From Huckster to Soda Works — Banta Family and Early Salem Businesses

There is nothing quite like the town square of the Midwest to showcase the evolution of business in the growth of rural America in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Call them hucksters, snake oil salesmen, businessmen or entrepreneurs, whatever the need in service or product, some innovator and risk-taker filled the void.

In the 1860s there were no chain stores or corporate franchises. It was every man, occasionally woman, for him or herself. Risks were high and the chief investment was hard work.

The composite written history, Salem, Iowa, 1835-1996, “Place of Peace” records the ever-changing occupants of wood frame structures that lined the Salem square and adjoining streets. Brought on by railroads, rural population and farming growth, modern invention and innovation in manufacturing, the town square flourished and never looked the same from year to year. Devastating fires were commonplace but seemingly not a deterrent to renewed business venture.

Salem area citizens and visitors by train or buggy would find dry goods, hardware and general merchandise stores, millinery, meat markets, shoe and boot repair, stove and tin ware shops, blacksmith and livery, doctors, mills, lumber and feed, furniture and coffins, hotels, jewelry and drugstores, dressmakers, buggy and wagon makers, oysters and confections, bank and bakery. While there are restaurants in the Place of Peace account we find no Salem saloons.

Some families dabbled in several trades. If a business failed the proprietor, his brother or a son would try again in the same town, move west to another town or a dabble in something new. It seemed a new venture could be learned.

One such family was the Bantas. W.V. (William) Banta was in Salem by 1860 with his family by way of Illinois and Kentucky. His profession was “huckster,” in truth a purveyor of anything that sells. By 1867, Banta joined with J.M. Triplett to establish a long serving General Merchandise store on the west side of the square. Triplett rebuilt following a devastating fire in 1885 as Banta tried something new.

By the late 1870s, W.V. and W.A. Banta operated a grocery and meat market. In the 1880s, O.A. Banta operated an implement store and A. Banta a harness shop. A.C. Pidgeon owned a business of an unidentified nature with O.A. Banta on South Main Street in 1890. A.A. (Albert) Banta, W.V.’s son, a flour and feed mill in 1903. A.A. started a Soda Works in 1907.

Note: It seems to have been routine during this time period for men to identify themselves by the initials of the first and middle name and not the name. Wives were often listed in the newspaper i.e. “Mrs. W.V. Banta” also absent a first name.

— This article was contributed by the Henry County Historic Preservation Commission.