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CHURCH, CEMETERY, AND SCHOOL RECORDS Church Records History Books: Early Baptist Church Records; Antioch Baptist; Boonville Baptist; West Boonville Evangelical; Cumberland Presbyterian; Evangelical United Church of Christ; First Presbyterian; Mt. Nebo; Mt. Vernon Presbyterian; Nelson Memorial United Methodist; Pleasant Grove Community; St John the Baptist; St, John’s United Church of Christ; St. Joseph’s Catholic; St. Paul German Evangelical Lutheran; St. Peter and Paul Catholic; Lutheran of Clark’s Fork; Yeager Union Trinity; Centennial Books: Evangelical United Church of Christ – Boonville; First Baptist – Boonville; Lamine Baptist Association: Nelson Memorial United Methodist; SS Peter & Paul Catholic; St. John’s United Church of Christ; First Baptist Church - Prairie Home; First Christian Church (DOC) - Boonville, First Baptist Church Prairie Home, First Christian Church (DOC) Boonville Church Records in File Drawer Information on 104 different churches, some with a great deal of information Cemetery Records and file information for Cooper, Moniteau and Morgan Counties. Card File with Individual Burial Records Cemetery map brochure with 52 cemeteries– free Large cemetery wall map of 186 cemetery locations Notebooks listing burials by Cemetery Old School Records and file information In cabinet: Bellaire School; Billingsville School; Blackwater School; Bluffton School; Boonville School; Byberry School; Choteau School; Clear Springs School; Cotton Patch School; Crossroads School; Dunkles Beginner’s School; Fairview School; Hickory Grove School; Highland; Kemper School; Locust Grove School; Mount Vernon School; New Lebanon School; Oakwood School; Pilot Grove School; Pilot Grove – St. Joseph’s School; Pisgah School; Pleasant Green; Simmon’s School; Speed School; Splice Creek School; Sumner School; Stony Point School. Much more in file drawers. COOPER COUNTY SOLDIER INFORMATION Soldier Information in CCHS files - Civil War - Muster rolls, Hospital records, Cooper County men who served, Military Prisoners, Troop movement, Militia Records, Confederate Navy Records, Military Prisoners, list of dead at Springfield and Wilson’s Creek, Grand Army of the Republic records, Hospital Records, 1882-1940 Book: Civil War Day by Day – 1861-65 (Carolyn Bartels) Also see Military Records

RECORDS AT RECORDER OF DEEDS OFFICE For more recent Cooper County documents please contact: Cooper County Recorder of Deeds - Georgia Esser 200 Main Street - Rm 26, Boonville, MO 65233 660-882-2161 or recorder@coopercountymo.gov General recorded information and other resources available Genealogy research is welcome at Recorder of Deeds Office under the following guidelines: Appointments are preferred, especially for lengthy research. COVID precautions limit our office customers to three in main office, and two genealogy researchers in the vault area. Staff assistance to researchers may be limited due to recording workload at the time of visit. Temperature checks may be given upon arrival. No food or drink is allowed in the vault. Masks are required to enter search areas and vault. Title searchers and marriage license applicants take priority in line. Office staff does not perform genealogy research or title searching. General recorded information and other resources available Recorded and indexed Plats and Surveys (both paper and digital copies on site) Recorded marriage licenses issued in Cooper County (1819 - present) Marriage applications are not public record, only the completed licenses. Original and reproductions of Cooper County plat books and Atlas books Historical maps of the county, towns, and some cemeteries Cooper County publications, compiled & written by local historians Recorded and indexed land transfer deeds, mortgages, assignments, modifications, subordinations, foreclosures, state and federal tax liens/releases, mechanics liens, power of attorneys, brands, etc. We do not have any bound “Abstracts” on property. Other miscellaneous documentation including but not limited to agreements, easements, leases, contracts, wills, UCCs, subdivision covenants and restrictions may also be found in the records. OLD wills and estates are in the records of the Circuit Clerk (660-882-2232) Death certificates (if recorded for land transfer purposes, 2010 - present) No birth certificates Military discharge papers (1918 - present, if recorded by service member) This documentation is not public record and can only be accessed by the member, funeral director, or immediate family member, being validated by a signed, notarized, and approved request document. Naturalization records (limited access due to age of documentation)

HOW TO DO ORAL HISTORIES Preserving today’s memories for tomorrow Probably the most interesting and fun way to learn about the life of a relative is to conduct an Oral History session with them. This is a very informal way to learn about their life in a relaxed atmosphere. As people age their memories often fade, but reliving the important things that happened in their life brings things back into focus so that the special memories can be relived and enjoyed while they are being recorded. In the past, tape recorders were used to conduct these informal interviews, but today, recording on a cell phone is just as effective. Just by asking simple questions you will learn about family traditions and hear some very good stories. The session can bring your family tree to life. Some general rules: Make an appointment – don’t just show up. Be clear about what you would like to accomplish and get their permission. Get permission to use your phone to record what they say, and for you to take notes. Make sure to record the time, date and location of the interview, and the name of the interviewee and interviewer. Start off with simple questions – when and where were they born? Who were your siblings? Where did you spend your early years, and school years? If you ask a “when” question they may not remember, but if you phrase it – “did this happen before or after you graduated from high school” or “about how old were you when…?” Don’t push for answers, as they may be uncomfortable discussing that question. Ask if they would rather talk about something else. Keep the session short – sometimes an hour is enough. Here are some sample topics: What do you remember about your childhood? What do you remember about your parents? Your siblings, your grandparents or childhood friends? Did your family have any special traditions on birthdays or holidays? When did you leave home? Were there wars, natural disasters or political changes that you recall? How did these events affect you? What did your parents do for a living when you were growing up? Did you help them? Did you learn any special skills from your parents? What was your first job? How old were you when you started working? What different jobs have you had during your lifetime? What do you remember about your grandparents? Did religion play a part in your family? Other possible topics: education, military service, entertainment as they were growing up, family personalities, pets, raising their own family, family recipes, travel, hobbies. I found that cookies and a beverage are good to bring along with you to help the interviewee relax. When my sister and I interviewed our mother, we learned several things that we had not known. Mom grew up on the prairie of Montana during the early Depression. At age six she rode her horse 4 miles to school and back. She had a pet lamb that was rejected by his mother, that she bottle-fed, and he was her only pet. One day she could not find “Curly” and then discovered that he was the main course for the dinner for the reapers that day. We asked if she missed anything about Montana when she moved back to Wisconsin. She said “NO” except my horse and “Curley”. By: Barbara Dahl Family Search : this is a free Mormon web site of information, and can be very helpful, but one needs to verify information taken from them as they are known to have a lot of errors and inaccuracies on family information. MO Birth & Death Records Finding Vital Records Finding Land Records

