown.

IOLA'S BANKS
The Bank of Iola was organized as a private institution in 1893 and incorporated as a state bank in 1903. The management completed the building which is now occupied in 1908. Since the date of its incorpora-tion under the laws of the state, in 1903, there has been no change in its officers, viz.: S. M. Myhre, president; Gunder Bergen, vice president; O. C. Leean, cashier. In the fall of 1916 the capital stock was $15,000; surplus fund and undivided profits, over $18,000; deposits, $305,000. The Farmers State Bank was organized in 1900, and in 1901 incor-porated as a state bank, the first in Waupaca County to be organized under the state laws. Its building was completed in October of the latter year, and H. J. Severson has continued as its president from the first. Dr. George Dale, the first vice president, was succeeded by B. Williams in 1903. J. C. Swendson served as cashier until 1913, when he was suc-ceeded by G. L. Gunderson, the present incumbent.

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