In the early part of 1867 Messrs. Wm. D. & S. L. Lucas erected a commodious store building on Onondaga Street directly west of the drug store which they immediately occupied with a large stock of general merchandise. They continued in business about one year with a constantly increasing trade and in the Spring of 1868 sold their business and building to L. T. Larned of Illinois, who the same season sold his entire interest to D. A. Bigelow and H. C. Huntington who, under the firm name of Bigelow & Huntington, continued the business until the following spring, when Geo. G. Tilden, a young man from Vermont, became the third partner in the firm which, as Bigelow Huntington & Tilden, has greatly enlarged, and successfully prosecuted the business to the present time. During the year 1873 they built and occupied a handsome and commodious brick store one door west of their old stand where they continue to do a very successful and yearly increasing business.

In the spring of 1867, J. H. & I. T. Miller erected the building on Onondaga Street, where the Post-Office is now kept, which they occupied as a general retail store. They had a prosperous trade for near two years, and in the spring of 1869 sold building and stock to Messrs. Alexander & Maxwell, of Chicago who continued in business until 1873 when they closed out, Mr. Alexander returning to Chicago and Mr. Maxwell engaging in other pursuits.

Among the pioneers in trade here was H. P. Lods, who commenced with a general stock of merchandise in the fall of 1866, continuing in trade only one year. In June 1871, he again went into business with J. H. MiIler the firm being J. H. Miller & Co. About one year later Mr. Miller retired and Mr. Lods took as a partner E. H. Monroe. After one year T. K. Soper became associated with Lods & Monroe, the new firm being Lods Monroe & Soper. The business was removed to a large and commodious brick store erected by Mr. Soper on the south side of Onondaga Street, in the fall of 1873. No further change took place until the spring of 1865, when Mr. Lods sold to A. C. Thomas, since when the firm has been Monroe, Soper & Thomas. They do a large and profitable business in their line of merchandise besides being largely engaged in the purchase and shipment of livestock.

Early in the fall of 1869, a hardware store was opened by Messrs. Holmes & Foster of Cleveland Ohio. They carried a fine stock of goods and were reasonably successful in their business enterprise. In 1870 Mr. Holmes sold his interest to S. L. Lucas, the firm becoming Lucas and Foster. Later Mr. Foster sold to W. G. Wright who has, with several changes of partners continued at the head of the concern to the present time, and has by strict attention to business and the most untiring zeal and energy, built up one of the best hardware trades in Story county. The firm for the past year has been Wright & Little.

In the spring of 1867, Dr. S. J. Starr and Ben. Breneman opened a small drug store in AMES near where the livery stable now stands. In 1868 they removed their stock to a commodious new store which they erected on the south side of Onondaga Street. They here established a large and profitable trade and continued to occupy this store until the fire in June, 1875, when their building and stock were utterly destroyed, since which they have been engaged in other pursuits.

The first pine lumber offered for sale here was brought by A. D. Rainbolt and L. Q. Hoggatt, in the spring 1866 -- two cars. Mr. Rainbolt shortly sold to L. Irwin and Hoggatt & Irwin were succeeded by Wheeler and Matthews, and they in turn by Giles Cook, afterwards, in 1869 Cook & Stewart, and they two years later by A. D. Markham.

In the fall of 1869 a branch lumber yard of C. Lamb & Son, of Clinton, was started here with C. D. Norman manager. In 1873, A. D. Markham sold to Lamb & Son, and the two yards were consolidated. This is the only lumber firm since doing business here. Their trade is quite large as will be manifest when the fact is stated that they handle about 250 car-loads, or near 2,000,000 feet of lumber per year.

The foregoing comprises a nearly accurate list, and brief mention of the early established dealers here in the several mercantile branches. In a supplementary statement will be found a list of firms, and members of the different trades, professions and other callings at the present lime.

Civic Societies - Masonic
Arcadia Lodge, No. 249 A. F. & A. M. was organized U. D. in November, 1868, with twelve members, and received its charter in June, 1869. The present membership of this lodge is thirty-four. Regular communications are held on Thursday evening on or before the full moon. This organization is in a very healthy and promising condition, counting among its membership many of our most prominent and influential citizens. Its present officers are, A. Duckworth, W. M.; A. J. Graves, S. W.; Cal. Giddings, J. W.; H. P. Lods, Treas.; D. A. Bigelow, Sec'y.