EARLY HOMES AND BUILDINGS 1810 – 1940 ARCHITECTURE Cooper County has an abundance of lovely, well maintained older homes and buildings representing many different architectural styles, ranging from simple wood or stone houses to elegant Victorian, Italianate, and “Queen Anne,” mansions. A walking or driving tour in downtown Boonville will introduce you to many of the beautiful historic homes and buildings in the area. Main Street still retains many well maintained, early buildings, and most are still being used. And, outside of Boonville Township there are other impressive homes and buildings that are worth the trip to see. Maps and information on historic Cooper County homes and buildings are available at: Cooper County Historical Society; Boonville Area Chamber of Commerce; River, Rails and Trails Museum; Friends of Historic Boonville; and the Frederick Hotel. River, Rails and Trails Museum has a colorful and informative booklet for a self-guided tour of Boonville homes and buildings. Historic Homes and Buildings to look for in Boonville Take walking tour of Boonville, or a drive on the following streets from beginning to end: High Street: Frederick Hotel, (Main & High Street) 513, 603, 611, 616, 617, 622, 703, 724 Bell House with Bell’s View Park across the street East Morgan Street: 719, 711, 707, 629, 614, 519, 515; Old Jail East Spring Street: 716, 630 Sixth Street: 630, 612, 615, 711, 720, 1308, 1307, 747; Sixth & Locust – Early school for girls Main Street: 1304, 745 (GG Vest Home); 821 (Roslyn Heights – state DAR headquarters) Commercial buildings from the 1800’s and early 1900’s: Fourth Street: 412 Hain House; 510 Sombart; Christ Episcopal Church; 607- Pre-Civil-War School; Center Street: 309 – built 1859; 303 – built 1870 Third Street: (600-700) former Kemper Military School, now State Fair Jr. College; Boonslick YMCA; and soon to be Boonslick Regional Public Library; House 600; - also 601 Hitch House A colored map with pictures is available from the Cooper County Historical Society, and other locations, which feature homes and buildings in Boonville. There are also many lovely older homes in Boonville and Cooper County that are not on the Historic Register, but are well worth viewing. Interesting Homes and Buildings Out in the County Blackwater - hotel, telephone museum and Depot Pilot Grove - old Jail and Mt. Nebo Baptist Church Pleasant Green - Burwood, Crestmede and Pleasant Green Plantation New Lebanon - Cumberland Baptist Church and one room school; Cemetery and Uncle Abe’s Store Cotton - Dick’s Mill and school Bell Air - Ravenswood Mansion; Bell Air Methodist church and Pauley House Billingsville - Old Stage Stop and St. John’s United Church of Christ Rural Boonville - Gross Brothers Home on Highway 98 Ravenswood near Bellair Pauley House near Bella ir Pleasant Green Plantation in Pleasant Green Burwood House near Pleasant Green Gross Brother's Home in rural Boonville on Route 98 Restored Crestmead Home Photo from Wayne Lammers Collection Many of the older buildings in Cooper County are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In fact, the Cooper County area boasts area over 400 sites on the National Register of Historic Places. How to Find Cooper County Homes and Buildings l isted on National Register: Go to: SHPO Inventories (State Historic Preservation Officer) Select State (Missouri) Select Missouri National Register Listings Select County (Cooper) Click on the individual site name to see the full report, bibliography and photos. BOONVILLE RECYCLED, REVITILIZED, AND REPURPOSED HISTORIC BULDINGS Old Commercial Buildings with new lives Thespian Hall 1855 ; is the oldest theater west of the Alleghanies, now a home for the arts Frederick Hotel was a hotel in 1905 , then became a retirement home; now restored a modern hotel with its 20th century charm; also features a restaurant River, Rails & Trails Visitor’s Center and Museum : Former Wholesale Grocery built in 1902 Mitchel Car Museum once was a chicken hatchery Hamilton Brown Shoe Factory is now Selwyn Senior Apartments Kemper Military School is now the Boonslick Heartland YMCA, State Fair Community College, and the future home of the Boonslick Regional Library Turner Hall was originally a Baptist church in 1847 ; then a place for German gymnastics and musical groups, now a venue rental. Ballentine House –a hotel in 1822 , and now houses business offices KATY Train Depot now the Chamber of Commerce building with an old MKT caboose and train signal light Boonville Trail Depot at night Thespian Hall Left: River, Rails and Trails Museum, formerly Shryack - Givens Wholesale Grocery Right: Selwyn Senior Apartments, formerly Boonville Shoe Factory Balentine House, formerly a hotel, now business offices Hotel Frederick, formerly apartments Downtown Boonville in the 1930's This is a photo taken by James McCurdy about 1873. The workers are raising a large bell to the top of the roof of the Central National Bank in Boonville, owned by Joseph L. Stevens. Workers are raising a large bell to the roof of the bank. Today the bell is in the front of LSE School. These bronze mastiff statues were originally in front of the Central National Bank near the entrance, which is now Snapp's Hardware. In the mid 1880's, Jay Gould gave the two large mastiff statues to Joseph L. Stevens in gratitude for Steven's support in bringing the Katy Railroad to Boonville. The mastiff statues were placed on the front of the bank near the entrance. Today the mastiffs are on the roof of the LSE school above the northwest entrance, and the bell is on the lawn in front of the school. Central Bell and the two Mastiff statues at LSE on Main Street Photo by Wayne Lammers

POST OFFICES IN COOPER COUNTY U.S. Mail This is a picture of the small building that housed the Pleasant Green Post Office from 1869-1871 and 1873-1954 It also served as a telephone office for a few years. The presence, lack of, or loss of a post office, is a major indication of the size, success and duration of a town. Some post offices were closed during the Civil War, but later reopened. When trains stopped running through a town, populations declined, and the number of post offices did too. Some towns never had a post office, some had them for a very short time, and some still have them today. The earliest mail delivery was by horseback, from town to town, to a specific building in a town, usually the general store. Boonville had the earliest post office, in 1825. Short-lived Post Offices and Towns There were many very small settlements in Cooper County that never had a Post Office: Bluff City, Browntown, Buzzards Roost, Crossroads, Dublin, Lone Elm, Martinsville, Merna, Mt. Moriah, Petersburg, Prairie Lick, Rankins Mill, Salt Springs, Sardine, Stoney Point, Sweeny, Hostonville (under water), all of these towns are gone. Only Lone Elm is still an incorporated village and get’s it’s mail from Bunceton. Windsor Place – has always received its mail from Boonville. Adapted from: MOGENWEB, Post Offices, Jim Thoma. Many things we take for granted today used to be luxuries - telephones, automobiles, and even free mail service. While many city dwellers have been receiving free mail delivery service since the 1860s, the same can’t be said for those in rural areas. RURAL MAIL DELIVERY It wasn’t until October 1, 1890, that Congress authorized $10,000 to test the practicability of delivering mail to small towns of 300 to 5,000 people. Even so, Rural Free Delivery (RFD) became a political football as politicians began making promises for votes. And then, not everyone liked the idea. Some worried about the cost of the service. Private express carriers feared inexpensive rural mail delivery would put them out of business. Local merchants worried it would reduce farmers’ weekly trips to town for supplies and mail order houses like Sears would take all their business. The first experiment consisted of twelve communities where the postmaster hired a man for an hour or two a day to deliver the mail. Meeting with success, the Post Office Department, on October 1, 1891, began five routes covering ten miles in Jefferson County, West Virginia. With continued success, RFD became an official service in 1896. Between October 1 and December 21 of that year, 24 states began RFD. Missouri was one of them, and Cairo was the first on October 15. Soon farmers were helping the post office by putting out containers for the mail. Lard pails, syrup cans, and even old apple, soap, and cigar boxes were used. By 1901, it was obvious that service would be much improved with standardized boxes. Specifications to manufacturers were: box must be made of metal, 6x8x18 inches, and weather-proof, boxes should be constructed so they can be fastened to a post at a height convenient to the carrier without alighting, and keys for customers’ boxes should be easy to use by a carrier with “one-gloved hand in the severest weather.” By 1902, having a box was required for mail delivery. Source: : "Historically Yours" by Elizabeth Davis Otterville Post Office There was no post office in Otterville until March 24, 1848. The mail for this neighborhood was supplied from Arator post office located near Smithton. When the post office started in Otterville, W.G. Wear was the first postmaster appointed. He held the office until 1851, when Thomas Starke was appointed, holding the office for almost 10 years. The mail was carried by horseback. Then the Missouri Pacific railway came through and that allowed the mail to be brought to town by train. The post office quit dispatching the mail to the trains in about 1965. At this time the mail was sent and received from Sedalia by truck. The trucks delivered mail twice a day to the Otterville post office till about 1970. At this time it was only delivered in the early morning and went out near the end of the day. Source: Carolyn Aggeler

