A Tribute to Horace Oliver

Who we consider to be the first chronicler of Woodburn history

Horace Staley Oliver

Born July 18, 1905 in Osceola, Iowa.

His family moved to Woodburn in 1910, when they purchased the telephone exchange. Horace was educated in the Woodburn Schools and graduated there in 1924.

Horace never forgot his roots and regardless of where he lived, he came back to Woodburn often to visit family and to participate in the Woodburn High School Alumni banquets, Woodburn Homecoming events, etc. It was his love for his hometown of Woodburn that prompted him to write two books, “Boy Life Along the Burlington” and “Spring in Autumn, or the Hills of Home”, which were published in 1969 and 1972.

His parents 

Jasper Eddley "J.E." or "Ed" Oliver and wife, Emma Staley

 The family moved to Woodburn in 1910 where Ed became the owner of the Woodburn Telephone Company. Later he engaged in farming, real estate, and other business. The telephone office was in their home, which set back from Main Street (Vine). They were members of the Woodburn Christian Church, where Ed served for many years as Chairman of the Board, and as an Elder and Sunday School teacher. He also served as clerk of the Modern Woodmen of America Lodge and Insurance Company for a period of 50 years.

sister, Eugenia with Horace

Emma, Ed

Eugenia and Horace

Kenneth Moore and Horace Oliver, abt. 1911?

Kenneth's parents, Clarence and Fannie Moore, owned a general store in Woodburn and Horace's parents ran the telephone office.

Horace, standing at back left, with friends playing leap-frog, probably at the Woodburn school.

(What a great picture!)

8th grade graduation, Woodburn, 1919

wife, Charline Cline

Daughter of E.E. and Nettie (Wiard) Cline

He married Charline Avis Cline on June 15, 1929, in Cody, Wyoming, where he was employed. Charline was born June 14, 1907, at Woodburn. She grew up in Woodburn where she attended school and graduated from high school in 1925.  Her father had the harness shop in town.  She attended summer school at Iowa State Teachers College extension and began her career as a teacher in the Lewis rural school near Woodburn. She taught four years. Charline had further teacher training through Iowa State Teachers College and after she married, taught at the East Concord school.   

Her siblings were Ferol Cline, Jack Cline, Dorothy (Cline) Evans, Glida (Cline) Boor, Wanda Ruth (Cline) Rogers, Ona (Cline) Powell and Leland Cline. 

Charline and Horace

They returned to Woodburn where their son, Gary Lew, was born in 1933. Horace was a school teacher so the family lived in several Iowa towns before moving to Des Moines in 1947. Horace had many experiences as railroad worker, student, one-room rural school teacher, truck driver, bus and taxi driver, school principal, salesman, school superintendent and finally retirement. 

Horace taught at a small rural school near Woodburn for one year, 1925-1926.  He taught 7th and 8th grade in Woodburn from 1927-1929. He stopped teaching for two years and was hired as Woodburn HS Principal for six years, 1930-1936.  Horace was Woodburn HS Superintendent 1936-1938.  He was also superintendent at Shannon City, Runnells, and Saydel, also Assistant Polk County Superintendent of Schools for seven years. Charline was an active member of the Des Moines Women’s Club and the Eastern Star.  She did volunteer work at Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines and was an active volunteer of activities during World War II. She was a member of the First Christian Church in Des Moines. They became members of the Glendale Christian Church in 1993.

His former students were always very special to him and he always looked forward to the opportunity to meet and visit with them. He will always be remembered as a strong supporter of Woodburn.

1940's

1972

1992

Horace died on October 17, 1994, in Phoenix, Arizona, and Charline died August 11, 1997, in Phoenix, Arizona. They are buried at the Woodburn Cemetery.

(Information given to us by his son, Gary Oliver, and his niece, Barbara Mason for the books Woodburn, Iowa: Life in a Railroad Town and later photos sent by Gary and his wife, Barb).  

I remember them coming back to visit Woodburn, where they would come to Woodburn Christian Church, a gentle and kind couple, always smiling.  Very enjoyable and so interesting to listen to his tales of the past days of Woodburn.