ness there until 1944 when he bought the old Boyer building and now the present Koudelka Market building across the street.

In compiling this history, we have been from time to time inspired and reminded about historical incidents by members of the Historical and Centennial Committees. Now Mrs. Zimmerman will not let passing reference to Jim Koudelka suffice.

Jim and his wife and baby, Adeline, came to Battle Creek in 1919 to work for Frank Ruzick. Those of us who knew him best remember him as a hurly burly, hard working man who was always ready to take sides in a controversial issue in the community and no one had to guess whose side he was on. Though this story does not necessarily portray that side of his character, it does show his other side, his jovial disposition. Dr. Lund had been delegated to collect pew rent for the church. As he came to Jim, Jim first (perhaps to bother Doc) refused. Doc, told him, "All right Jim, you can go to - - - -." and started out of the shop. Jim called him back, took a handful of silver dollars out of the till and started to throw them up, one by one, to hit the ceiling and fall to the saw dust covered floor. Doc was down on his hands and knees gathering up the coins and Jim was laughing. This took place in the old shop where Drs. Hunt and Henson are located.

And Jim had his gentle and tender side too. To people in distress or where there was sadness, he was always willing to help where help was needed, and was an affectionate family man. Ruth Doering, while teaching in the public school, remembers Jim bringing his four children to school in his old pickup truck on stormy mornings and as they bounded out of the truck, one after another, they would have to stop and give him a hug and a kiss.

Then on to what is now a vacant lot except for the warehouse to the rear which was the location of a frame building which originally stood on the present location of the Doering Drug Store. This building was erected in the early 1890's by Billy Barnes when he quit the farm which is now the Ernest Kleider home and started a general merchandise store with the living quarters on the second floor.

Barnes' store was the gathering place of the old soldiers of the Civil War and this writer well remembers going there with his father in the evenings to listen to Civil War stories being told and retold. Undoubtedly, the stories grew and became more interesting as they were retold. Two old "captain" chairs in the Zimmerman Insurance Office came out of the Barnes store. If these chairs could only talk! What "first hand" tales they could tell.

In the early 1900's Harry Barnes with George Heuerman, Charles Fenske, T. L. White, T. D. Preece, and Joe Dufphey started the Citizen's State Bank in this spot. The elder Barnes sold the store and turned the building over to this new establishment. The old frame building was then moved to the aforementioned location and the present brick building erected about 1912. The old frame building in its new location thereafter housed many

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