EVENTS & PROGRAMS Our events are always open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Bring a friend or two

LOUISIANA PURCHASE FROM A PROVINCE OF FRANCE TO A STATE IN AMERICA THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE After the new world was discovered, Europeans came to explore the new region. Some came for wealth and others came to satisfy their desire for adventure. In 1513 Juan Ponce de Leon, a Spanish explorer and comrade of Christopher Columbus, came to Florida and explored that area. On his second voyage to Florida, in 1521 , he was killed by Indians. Hernando de Soto was inspired with the same hopes and ambitions, and was not discouraged by Ponce de Leon’s failure. De Soto collected a large band of Spanish and Portuguese men to come to the new world in 1538 . In addition to his men he brought three hundred horses, a herd of swine, and some bloodhounds. On April 25, 1541 , de Soto reached the banks of the great Mississippi, a few miles below Memphis. He explored to the northwest, but no one is certain whether he reached central Missouri. He crossed the Mississippi and pursued his course north along its west bank into the region of our state now known as New Madrid. As far as historians can tell, he was the first European to set foot on Missouri soil. At the same time de Soto was exploring, Francisco Coronado, another Spanish explorer, led an expedition, of three hundred Spanish adventurers, mostly mounted, thoroughly armed, and well-provisioned. It is well authenticated that Coronado entered Missouri in the southern part, but how far north he went, we do not know. Some have claimed that he reached the Missouri River in the central part of the state. PROVINCE TO STATE TIMELINE 1682 Explorer Robert Cavalier and Sieur de La Salle took possession of the Louisiana Province for France, in which it gained control of the Louisiana Territory in the Treaty of Fontainebleau. 1762 Spanish government officials assumed direct control of the Louisiana Territory. 1800 Spain returned the Louisiana Territory to France. 1803 The Louisiana Purchase was signed. 1805 Territory of Louisiana was established; the seat of government was St. Louis. 1812 A portion of the Louisiana Territory was renamed as the Territory of Missouri 1816 Howard County was organized from the Territory of Missouri 1818 Cooper County was organized from part of Howard County 1821 (August 10) Missouri becomes the 24th State 1762 France cedes Province of Louisiana to Spain. (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “France ceded the Province of Louisiana to Spain through the Treaty of Fontainebleau in return for assistance in the Seven Years War against England. News of the deal traveled very slowly in the 18th century and the French governor was unaware that his territory had been delivered to another country. The French continued their work in the region by setting up trading posts and trading fur unbeknownst they were living on land now owned by Spain.” Louisiana 1762-1800, showing boundaries of territory delivered by France to Spain under treaty of Nov. 3, 1762. State Historical Society of Missouri Map Collection. 1800 Spain returned the Louisiana Territory to France. (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “Ownership of the Louisiana Territory became a burden to Spain as it faced a troubling economy. France, however, was rebuilding its empire in the Caribbean and in the Gulf of Mexico under its military leader Napoleon Bonaparte. France also wanted to keep the Louisiana Territory out of the hands of Great Britain, so it offered to trade territories in Tuscany, Northern Italy, for Louisiana in a secret treaty in 1800 . Rumors of the secret agreement brought anger and concern among Westerners who feared that the French power would control the Mississippi River and the port of New Orleans. Efforts were underway by the U.S. government to quickly find a way to purchase the territory and secure its important trade port and navigation waters that led to the Gulf of Mexico. 1803 Louisiana Purchase is Complete (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “The Louisiana Purchase by the United States from France would nearly double the size of the U.S. and became one of the largest land transactions in history. Rich in gold, silver and fertile soil, as well as large tracts of forests, the land brought much wealth to the country. With American independence from Great Britain, France had concerns whether it could maintain and defend a colony on U.S. soil and Napoleon needed money to renew a war against Great Britain. President Jefferson sent James Monroe to Paris to negotiate the treaty for the Louisiana Purchase that was signed April 30, 1803 . In exchange for almost 828,000 square miles, the United States would pay France $11,250,000 and assume $3,750,000 worth of American claims against France. Both France and Spain would be granted access to all ports of Louisiana. The U.S. agreed to incorporate Louisiana into the Union as soon as possible”. The United States purchased a total of 828,000 square miles of land from France for 15 Million dollars, which is approximately eighteen dollars per square mile. This purchase increased the size of the United States from the Mississippi River westward to include what are now the states of Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska, plus large portions of what are now North and South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado, east of the Continental Divide. Also included were the portions of Minnesota west of the Mississippi River, the northeastern section of New Mexico, the northern part of Texas, New Orleans and portions of Louisiana west of the Mississippi River. It also included small portions of the present Canadian provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Click here for the The Story of the Louisiana Purchase Click here for the Map of size of LOUISIANA PURCHASE and extensive background Louisiana 1803-1819, showing boundaries of the Louisiana Purchase Treaty in 1803. State Historical Society of Missouri Map Collection. 1803-1819 The land that is now known as Missouri, was a section of the area that was once part of the Louisiana Purchase. This 1804 map shows the District of Louisiana. In 1805 the Territory of Louisiana was established; the seat of government was St. Louis. In 1812 a portion of the Territory of Louisiana became the Territory of Missouri. (1805) President Jefferson appoints James Wilkinson to be the first governor of the newly-formed Louisiana Territory at the encouragement of his vice president, Aaron Burr. Once appointed, Wilkinson and Burr plot ways to set up a new country west of the Appalachian Mountains, separate from the United States. Before becoming territorial governor, Wilkinson had been hired a "Spanish Secret Agent 13" by the Spanish governor in New Orleans to promote immigration to Spanish lands in Missouri. Wilkinson was removed from office two years later in 1807 due to corruption, treason and multiple transgressions. Missouri Life “Meet Missouri's First Governors” 1808 Osage nation First Land Treaty (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) In 1812 , the Missouri Territory was created as a separate territory out of the District of Louisiana land. The entire state was called The Missouri Territory, until it was admitted into the Union, once it was sectioned off from the remaining Louisiana Purchase land. At this time, Howard County was still part of the 5 large counties that made up the Missouri Territory. The 5 Counties were St. Louis, St. Charles, New Madrid, St. Genevieve, and Cape Girardeau. References : The Territorial Papers of the United States , Territory of Louisiana-Missouri, 1806 -1814 The Territorial Papers of the United States , Territory of Louisiana Missouri, 1815-1816. Missouri Historical Maps Missouri Historical Maps District of Louisiana, 1804 Missouri Territory, in 1812 Missouri Territory, in 1816 Missouri Territory in 1819 and State of Missouri 1n 1821 In 1816 the Missouri Territory was divided into 7 counties: Lawrence, Cape Girardeau, Washington, St. Louis, St. Charles, New Madrid, and Howard.

