In 1902, Eugene Twichell purchased the Nichols Bakery, still at 503 Court. He and his wife, Carrie, lived at 528 Dexter Street. In 1903 the location held a gramophone concert and in 1904 he was also offering delivery services.
In 1906 the bakery was purchased by Walter Leigh Glidden from Beloit. His wife, Ava Barnwell, who he wed in 1907, also worked at the bakery.
In 1909 he opened the Clay Center Candy Company, where he gave tours at its 5th Street location, south of the railroad tracks in the space that had formerly housed the Gifford Lumber Yard, H.H. Starkweather’s ice business, and the Clay Center Incubator Company. The first floor included an office and shipping room, as well as a large storage room for cigars.
A 1909 article said it was shelved floor to ceiling with cigars worth $3,000-$4,000. ($71,483 to $107,225). The ice house was still in use, storing the location’s ice cream plant. Meanwhile, the entire second floor was used to make candy where five men were employed full time. Meanwhile, a 24×60’ bake shop was added, including a double oven with the capacity of 5,000 loaves every 10 hours. A month into business, the Candy Company averaged a ton of shipments per day; no retail was provided. Two men and Glidden himself traveled to sell to nearby towns. Thie payroll was slated to be $9,000 for the year. (More than $321,600 today.) A VP, secretary, office assistant, and bookkeeper were also employed – all of whom were local men.
Yet another local bakery was started by Gustave “Gus” Musselman was opened in 1887, serving fresh bread, cakes, and cakes daily. Gus Mussleman Bakery was offering home delivery by 1902 out of his 803 5th Street location. (Later, Glidden’s Bakery moved to this location.) He also advertised selling wholesale baking supplies, including fruits and canned goods. His “bread wagon” stopped at homes once a day upon receiving a call at their phone number of 41.
In 1905 the bakery was robbed when $5 in change was stolen after a thief entered through the back door. (About $185 today.)
Musselman’s brother, John, also had a bakery, John Musselman Bakery and lunchroom where his wife, Charlotte “Lottie” cooked. In 1904, he moved from the Swenson building on west Lincoln Avenue to 429 Lincoln. John was a member of Rescue fire department, a role he held for at least 25 years.
Another baker, Sam Scott, who came from Glidden’s Clay Center Candy Company, bought the John Musselman Bakery and lunchroom in December of 1909. Four years prior, in 1905, Carl Musselman, Gus’s eldest son, broke into the city pound to release Scott’s dog. Carl was given the maximum for both charges: breaking into the pound ($50) and taking the dog ($100). Scott was also charged; both men appeared in front of the judge on a Saturday afternoon. ($1,848 and $3,696, respectively.)
Scott sold his business to CA Miles of Belleville in 1912, re-purchased, and again sold to brothers Fred and Leo Zimmerman in August of 1915. However, the sale was short-lived, and he re-purchased the bakery that October. Scott also served as night watchman and in 1920 he was appointed as city marshal. In 1923 he was the first offender of a new traffic ordinance when he was reported for driving with one headlight; he paid the fine the following morning. In 1923 he purchased a building on the north side of the courthouse square and reported he would build a bakery.
In spring of 1909, the Gus Musselman location was purchased by Elmer Dimity, who renamed the business, The Bon Ton Bakery. Prior to this, he was a bookkeeper for Anthony Schlitz, the implement dealer. George Dittmar joined as co-owner after leaving Clay Center Bottling Works. The pair employed seven workers.
Research by Susan Hammond
Pictures: top, Eugene Twichell circa 1908. Middle: Leo Zimmerman
