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Recollections
Chapter 7
I think I have told of most of the businesses that I was familiar with when we lived in the country (1911-1919). Now I will attempt to tell of the ones that were here after I moved to town in 1919. To do that I will have to fill in some background early history of some of the businesses. To tell the story of King Rhiley Sr's. racing activities, I will have to go back to the early 1890's; Shumway History reads "Among the first buildings in Oshkosh was Jim Monshan's blacksmith shop just south of the store. It was a most busy and important establishment in those days."
I will interrupt Shumway at this point and let, you have the pleasure of reading a very interesting story written by Betty (Brennan) Beam who used to live in Oshkosh, but lives in Fremont now. I received this from Betty on July 13, 1984.
OSHKOSH'S FIRST TEA ROOM
"It was after the turn of the century when Oshkosh had its first tea house. The patrons were mostly farmers, who had come into town on horseback or with their teams and wagons on errands.
The tea house was dark and without paint. Within was the odor of burning coals and soot. On the floor was the clutter of horse shoes and plow lays and scraps of metal necessary of a blacksmith. But in that sooty interior the forge was alive with coals and on this cheery fire steamed Jim Monahan's old tea kettle to provide water for a cup of tea.
Jim always kept a package of green tea and a few cups ready for his visitors. It was the custom for the farmers to stop at Gus Sudman's store and buy a box of crackers and a tin of sardines and then come over to the blacksmith shop and wash these down with a cup of tea.
Jim Monahan was English enough to make the tea and Irish enough to be blessed with quick wit and a ready answer. With this lucky combination his gracious hospitality overshadowed the lack of cloth napkins in Oshkosh's tea room."
Isn't that interesting? I appreciate the time and effort Betty put into her letter.
KING RHILEY SR. RACING ACTIVITIES
Now back to Shumway. Jim Monahan later sold out to Noah Brewer. In 1909, Mr. Noah Brewer, who was anxious to get into the automobile game, sold his blacksmith shop to King Rhiley and moved to Sidney. Strange to say, Mr. Rhiley soon got into the auto business himself in the old Monahan-Grewer shop (where Hunt's Auction is in 1984 north of his motel and residence at 104 Main). At that time there was only one motor vehicle in Oshkosh; it was a high wheeled International owned by Archie Wynes and John Delatour. Although owned by two men, it required about four men and a boy to coax it along.
Mr. Rhiley went to work to build an automobile that one man could run and he succeeded in trading it off to Jim Duffin. He then got an agency for the Oakland and did a good business. He is now the Western Distributor for Buick
-25-
Object Description
| Title | Helen M. Robinson's recollections |
| Description | This manuscript contains an edited collection of articles written for the Garden County News between June 14, 1984 and December 4, 1986. Mrs. Robinson and contributors reminisce about the businesses, people and activities in Oshkosh, Nebraska, from the early 1900s on. |
| Creator | Robinson, Helen M. |
| Contributors | Garden County News; Allen, Carol |
| Publisher | Garden County Historical Society |
| Date | 1987 |
| Type | Text |
| Subject |
Business enterprises -- Nebraska -- Oshkosh Business people -- Nebraska -- Oshkosh People -- Nebraska -- Oshkosh Recreation -- Nebraska -- Oshkosh Oshkosh (Neb.) Clippings Manuscripts |
| Owning Institution | Garden County Historical Society |
| Source | Original manuscript |
| Notes | Information in one chapter might be corrected or added onto in subsequent chapters as readers contacted the writer, so be sure to read on or search by name to get all the details. The text is fully searchable. Only 500 copies were printed from this manuscript. |
| Language |
eng |
| Ordering and Use | http://www.memories.ne.gov/rights/gchs.html |
Description
| Title | Chapter 7; Page 25 |
| Transcript |
Recollections Chapter 7 I think I have told of most of the businesses that I was familiar with when we lived in the country (1911-1919). Now I will attempt to tell of the ones that were here after I moved to town in 1919. To do that I will have to fill in some background early history of some of the businesses. To tell the story of King Rhiley Sr's. racing activities, I will have to go back to the early 1890's; Shumway History reads "Among the first buildings in Oshkosh was Jim Monshan's blacksmith shop just south of the store. It was a most busy and important establishment in those days." I will interrupt Shumway at this point and let, you have the pleasure of reading a very interesting story written by Betty (Brennan) Beam who used to live in Oshkosh, but lives in Fremont now. I received this from Betty on July 13, 1984. OSHKOSH'S FIRST TEA ROOM "It was after the turn of the century when Oshkosh had its first tea house. The patrons were mostly farmers, who had come into town on horseback or with their teams and wagons on errands. The tea house was dark and without paint. Within was the odor of burning coals and soot. On the floor was the clutter of horse shoes and plow lays and scraps of metal necessary of a blacksmith. But in that sooty interior the forge was alive with coals and on this cheery fire steamed Jim Monahan's old tea kettle to provide water for a cup of tea. Jim always kept a package of green tea and a few cups ready for his visitors. It was the custom for the farmers to stop at Gus Sudman's store and buy a box of crackers and a tin of sardines and then come over to the blacksmith shop and wash these down with a cup of tea. Jim Monahan was English enough to make the tea and Irish enough to be blessed with quick wit and a ready answer. With this lucky combination his gracious hospitality overshadowed the lack of cloth napkins in Oshkosh's tea room." Isn't that interesting? I appreciate the time and effort Betty put into her letter. KING RHILEY SR. RACING ACTIVITIES Now back to Shumway. Jim Monahan later sold out to Noah Brewer. In 1909, Mr. Noah Brewer, who was anxious to get into the automobile game, sold his blacksmith shop to King Rhiley and moved to Sidney. Strange to say, Mr. Rhiley soon got into the auto business himself in the old Monahan-Grewer shop (where Hunt's Auction is in 1984 north of his motel and residence at 104 Main). At that time there was only one motor vehicle in Oshkosh; it was a high wheeled International owned by Archie Wynes and John Delatour. Although owned by two men, it required about four men and a boy to coax it along. Mr. Rhiley went to work to build an automobile that one man could run and he succeeded in trading it off to Jim Duffin. He then got an agency for the Oakland and did a good business. He is now the Western Distributor for Buick -25- |