COOPER COUNTY ROADS Immigration into the County had been halted by the War of 1812, but by 1815, there was a steady flow of people coming to the County. Settlers brought with them wagons and horses. Mules were brought in from Santa Fe after the opening of the Santa Fe trail in 1821. Settlers began to mark out roads and to cut their way through the forests. Oxen were often used for wagon transportation and continued to be used for many more years. The prairie presented few obstacles to travel, but to go through a forest was an entirely different matter. A wise selection of a route was needed or there would be lots of labor in cutting trees and fording streams. No public roads were laid out (except on paper) until 1819. But no construction work was done upon the roads, nor were they thought necessary for a many more years. The first petition for a public road in Cooper County was presented by B.W. Levens. It asked for the location of a road leading from Boonville to the mouth of the Moniteau Creek. The second petition for the location of a public road was by Anderson Reavis, presented on the same day. The road that was petitioned for a road running from the mouth of the Grand Moniteau to the Boonville and Potosi Road. When Cooper County was officially organized as a county in 1819, the stream of immigration to the south side of the river was increasing and roads were needed. Early roads were often cattle trails, and later, covered with gravel or made from planks of wood laid down. Some towns had roads called “The Old Plank” road. (1921)The Centennial Road Law was signed into law to improve road conditions in the state. (Source: Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “Improvements to road conditions became a popular topic of state politics with the rise of automobile purchases in 1917. Before 1907, highway improvements were left entirely to counties, many of which did not have trained engineers. The Centennial Road Law shifted highway building efforts in Missouri from the local level, to the state level, by granting the State Highway Commission the authority to supervise highways and bridges. In the 1920s and 30s, the commission undertook massive road building projects that improved the highway system to “Get Missouri out of the mud.” MAP OF COOPER COUNTY HIGHWAYS Source: MoDOT INTERSTATE INSPIRATION We have President Dwight D. Eisenhower to thank for the cross-country I-system that runs through the County. It’s a story that took many years of World Wars I and II experiences by then General Eisenhower, to bring into reality. President Dwight D. Eisenhower Source: HISTORYNET It was not until the Allies broke through the Western Wall and tapped into Germany’s sprawling autobahn network that General Eisenhower saw for himself what a modern army could do with an infrastructure capable of accommodating it. The enhanced mobility that the autobahn provided the Allies was something to behold, and years later was still cause for reminiscing. ‘The old convoy,’ Eisenhower wrote, referring to his experience with the FTMC, ‘had started me thinking about good, two-lane highways, but Germany had made me see the wisdom of broader ribbons across the land.’ Not surprisingly, therefore, when Eisenhower became the 34th U.S. president in 1953, he pushed for the building of an interstate highway system. Although Congress had first authorized a national highway system in 1944, it had always been woefully underfunded.Throwing the full weight of his presidency behind the project, Eisenhower declared to Congress on February 22, 1955: ‘Our unity as a nation is sustained by free communication of thought and by easy transportation of people and goods. The ceaseless flow of information throughout the Republic is matched by individual and commercial movement over a vast system of interconnected highways crisscrossing the country and joining at our national borders with friendly neighbors to the north and south. ‘Together, the uniting forces of our communication and transportation systems are dynamic elements in the very name we bear — United States. Without them, we would be a mere alliance of many separate parts.’ Source: HISTORYNET HIGHWAY I-70 BECOMES A REALITY Interstate 70 (I-70) is over 2,150 miles of highway from Cove Fort, Utah to Baltimore, Maryland. Two hundred miles of the highway and two hundred fifty miles of this super highway runs right through the center of Missouri. It appears that both Missouri and Kansas can each lay claim to I-70 beginnings. The first three contracts for the highway were signed in Missouri on August 2, 1956. The first section to be paved were in Kansas on September 26 the same year. But I-70 is just a small piece of the 48,000+ miles of highway system that crisscrosses the US. As farm folks look on, a worker smooths concrete on I-70 near Boonville, Mo. Source: National Archives Interstate 70 (I-70) is just over 2,150 miles of highway from Cove Fort, Utah, to Baltimore, Maryland. Two hundred fifty miles of this super highway runs through Missouri and 30 of those miles run through the middle of Cooper County between Boone and Saline Counties. But I-70 is just a piece of the highway system that was conceived by President Dwight D. Eisenhower during the 1950s. This brain child was the result of a two-month trip between DC and San Francisco in 1919 and Eisenhower’s final months of World War II in Europe. The first Transcontinental Motor Convoy across the US took place in 1919. Eisenhower had been assigned as an observer and he remembered well the difficulties encountered as the convoy traveled from the White House to Gettysburg, and then on to San Francisco. The trip took two months. During the final months of World War II, Eisenhower was in Germany and saw the autobahn Hitler had designed. It was a far cry from the historic Lincoln Highway used in America for traveling coast to coast. Eisenhower took office in 1953, and by 1954 had announced his idea of an interstate highway system similar to the German autobahn. It took a couple of years for Congress to work through the financing, but H.R. 10660 was introduced in the House of Representatives by Maryland Democrat George Fallon on April 19, 1956. This time the bill worked its way through Congress quickly and was signed into law by President Eisenhower on June 29. The Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956 provided $25B for 41,000 miles of highway to be completed in 10 years and was hailed as the Greatest Public Works Project in American History. Some of the first construction began in Missouri and Kansas before the end of the year. While federal and state governments worked together to iron out the details and actually build the new highway system, cities and towns across America were dealing with the impact these new highways would have on them. Boonville, just north of I-70, would need a business loop. On August 18, 1959, the citizens of Boonville voted on a $150,000 General Obligation Bond for acquiring rights-of-way for streets and avenues for Business Loop 70. The ballots were counted and, on August 20, it was announced that the bond had passed. Creating the business loop required the tearing down and/or relocating of at least 11 houses. Most of this was accomplished during the spring of 1960. Another issue came up during that summer. The Historical Society wanted to change the names of all streets that connected with I-70. On September 6, 1960, Councilman Coley reported their suggestions to the City Council. Elm St. to Main St. would be renamed Ashley Road; Rt. 87 business loop to Main St. would become Bingham Road; and Boonslick Blvd. would be the new name for Main St. connecting to Rt. B. Motion was made and seconded to make the changes and the motion passed unanimously. However, these changes did not meet with the approval of the community. At the October 3rd City Council meeting, Mayor Bell read a letter from the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce requesting that Main Street’s name not be changed. Councilman Callis moved that the original motion be sustained and the motion was seconded by Councilman Althauser. The motion carried unanimously. Mr. Brownsberger attended the October 28th Council meeting and, representing the Chamber of Commerce, presented a petition with 245 signatures requesting that Boonslick Blvd be changed back to Main St. The Council agreed and voted to restore Main Street’s name. Thanks to I-70, Boonville has Ashley and Bingham Roads, but thanks to the citizens, we still have Main Street. Source: " Historically Yours" by Elizabeth Davis Dedication of the I-70 bridge October 8, 1960 Dedication of the I-70 bridge October 8, 1960 from on top of cliff. From the Wayne Lammers collection Looking east from the Cooper County side of the I-70 Dedication. From the Wayne Lammers collection A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR’S CRYSTAL BALL Today it seems that some Cooper County towns are slowly starting to gain in population. Could it be that some city folks are getting just a bit disenchanted with the big cities? True, Cooper County doesn’t have much big-name entertainment or many exciting things to do or see, but there is a lot of local talent, several excellent community yearly events and a variety of groups to join. And reasonably priced homes and low taxes! Could it be that they see that Cooper County has: good roads, free, accessible parking, excellent schools, adequate shopping, but not too far from Columbia; low crime and theft, no gangs, good health care, excellent sheriff and fire departments, lovely parks and friendly people?