Good Templars
As early as 1867 a lodge of this order was organized here, being for two or three years successful and popular in its work. Owing however, to the introduction of some discordant elements, it was thought best in the fall of 1870, to suspend its labors, and soon after its charter was surrendered. No effort was made to revive the work of

The membership of this lodge is at present fifty. It meets in Grange Hall, which is also occupied by Arcadia Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and Ames Grange. The following are the present officers of this lodge: W. D. T., I. B. Frazee; W. V. T., Mrs. McElyea; W. Sec. Mrs. I. T. Miller; W. F. Sec., S. H. Goble; W. Treas., H. Wooders; W. C., Ira Bixby.

Ames Grange, No. 121
Although the membership of this organization is to some extent distributed through Washington and Franklin townships, there are many reasons for classing it among the institutions of our town. It was organized in the fall of 1871, and has ever since been one of the most active and healthy Granges in Story county. The meetings are held in Grange Hall, on the afternoon of the first and third Saturdays in each month. The present membership is sixty-five. The officers for the present year are A. J. Graves, W. M.; Richard Marshall, W.O.; D. G. Ferguson, W. S.; H. Christman, W. Sec'y.; C. S. Giddings, W. Treas.; C. E. Turner, W. L.; John E. Davis, W. C.

The Press of Ames
No historical notice of our town would be complete if it did not embrace an account of newspaper enterprises here. The weekly INTELLIGENCER was established in AMES in April 1869 by A. McFadden by whom it was edited and published up to the fall of 1874. Mr. McFadden was a man of large experience as a newspaper publisher and gave to our citizens a paper of which any locality might be proud. No local paper in the State has been more ably conducted than was the INTELLIGENCER under Mr. McFadden, its teachings always pure both in politics and morals. Failing health made it necessary for Mr. McFadden to be relieved in the fall of 1874, and C. E. Turner had editorial charge of the paper for near a year, conducting it in a very able and satisfactory manner. In August 1875 W. O. Robinson bought a half interest in the INTELLIGENCER, which was run by McFadden and Robinson, until the death of Mr. McFadden in January, 1876. The paper continued in charge of Mr. Robinson from that period until April last, when it was purchased by the present proprietors, Messrs. Watts & Alexander. Under this management there has been a marked improvement both in the editorial and mechanical character of the INTELLIGENCER. They are young men of good ability, both practical printers, steady, industrious, and Mr. Watts of large experience in newspaper work. We predict for THE INTELLIGENCER a future of great prosperity and usefulness.

Attorneys
The first representative of this profession in Ames was D. W. Gage Esq., who came in the fall of 1868 from Cleveland, Ohio. 

In 1871 Turner & Rainbolt dissolved their business connection, both parties remaining here in practice. During this season, J. L. Lucky Esq., of Rochester, N.Y. settled here in the practice of the law continuing about one year when he returned to Rochester where he still resides.

Two years later Mr. Gage left here and returned to Cleveland. In Nov. 1863, John L. Stevens, a young Att'y from Benton County associated himself with Mr. McCarthy and the firm of McCarthy & Stevens continued until the spring of 1876 when they took a third partner in the person of George A. Underwood, a graduate of the class of 1875 of the law department of the University of Wisconsin. The firm has since this event been McCarthy, Stevens & Underwood.

During the spring of 1876 Mr. Rainbolt took as a partner Geo. H. Barnes, a graduate of the law department of the Simpson Centenary College.

The foregoing is a full list of the lawyers who have engaged in practice here to this date. A recapitulation shows that the profession is now represented here by Rainbolt & Barnes, C. E. Turner Esq., and McCarthy, Stevens & Underwood. Mr. McCarthy, the senior member of this latter firm gives little attention to their business or practice, devoting his time and energies to other pursuits. Mr. Stevens and Mr. Underwood are young men of fine ability and strict professional integrity, and of more than ordinary promise. During his business experience here Mr. Stevens in conjunction with his partner Mr. McCarthy has established a large and lucrative practice, and very much of the success of the firm in this regard is due to the enterprise and energy of the first named gentleman.

Mr. Turner has the advantage that age and long experience in the profession gives, is a man of culture, with fine literary tastes, a ready, fluent and forcible speaker and stands high in the respect and consideration of our people.

Mr. Rainbolt, of the firm of Rainbolt & Barnes has been a resident of AMES ten years, and is well and favorably known to our citizens. He is noted for his strict attention to business and energy in his profession. Mr. Barnes is a young man of good education, and fine promise. We feel fully justified in the declaration that the members of the legal fraternity of AMES may safely challenge comparison with those of any other locality in the State, surely so if ability, energy and integrity are made the standard of professional merit.

Medical
The pioneer in the practice of medicine in Ames, was one Dr. Phipps, who moved here at the time of the first settlement of the town. Dr. Phipps never claimed a thorough medical education, and his practice and residence here were of short duration.