The town of Eddyville is located principally in the northwest corner of Wapello county, but extends over into Mahaska county, from which it receives a large portion of its trade. The town was named after J. P. Eddy, who laid out the village in 1843. He was a trader among the Indians, and for sometime after they left he kept the only store in this part of the country. Before rival points were made and unmade by railroads, Eddyville was a place of much promise, but when the C. B. & Q. R. R. "went west" via Ottumwa, the prospects for building up a city at Eddyville waned; yet the town has many elements of attraction: 1st. It is beautifully located on the river, and has two railroads, the K. & D. M., and the Central R. R. of Iowa. 2d. A wagon bridge spans the Des Moines river. 3rd. Coal in great abundance is found near the city, also good building stone, brick and pottery clay. 4th. Among the "prospective speculations" through which Eddyville has hope of an outcome, is a branch of the Burlington Narrow Gauge R. R., which may some day gravitate to that point, and run thence northwest to Des Moines, or west to connect with the southern extension of the D. M. & M. (Narrow Gauge) R. R. Eddyville has about 1,500 inhabitants, and has a fine school building that cost $20,000; also Presbyterian. Congregational, Baptist, Methodist and Romam Catholic churches, Odd Fellows and Masonic halls.
Baumstark, A., dealer in confectionery, choice cigars, tobacco, etc., wine and beer saloon, Eddyville, Iowa; born in Baden, Germany, in 1835; came to Iowa in 1853, and located in Burlington; removed to this place in 1871, and engaged in his present business; married Anna Singer in 1873; she was born in Guttenberg, Germany. Democrat.
McCrea, F. M., physician and surgeon; born in Montgomery county, Indiana, in 1848; came to Iowa in 1850, and located in Oskaloosa; engaged in the practice of medicine in Eddyville in 1876.
Nosler James, dealer in drugs and medicines; born in Montgomery county, Virginia, in 1802; he settled in Iowa in 1843, and removed to this county in 1846, and engaged in the practice of medicine. Mr. N. has been twice married; in 1826 he married J. Moore; she was a native of Kentucky, and died in 1873; married again to Sarah Nelson in 1874; she was born in Alabama; he has seven children by his first wife, Martha Ann, Thomas M., Mary J., Irene, Armilda C., Ellen and Henry C; has been a member of the M. E. church since 1824. Greenback.
Stockwell, W. W., of the firm of Stockwell & Son, dealers in clothing and furnishing goods; was born in Licking Co., Ohio, in 1850; married E. E. Fredrick in 1872; have two children, John C. and James E. Republican.
Walz, B., proprietor Eddyville brewery; born in Germany in 1838; came to America in 1859; married Mary Meeher in 1867; she was born in Muscatine county, Iowa; they have five children, three sons and two daughters. Mr. W. enlisted in Co. G., 57th Illinois Infantry in 1862, and was discharged in 1865.
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Township List, Mahaska County History, Iowa 1878