CIVIL WAR Second Battle of Boonville Re-enactment Wayne Lammers Collection Adapted from “Discover Cooper County” by Ann Betteridge: Cooper County suffered a great deal during the Civil War. Her territory was occupied almost constantly by one side or the other, and her citizens were called upon to give to the support to first one side, and then the other. Families and neighbors were divided between sentiments for the North and South. Many of the residents had come from the South and sympathized with the South, but still wanted to stay in the Union. The state was truly divided. Events Leading to the Civil War When Missouri decided to become part of the Union, many members of Congress were not enthusiastic about admitting another slave state. In 1821, Congress passed the Missouri Compromise , which allowed Missouri to enter as a slave state and Maine to enter as a free state. This kept the number of free and slave states even. By the time the war was over, much of the County was damaged or in ruins. Most of the livestock had been “appropriated” by one side or the other to feed the troops, and many homes had been stripped of anything of value. In 1861 , the Southern states began withdrawing from the Union. Missourians held a state convention to decide what they should do. Many of the members including Governor Claiborne F. Jackson, were strongly in favor of the South. However, the state voted to remain in the Union. At that time, most of the people hoped to remain neutral if a war came. War did come and Governor Jackson refused to send troops to fight for the Union. In April, 1861 , Fort Sumter was fired upon. This caused much concern. The people of Cooper County were anxious. Missouri was predominantly a slave state; however, it also had strong northern ties. Since it was one of the so-called “border states,” the divisions of loyalty were greater here than in most places. Lincoln’s call to arms on April 15th stirred sympathy for the South in Boonville. On April 20th, a large crowd assembled at the Cooper County courthouse. Speeches were made and a secession flag was raised. Perhaps it seemed strange that Missourians passed secession resolutions. Missouri wasn’t a direct supporter of the Confederacy, but it was against Federal intervention in its affairs. The people of Missouri saw Lincoln’s call for troops to crush the “revolutionaries” of the South as a direct threat to their state’s sovereignty. Governor Jackson was a supporter of states’ rights. He favored secession from the Union. The Governor thought that his state had the right to take Federal supplies that were located in Missouri. Therefore, he established Camp Jackson within a few blocks of the Federal arsenal in St. Louis. Everyone, including General Lyon, commander of the U. S. Army in Missouri, knew what Jackson was doing. Lyon did not like it one bit, so he surrounded the camp, forced the men assembled there to surrender, and then marched them through the streets of St. Louis. A crowd gathered and shouted protests against Lyon’s actions. Rocks were thrown, shots were fired, and about 30 civilians were killed. More civilians were killed in other skirmishes in St. Louis. Jackson and Lyon met on June 11, 1861, to discuss what could be done to prevent further fighting in Missouri. Jackson was willing to compromise. However, Lyon insisted on the right to move and station troops of the United States throughout the State, whenever and wherever that might be necessary for the protection of the citizens of the Federal movement, or for the stopping of an invasion. This was totally unacceptable to Jackson, so Lyon stated, “This means war.” Jackson fled back to Jefferson City and called for 50,000 troops to help defend the state against the Federal invasion. He picked Boonville as his point of defense and moved there with General Sterling Price, head of the Missouri State Troops. THE FIRST BATTLE OF BOONVILLE Jackson set up Camp Bacon at Boonville. The untrained recruits were mostly farmers with their hunting rifles, out to defend their land against attack. Jackson’s officers were against making a stand at Boonville. They wanted to go further south until their troops could be drilled and trained. Jackson said it was necessary to go ahead as planned. In St. Louis, Nathaniel Lyon was busy preparing the Federal troops. He believed in trying to surprise the enemy. Lyon took three riverboats and steamed up the Missouri. Early in the morning of June 17, 1861, he landed approximately seven miles east of town near Merna. Meanwhile, at Boonville, Price was sick from diarrhea, so he left on a steamboat to his home in Chariton County. He left Colonel Marmaduke in command with about 1,500 men who had no experience in fighting. The majority of Lyon’s 500 troops had previous military experience. Lyon had artillery, but Marmaduke’s only available cannon was in Tipton. Marmaduke stationed his men along a ridge about four miles east of Boonville which blocked the Rocheport road. Lyon came up the river by steamboat from Jefferson City, landed his troops a little upriver from Rocheport, and then marched with his forces up the road to Boonville. The Federal troops advanced for almost three miles. Lyon had Captain Totten shelled the brow of the ridge on which the state troops were stationed and his infantry opened fire with their rifles. The fighting was thick for a while with several wounded on each side, but soon the training of the Federal troops began to show through, and Marmaduke’s men were forced to retreat across a fence into a field. When the Federals advanced up the hill, the state troops opened fire from the cover of a nearby shed and grove of trees. After fighting for about half an hour, the state troops were forced to retreat. Lyon’s troops took possession of Camp Bacon where they took the supplies. Five men were killed. Lyon advanced toward Boonville. East of the city limits, at the home of T. W. Nelson, the acting mayor, and several citizens surrendered the city to Lyon. Marmaduke left for Lexington on a steamboat, and Governor Jackson headed down the Georgetown road. General Parsons of the state militia arrived from Tipton with the state’s artillery after the battle was over. When he found out that the state had lost, he took his command south to Prairie Lick where most of the other state troops were. The next day General Lyon pardoned all of the people who would promise to support the U.S. government and to never again take arms against it. Many people accepted this. Lyon sent part of his troops to find Jackson, but was unable to locate him. They returned to Boonville. On June 20, three days after the state troops had been defeated, Lyon organized the first Boonville Home Guard, consisting of local citizens. Most of them were of German descent. Their orders were to guard Boonville against invasion by state forces. Similar “home guards” were being organized all over the state. Boonville’s consisted of 135 men with Joseph A. Eppstein elected as captain. Before Lyon left Boonville, he also ordered a small fortress to be built. It consisted mostly of breastworks and a small ammunition bunker which was located on the old state fairgrounds, where St. Joseph Hospital stood for many years. Eppstein heard rumors that they were going to be attacked by Confederate-sympathizing forces from nearby counties. He ordered several southern sympathizers from the community to be held hostage in the breastworks. The breastworks consisted of a series of poles that had been sharpened at one end and tied at the middle to form a barrier about seven to ten feet in height. By July 2, 1861 , General Lyons had received reinforcements from Iowa and marched out of Boonville to chase the Missouri State Guard under General Price. Price was thought to be collecting troops in southwestern Missouri. With 2,400 troops, the caravan moved along the Boonville-Georgetown Road (the old Spanish Trail to Mexico). They camped the first night at the Clear Creek Crossing. The young Iowans were in woolen uniforms and Private George Ware’s diary complains of the heat and dust. The next day, as they marched past Pleasant Green, young boys hiding behind the orchard wall (the remains of Winston Walker’s old Indian fort) pelted the soldiers with green apples. To their surprise, the soldiers caught most of the apples to save for ripening. At the Lamine River bridge crossing shots were fired at the soldiers from the bluffs, but there were no injuries. Lyon’s march ended at Wilson’s Creek, near Springfield, where he was killed in battle with the Missouri State Guard. His unburied body was discovered July 13th by members of Kelly’s Regiment (who had been with Marmaduke in the Battle of Boonville) and given proper burial in the garden of John Phelps. SECOND BATTLE OF BOONVILLE On December 13, 1861 , while eating breakfast, Boonville’s Home Guard was attacked by about 800 men from Saline County under the leadership of Colonel Brown. As rain and musket balls fell, the Confederates advanced twice, but each time they were forced back. Col. Brown was killed in the second attack as was his brother, Capt. Brown. Only two of the Home Guard were killed, but an unknown number of Brown’s men were killed. Major Poindexter took command of the entire force after the death of the Brown brothers. William Burr, a hostage in the breastworks, was given permission to visit the Confederates to see what arrangements could be made to stop the fighting. The two sides agreed on a six-day armistice. After a week’s armistice, Major Poindexter withdrew his troops to join General Price, who had successfully taken Lexington. CIVIL WAR ACTIVITES NEAR OTTERVILLE Railroad tracks were laid through Otterville in 1861 . In January, 1862, the Sixth Iowa Union Infantry, out of Des Moines, made a march to Otterville and dug the tranches. They camped there most of the winter. Regiments from Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, and Indiana stood in the trenches. Some of the evidence of the Civil War can still be observed at Otterville. Trenches, which are about six-foot depressions, along with their accompanying breastworks can still be seen on the John Kuykendall farm one mile east of Otterville, south of the railroad tracks. The original purpose of the trenches was to protect the railroad line going through Otterville from Confederate forces. Union troops stood in the depressions firing over the breastworks at the Confederate soldiers who were