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While investigating the history of the home, we have uncovered the following: "It was Col. William C. Lookingbill´s good fortune to become the owner of 58 acres of land overlooking the fairgrounds and city in 1908. (Judge Eugene Criss, known as the "Father of Sac City" originally owned this land.) It was on the brow of the bluff of this land that the Colonel built his beautiful home in 1909. A large and modern barn is located in the rear and other buildings were grouped to the east. His farm and home were all within the corporate limits of Sac City.
Col. Lookingbill was known as an eminent auctioneer and breeder of fine livestock - purebred Shorthorn cattle, Poland China swine, and Shropshire sheep. His stock was practically all registered as thoroughbreds.
William C. Lookingbill was a native Iowan, having been born in Guthrie County, Iowa, in 1873, to Henry and Elizabeth Lookingbill. He was married to Luella McDermott of Buena Vista County on Dec. 1, 1898 and was the father of two children, Lillian Ellen and Llewelyn McHenry Lookingbill. His farm was appropriately named Oakland Stock Farm."*
Following the Lookingbills, Mr. & Mrs. H.H. Allison and their daughter, Grace, occupied the home.
According to W.H. Hart´s book, The First National Bank of Sac City was established on Oct. 27, 1890 by D.E. Hallett, Eugene Criss, and H.H. Allison.*
*(History of Sac County, 1914, W. H. Hart)
In a paper titled "History of the Business Establishments of Sac City" by Paul Dixon, it is noted that following his banking venture, Mr. Allison ran the Sac City Canning Factory from 1900-1910. Other information includes: "At the time that he was in the bank, Mr. Allison was one of the most prominent and respected men of the community. He was active in church work and sang in the Presbyterian choir. He and his wife, Adelaide, had a daughter, Grace, who died at the age of 18. Mr. Allison´s morals and money seemed to desert him. He took to chasing women and his wife had to divorce him. He lost most of his money and holdings and finally committed suicide." (We found the graves of both Grace and Adelaide Allison in Oakland Cemetery, but cannot find any grave or record of death of H.H. Allison.)
According to courthouse records, Charles Lloyd Hechtner purchased the home from the Allisons for $9,000 in 1916. Mr. Hechtner was well known throughout Sac County as an expert farmer and breeder of Percheron horses.
The ownership then transferred to the Charles Brynteson´s. "Charles was born in Sweden on September 25, 1884, to Peter and Christina (Olson) Brynteson, who emigrated to America in 1887 and then on to Sac County. Charles Brynteson graduated from the Odebolt High School and then attended pharmacy school at Highland Park College. He took charge of a drug store in Schaller before being appointed Sac County Recorder. In September of 1910 he purchased his drug business in Sac City. His place of business, favorably known as the Rexall store, was located in a large room on the main street of Sac City in the heart of the business district.
Charles Brynteson married on September 17, 1913 to Elsie Hechtner, daughter of Charles and Hattie Belle Hechtner. *
*(History of Sac County, 1914, W. H. Hart)
M.M. Merriman and his wife, Bessie were the next owners of the home. Some of you might recall that the Merrimans had a general store in Bingville for many years and after Mr. Merriman passed on, Bessie Merriman continued to run the store and live in the home on the bluff.
Bessie Merriman sold the home to Dr. and Harriet Gruber in 1948. Dr. Gruber was a local dentist that many will remember and Harriet is still living in Ames today. Harriet was the daughter of the Charles and Elsie
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