Tales from the Aisles
By Mickey Thomas
John Kyte Homestead Part III
O. M. Slaymaker, prominent and prosperous Osceola attorney, purchased the large Kyte farm in 1914. Slaymaker would improve the existing farm buildings, add more facilities, and increase the acreage. Slaymaker built a granary, corn crib, machine shed, garage, and hog furrowing facility. Mabel Shay, who was instrumental in getting the Kyte-Slaymaker farm listed on the National Historical Register wrote, “O.M. Slaymaker apparently recognized the uniqueness of the barn and converted it to the needs of the 20th century farmer. Concrete pillars were put under the timbers and converted the basic horse barn to an all purpose barn. Metal siding was used to cover the exterior wood siding and wooden shingles.”
The picturesque granary on the Slaymaker farm has a copula and was constructed with the wood from the old elevator that had stood beside the CB&Q Railroad tracks in Weldon. The CB&Q abandoned the Weldon line in 1946. Jack Ames mentioned that at one time Weldon shipped more timothy than any other town in this country. The original lift bucket from the Weldon elevator was installed in Slaymaker’s granary.
O. M. Slaymaker was a leading lawyer in Clarke County for over 30 years. His former law office at 111 South Main is still owned by the Slaymaker family. He often tried cases before the Iowa Supreme Court. His granddaughter, Suzanne Slaymaker Frost, remembers that her grandfather had one of the most complete private law libraries in Iowa. O. M. Slaymaker died in 1945 at the age of 67. His son, Attorney Don D. Slaymaker, continued the Slaymaker law practice at 111 South Main Street and owned and managed the Slaymaker farm holdings. When he was a young man, he lost the use of one leg in an auto accident. He was an avid golfer till his death in 1991.
Michael and Tracy Shay purchased 300 acres from the Slaymaker estate, which included the Kyte House and farm buildings, in 1999. At that time, they were not fully aware of the historical significance of their purchase. The Kyte House had been vandalized and vacant since the 1980’s. The Shay’s asked the Weldon Fire Department to burn down the house.
When the firemen inspected the house it was determined that it was structurally sound and that it would be a mistake to destroy a historical landmark that dated back to just a few years before Iowa became a state. It was then that Michael Shay’s mother, Mabel Shay, who retired after 43 years of teaching in Des Moines, began her quest to have the Kyte Homestead placed on the National Register of Historical Places.
David Kunkley and his wife, Toni Oney, bought 30 acres in 2004 from Michael and Tracy Shay, which included the historic house and buildings. The new owner’s intentions are to qualify for a matching historical grant for the restoration of the Kyte House. They are an energetic couple. David is a manager for C.E.I., a wind energy company, and works in Montana. Toni enjoys training horses. She is a recent graduate of Southwestern Community College in Creston and now attends Iowa State University. Toni also owns the remodeled Weldon School. When asked why she bought the Weldon School, she said, “I always wanted to own a school.”