attempting to cut the railroad line in half to stop its continued use by the Union to send munitions and supplies to their men in the west. The railroad ended in Sedalia, where goods were transferred to wagon trains to be taken to Kansas City, Springfield, and other stations. To stop the goods from going through, there was constant fighting and skirmishing up and down the Missouri Pacific Railroad line from Otterville to California. Otterville was more subject to attack because the rail line crossed a trestle over the Lamine River near Otterville. The trestle was burned three times during the war by Confederate soldiers with the help of local citizens. When James Wear, a current resident of Otterville, was a young boy, he used to play with bullets, belt buckles, and other artifacts from the Civil War found near his home. Other Civil War historians have also found artifacts in the area near the trenches. Reference: Commemorative Issue, Cooper County Historical Society Dedication of the Historical Marker for the Otterville Civil War Entrenchments October 9, 1999. CONFEDERATES UNDER SHELBY CAPTURE BOONVILLE General Joseph Shelby, of the Confederate Army, made a raid into Cooper County during October 1863. He passed through Otterville on the night of October 9th , and burned the Pacific railroad bridge nearby. On the night of the 10th he camped near Bell Air, in a pasture belonging to Mr. Nathaniel Leonard. The next day he marched toward Boonville. His movements had become known in Boonville and a meeting of the citizens was called by Mayor McDearmon. After some delay, the conclusion was reached that the only alternative was to surrender the city to General Shelby. Citizens were sent out to meet him. They returned without being able to learn anything about where he was, so they felt that he probably wouldn’t be coming to the city. His arrival at Boonville on October 11th was quite a surprise. Just as General Shelby marched into Boonville from the south, Major Leonard, with about 150 Federal troops, appeared on the north side of the Missouri River and commenced crossing with his men. When they learned there were many Confederates in town, they decided to retreat. They turned the boat around and headed for the Howard County shore. At this time some of Shelby’s men appeared and commenced firing upon the boat with muskets. As soon as Major Leonard landed his forces, the artillery was turned upon Shelby’s troops and they were forced to retire beyond the reach of the shells. At the same time, Colonel Crittenden, of the Union, was steaming up the river in a boat. On learning the situation of affairs at Boonville, he dropped down the river and landed a short distance below on the Howard County side of the river. General Shelby stayed in Boonville the rest of the day, then camped for the night west of the city on the Georgetown road. He had come to Boonville to obtain supplies, such as food and clothing. The local clothing companies lost $4,000 in clothing. The Confederate troops did not hurt anyone during their stay. Not a single citizen was killed or wounded, and they were very polite to everyone. While the Confederates were in Boonville, the Federals, under General Brown, were close behind them. On October 11th, the Federals were within eight miles of Boonville, on the Bell Air road. That day General Brown moved a portion of his troops west to the junction of the Sulphur Springs and the Boonville and Georgetown roads, which is about seven miles southwest of Boonville. During the night, he marched his command back again to the Bell Air road, and camped near Billingsville. The next morning after General Shelby had left, the Federals passed through Boonville in pursuit, they advanced just behind the Confederate rear guard. Two of General Shelby’s men stopped at Mr. Labbo’s house, about one and one-half miles west of Boonville to get their breakfast. They were killed by some Federal scouts as the two appeared at the front door to make their escape. A running fight was kept up at intervals, all along the route from Boonville to Marshall. The fight became pretty heated between the Sulphur Springs and Dug Ford. At Dug Ford, two Federals were killed and fell from their horses into the water. Theis raid produced great excitement. It is not known whether General Shelby was able to obtain all the supplies and reinforcements that he had hoped. Major Leonard and Colonel Crittenden crossed their commands over the river to Boonville about ten o’clock on the morning of the 12th. After stopping for dinner, they started in the direction of Marshall. Boonville was then clear of troops. The citizens had time to gather supplies to feed the next group of hungry soldiers who happened to land there, whether they were Federals or Confederates. Thus, ended the famous “Shelby’s Raid” as far as Cooper County was concerned. A battle took place at Marshall in which a number were killed and wounded on each side. General Shelby succeeded in escaping from his pursuers with the loss of only a small portion of the supplies he had obtained in Boonville. CIVIL WAR PENSIONS The first known homeless veteran (2020) Last Civil War Widow Dies Helen Jackson, of Marshfield Missouri, was only 17 years old when she married Union veteran James Bolin, 93. He needed care every day and Helen provided that care after she came home from school. Since Mr. Bolin had no money to pay her for her help, he asked her to marry him so that she could have his pension in payment for her care. They were legally married from 1936 to 1939, when Mr. Jackson died. Helen kept her marriage a secret for many years and never applied for Mr. Jackson’s pension. She was an active member of the Daughters of the Union Veterans of the Civil War. Last American to Collect a Civil War Pension Irene Triplett, was the (2020) last American to collect a Civil War pension . The fact that someone in the year 2020 was still earning a Civil War pension was the result of two factors: First, she suffered from cognitive impairment, qualifying her for the lifelong pension as a helpless adult child of a veteran. Second, her father, Mose Triplet, who’d served as a private in the Confederate Army before defecting to the Union, was on his second marriage when she was born in 1930, and he was 83 years old. Irene received $73.13 each month and seemed to be very secretive of where the money came from. Missouri State Archives - Civil War in Missouri Also see Veteran Research. Confederate Veteran Archive . The Confederate Veteran was a magazine published from 1893-1932 and this site has most of them on it. It also has a link to the Sons of Confederate Veterans organization Union Civil War Federal veterans, members of the Boonville Camp No. 3701 are lined up on the corner of Main and Spring Streets circa 1900. From the Wayne Lammers Collection ` CIVIL WAR TIDBITS Stories courtesy of Bert McClary: Thomas, Abe and the Lieutenant Late at night in June 1863 Thomas Brownfield, a Union Home Guard Captain, heard noises outside his three-room log cabin south of Pilot Grove, and went to the loft with his gun. A Confederate recruiting agent and several men from New Lebanon were up to no good, looking for firearms. They forced open the door and the leader, Lt. Brownlee, was shot in the doorway. Thomas’ brother Abe pulled him inside and locked the door. The others thought him dead and set fire to the cabin. Lt. Brownlee shouted to them to put out the fire. Thomas told them he would send for a doctor, would not turn Brownlee over to the authorities, and would release him after he was treated. They agreed and left, and Thomas kept his word, sending Abe for Dr. Pendleton. However, Thomas did tell a lie, as Brownlee was treated and turned over to the Union militia and placed in the Boonville jail. Thomas Brownfield is my second great-uncle.Abraham Brownfield is my great-grandfather. Cynthia and the Notes Cynthia McClary was home alone southeast of Pilot Grove on the day in 1862 that a group of bushwhackers or militia came to the house and demanded all the livestock. Cynthia had no choice but to comply, however she did manage to chase away one old mare that she knew would return later. She knew one of the men as a neighbor just two farms down the road, and her husband James McClary was shot by the neighbor when he went to inquire about the livestock. Cynthia was now a 43-year-old mother twice widowed, with three children age ten and under. She could not read or write and owned one old mare. She had been given “notes” in reparation for the livestock that was taken, presumably a type of government promissory notes. Cynthia was probably a southern sympathizer, with Native American and Scots/Virginian heritage. She believed the notes were worthless and she burned them. Cynthia McClary is my 2nd great-grandmother. The Key and the Crowbar Mary Carroll was a southern girl living in the Pilot Grove neighborhood of James McClary. Her brother Dennis was arrested and placed in the Boonville Jail along with a Confederate Lt. Brownlee and others. Also in the jail was John Hildebrandt, accused of murdering his neighbor James McClary. Hildebrandt attempted to kill Carroll with a knife, but Carroll broke his hand with a stick of firewood. Mary struck up a friendship with the jailer and surreptitiously made a wax copy of his jail cell key. She made a key of wood and leather and smuggled it, a crowbar, and a bottle of chloroform to Dennis. On the night of the escape Hildebrandt was chloroformed so he could not alert the jailer, and almost died. In the words of Mary, this act “unintentionally came very near being a great benefit to the world.” Hildebrandt was soon acquitted of murder and released, and Dennis was shot and killed. Such was life on the border in 1863 . James McClary is my 2nd great-grandfather. James McClary and the Bushwhackers During the Civil War in Missouri renegade bands or individuals from both sides committed atrocities, purporting to represent the Union or the Confederacy. Some individuals used their membership in a group, or the conflict itself, as an excuse or cover to settle personal disagreements. In September of 1862 a group of bushwhackers or militia took the livestock of James and Cynthia McClary, who lived southeast of Pilot Grove, while James was away. When James returned, Cynthia told him one of the raiders was John Hildebrandt, a neighbor. When James went to confront him, he was shot by Hildebrandt as he approached. Hildebrandt was held in the Boonville Jail for 18 months, charged with “murder in the first degree”. During that time, he attempted to kill a young southern sympathizer who was also a prisoner. At his trial the jury quickly found Hildebrandt not guilty, the killing of James, from the evidence, appearing to be an act of self-defense on his own premises. Such was life on the border in 1862 . Bloody Bill and Captain Brownfield In the fall of 1863 when Bloody Bill Anderson’s guerillas approached the country post office outside of Pilot Grove, Captain Thomas Brownfield of the Union Home Guard slipped into the postmaster’s house. The guerillas relieved about 20 local farmers, waiting for the mail, of their valuables. Mr. Mayo refused, was shot in the leg, and ran. Captain Brownfield also ran and they were pursued by guerillas on horseback. Mr. Mayo was shot and killed but Captain Brownfield reached a thicket after being shot in the hand. He hid in the center of the thicket and fired a warning shot to let them know he was armed. The band of guerillas considered his concealment, then rode away with their loot and their lives. After dark Captain Brownfield made his way to a neighbor’s home, a country physician and friend, although a southerner by birth and sentiment. His friend dressed his wound and fed him, and they slept in the barn as a precaution. James McClary is my 2nd great-grandfather. Thomas Brownfield is my 2nd great-uncle. Killed by Guerillas Wilma Bringarth/Bledso talked about her Great-Great Grandfather, Jacob Neef, who was walking back home from Boonville in his Home Guard uniform, during the Civil War, when he was killed by Guerilla's near the Old Lamine Church and was buried in the cemetery there. CIVIL WAR SITES IN COOPER COUNTY 1861-1865 Cooper County Jail – 1858 – In Boonville. Used as a prison for southern sympathizers. Frank James was arraigned here and released on bond. Concord Cemetery – 1817 – Near Bunceton. One of Quantrill’s men was wounded and secretly cared for by neighbors. Upon his death he was buried in an unmarked grave. Thespian Hall – 1857 – Originally Stephens Opera House. Building was used as a Union prison and hospital during Union occupation. Main Street, Boonville. Pleasant Green – 1820 -Located on General Lyon’s 1861 route to Wilson’s Creek Battle. Raided in 1864. Crestmead – 1859 – Built by John Taylor, a Southern sympathizer who was sent to Gratiot prison and lost his land holdings. Mt. Nebo Baptist Church – 1856 – Site of General Sanborn’s Union encampment October 1864. Ravenswood – 1880 – Built by Unionist Leonard and Nelson families after the war for Captain Nathaniel Leonard and his new bride. On route #5 near Bellair. Markers in Cooper County Tell the Civil War S tory MERNA – where the Missouri River once met the Boonville bluffs, a grey stone marker stands by the railroad tracks. Erected by the Grand Army of the Republic in 1929, it is the landing site of General Nathaniel Lyons and his Union army on June 7, 1861. They had steamed up river from St. Louis to surprise the Missouri Volunteers camped uphill. DNR MARKER – at encampment located by the Missouri Correctional Center – the story of the morning attack upon the new Missouri State Guard recruits, and the confused fighting that followed is told on a descriptive panel. This is considered to be the first land battle of the Civil War. PILOT GROVE MARKER at LIONS PARK – Union General Lyons refreshed his forces in Boonville with Iowa recruits and headed southwest from Boonville on the old Georgetown Road in July 1861 to attack the Southern forces gathering at Springfield. Their first night encampment was at the Clear Creek Crossing near Pleasant Green. Pilot Grove was also the site of a raid by “Bloody Bill” Anderson. The SECOND BATTLE OF BOONVILLE – This marker by Thespian Hall is where barricades were hastily built when southern sympathizers and the State Guard attempted to regain Boonville for the South. The Union wounded were caried inside the hall which was being used as a prison for the Confederate captives. SUNSET HILL CEMETERY – The Union occupation of Boonville was often stormy. Eight Union soldiers were killed in Howard County chasing “Bloody Bill” Anderson and brought back to the City cemetery for burial. A U.S. Government plaque at the mass grave tells the story. WILKIN’S BRIDGE – During the short occupation of the city by General Shelby and his Confederate forces, many skirmishes occurred out in the county, notably at Wilkins Bridge east of Billingsville on the Billingsville Road. The old covered bridge over the Petite Saline is long gone, but a large flat stone with a bronze plaque erected by the Cooper County Historical Society tells of the violent meeting here of General Sanborn’s Union Army and the Shelby Confederates in October 1864. Sanborn’s Union forces moved west from here and the old ante-bellum homes and churches provided campsites, horses food and fodder as the troops moved toward Marshall for the next confrontation with Shelby’s Confederates. OTTERVILLE – From December 1861 till May 1865, Union troops were stationed around the railroad bridge crossing the Lamine River east of Otterville. There defensive trenches extended nearly a mile. The Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources erected a descriptive marker at the Conservation Area boat launch at the site of the former “Camp Curtis” on Highway A. Regardless of the strong defense, the Confederates managed to burn the bridge three times during the occupation. At the top of the hill there is a flag pole and a small bronze plaque donated by the Cooper County Historical Society indicating a section of the 8’deep trenches on land owned by the David McKinney family. A Free Map and information for these sites is available at the CCHS Research Center . Confederate Veteran Archives . The Confederate Veteran was a magazine published from 1893-1932 and this site has most of them on it.

THE BEEKEEPER'S BEEKEEPER Mr. Brengarth Brengarth Honey Label Brengarth Family Beekeeping was unknown in the Western Hemisphere until after the first European settlers arrived. Bees were imported from England and Germany to the colonies where beekeeping became an important home industry. In 1641, bee colonies in New England were sold for 5 pounds apiece, the equivalent of 15-days labor by a skilled craftsman. By the end of the 18th century, bees were fairly common throughout the eastern half of the continent. Often bees would swarm and form a colony in a hollow tree. As bees slowly moved westward, they would swarm and often form a colony in a hollow tree. Early settlers were always on the lookout for a “bee tree” to provide sweetening for their food, as sugar was not readily available in early central Missouri. The Missouri Indians were very familiar with “bee trees by the time the early settlers arrived. Native Americans referred to honey bees as “the white man’s fly, and regarded their presence as indicating the coming of white settlers.” (source USDA Agriculture Handbook number 335) Eventually, some who had become successful working with bees, became backyard or commercial beekeepers. The central Midwest now has modest honey production. However, the increased use of chemicals used in farming has been very detrimental to honey bee colonies. In the last 15 years bee diseases seem to have become much more prevalent and the use of neonicotinoids has been fatal to honey bees and many other insects such as bumble bees and butterflies. Colony Collapse Disorder in the U.S. The number of managed colonies in the United States for honey production has been in decline since the 1940s and these losses have increased since the early 2000s. Colony losses during winter are normal within beekeeping, however the rate of honeybee colony deaths, higher losses during the summer, as well as the inability to find a determinate cause of these deaths has caused alarm. In 2006, some beekeepers reported losing 30-90% of their hives. Total colony loss reached 45% between 2012 and 2013, up from 28.9% and 36.4% in previous years. While annual losses above 30% are not out of the ordinary, the symptoms of these colony losses do not all match with those normally produced by known pests and pathogens. The amount of loss experienced as well as uncertainty around the cause of the loss lead to the coining of the term Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) by the beekeeping community. Source: Wikipedia Musings of a Lady Beekeeper In 1970, before we had children, we decided to try beekeeping as a hobby. We lived on 10 rented acres near Waukegan, Illinois. I had grown up in the suburbs of Milwaukee, so country living was new to me. We had a small garden and also raised chickens, rabbits, peacocks, dogs, cats and two baby raccoons. But our favorite pastime was "working" our bees. We started with two hives and 15 later years we were up to 45 hives. Some of the hives were the result of swarms caught from our own bees. Many came from removing bees from live and dead trees, inside and outside of buildings, and a few strange places. One of the strangest places was on the roof of a local one-story bank where the bees were draped over the front door. At the time, I was working as an Extension Agent. The office occasionally got calls from people who needed to have bees removed, and we, or two others in the area, would hurry to help when a call came in. One day a call came and no one was available to help. As my husband was an excavator with his own business, I volunteered, and dashed home, got my "bee shirt," veiled hat and gloves, plus a hive body and cover, my smoker and a bee brush, and hurried to the bank. They provided the ladder and I was able to capture the bees by gently brushing them into the hive body with a frame of sealed honey inside. (They only stayed in the box because I was fortunate to capture the queen. The hardest part was getting the box, bottom board and cover down from the roof intact.) My bee recovery made the front page of the Grayslake paper. We never charged for our service, although some were very time consuming, because we felt that the bees were our reward. In 1992 we made a huge mistake, which we still regret. We had run out of hive bodies for our bees. We answered an ad in the paper from someone who was "getting out of the bee business". This very pious man sold us enough hive bodies for 8 more hives of bees, assuring us that his bees had been healthy, but that he was just "too old" to keep bees and wanted to sell his equipment. We added swarms to the new "used" boxes in our largest bee yard which had about 25 hives. Up until this time, our hives had all be very healthy and we had never lost a hive. Soon, we discovered that these hive bodies were not "disease free" and our bees started to diminish in population. The state bee inspector checked the hives and said that they must be destroyed - bees and all, that nothing could be done to save them. We learned that the disease that they had contracted, was “foul brood, ”but we did what we were told to do. We had to burn the hives with the bees in them. I want to cry, even now, when I remember what we had to do. Our enthusiasm for beekeeping diminished greatly after that. When we moved to Missouri in 2006, we again wanted to try beekeeping. The kids were grown and gone, we were retired, and we had 11 acres in the country. What could go wrong? Well, farming practices had changed a great deal since 1992. Many more dangerous chemicals are being used now than we had experienced in Illinois. Using pre-emergent or post-emergent chemicals, spraying by plane, and nicotinoids (chemicals with nicotine in them that protect the plants, but confuse the bees when they collect the nectar, so they cannot find their way home). This is believed to be the major cause of “colony collapse”. We bought two "boxes" of bees after my husband constructed two new hive bodies. I think we paid about $60 for each two-pound box of bees with a queen. (Since bees are almost an endangered species today, the same 2-pound box today would probably be closer to $200.) We caught two swarms and added them to the new hives. The first winter we lost one hive, but do not know why. That Spring we added two new hives from our swarms. The hives that summer were loaded with honey and we took off half of it in mid-July. A week after extracting the honey I went to do a weekly check on the bees and found that all the bees were GONE, and so was the rest of the honey. The hives were empty except for a few sealed egg cells. Evidently three things might have happened: 1) the bees ingested the nicotine from the nectar of the crops that surround us on three sides, or 2) they were caught gathering nectar when the crops were sprayed so they could not find their way home and died 3) "robber" bees cleaned out what was left of the honey and took it their hives located elsewhere. Since bees can travel as far as two miles in search of nectar and honey, this seems a reasonable conclusion. After three years of trying our hobby of beekeeping for the second time it was time to call it quits. What I miss most about beekeeping, beside working with the bees, and working as a team with my husband, is the wonderful aroma that greets you when you open a healthy hive to inspect it or to gather honey. It is hard to describe - wonderfully fruity, sweet, fragrant and clean. Impossible to describe perfectly, but I really miss the joy of being greeted by it. By: Barbara Dahl, Editor

THE WAR OF 1812 IN THE BOONSLICK Cooper County men have volunteered for service in many wars; however, only two have taken place on Cooper County soil: The War of 1812 and the Civil War. Both left both sad and bitter memories with relatives of those wounded or killed in battle. Missourians were involved in three brief wars between 1837 and 1847 . These were: The Seminole War in Florida in 1837 , the Mormon War in 1838-39 , and the Mexican War in 1846-48 . Many Cooper Countians volunteered for service in these wars. The War of 1812 in the Boonslick By Michael Dickey Many people associate the War of 1812 with the burning of the white House in 1812 by the British. But a lesser-known related War of 1812 also involved the early settlers in Missouri and various tribes of Indians. On June 18, 1812, the United States declared war on Great Britain. The War of 1812 is one of the least remembered wars of the United States, and Missouri’s involvement is even less known. Though forgotten, the war had significant consequences for the nation’s history. On August 24, 1814 British troops occupied Washington DC burning the White House, the capitol building and several government buildings. Francis Scott Key wrote the National Anthem following the unsuccessful British bombardment of Fort McHenry in Baltimore Harbor on Sept. 13-14, 1814. The British encouraged the Indians to fight on their side, promising the Indians that they would help them retain their land that was quickly being settled by Americans. The Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815 resulted in a crushing defeat for British forces. In 1959, it gave us the number one hit song on the Billboard Hot 100, “The Battle of New Orleans” by singer Johnny Horton. General Andrew Jackson defeated the Creek Indian Nation in August of 1814 and gained national notoriety for his victory at New Orleans. His war record propelled him to the presidency in 1828 and set the tone of the nation for decades to come. (1812) Forts are Built Hannah Cole, Stephen Cole and their families came to the area of Cooper County that is now Boonville in 1810, nearly two years passed before the War of 1812 broke out. Before this time, the life of the settler was fairly quiet. Nature supplied them with nearly all that they wished to eat or drink. When a place of shelter for his family had been provided, the settler could spend his time hunting and fishing. These were pleasant pastimes for him and they also provided some of the necessities for life. This life of ease and rest was suddenly changed by the beginning of the war. Great Britain declared war in 1812 against the United States. The Indians wanted to keep their land, and joined the war on the side of Great Britain. The settlers immediately began to build forts for their protection. A few months after the first Hannah Cole’s fort was built, a band of about four hundred Indians suddenly made their appearance in the neighborhood. When they came, there were two men by the name of Smith and Savage out hunting. As the hunters were returning, the Indians killed Smith and then scalped him. Savage was able to return to the fort. As the Indians were chasing Savage, they came in full view of the fort. Several of them could have been killed. Some of the people in the fort wanted to kill the Indians; however, Hannah Cole wisely told them not to shoot. The following day some of the settlers captured a French boat, which came up the river loaded with powder and balls to trade with the Indians. The settlers immediately took possession of the twenty-five kegs of powder and five hundred pounds of balls which the boat contained. After the settlers had crossed their families and prisoners to the north shore, in the captured boat, the settlers let the Frenchmen return down the river in their empty boat. The settlers did not want the French to arm the Indians and have the Indians use those weapons against them. As the dominant tribe in Missouri, the Osages had grown increasingly restless as more white settlers were moving West onto their lands. The once friendly American Indians had become belligerent and very dangerous as they did not want to lose their traditional hunting ground. The government was concerned about the safety of the settlers and warned them to move closer to St. Louis for protection. However, the settlers replied to Governor Howard that this area of Missouri was now their home and they were prepared to defend it. When the Declaration of War with England reached St. Louis in July, 1812 there were only 178 soldiers of the regular army in all of the area that would later be named Missouri. Soon after the war broke out, Territorial Governor Benjamin Howard wrote to the settlers in the Boonslick area, urging them to move to the eastern part of Howard County for protection. The settlers defiantly defended their choice to stay on the frontier, and replied to the Governor: “We have maid our hoames here & all we hav is here & it wud ruen us to Leave now.We be all good Americans, not a Tory or one of his Pups among us. & we hav 2 hundred Men and Boys that will Fight to the last and we have 100 Wimen and Girls that will tak there places wh. makes a good force. So we can Defend this Settlement wh. With God’s help we will do.So if wehad a fiew barls of Powder and 2 hundred Lead is all we ask.” It has been said that if it had not been for the lead mining in Cooper County, which provided ammunition for the war, we would have lost the War of 1812. Fort Cooper had been built as a potential center of defense for the Howard county area in case of an Indian uprising. Sarshall Cooper was chosen by 112, including many prominent citizens, as their Captain. He was a natural leader and skilled woodsman, and his knowledge and judgement were trusted by all his men. Cooper’s Fort became the center of the Howard County military community. The settlers who had crossed to the north side of the river returned to their homes in the spring of 1813 , but the Indian troubles continued for another two years. A Heroine of Cooper's Fort The most dangerous time of the war were last six months in 1815 . The settlers were crowded into the forts, had little food to eat, and it was too dangerous to go out of the fort to search for food. The Death of Sarshall Cooper . A sad event of the war was the death of Sarshall Cooper after whom Cooper County was named. One evening, he was sitting at his fireside with his family holding his youngest child on his lap. Other children were playing around the room and his wife was sitting by his side sewing. It is thought that a single Indian warrior crawled up to the fort and made a hole just large enough for the muzzle of his gun to go through the clay between the logs. The noise of his work was drowned by the howling storm. The Indian fired his gun and killed Sarshall instantly. He fell to the floor amidst his horror-stricken family. Sarshall Cooper - small picture of the framed fabric from the vest he was wearing when he was shot. Family heirloom of Joyce Cooper Campbell. A treaty of peace between England and the United States was signed on December 24, 1814. The Indians were advised of the peace treaty; however, they continued to carry on independent warfare, without the help of the British, to try to keep their land. It was not until 1833 that every Indian claim to land titles in the state of Missouri were eliminated. THE WAR OF 1812 IS OVER . Once the War of 1812 was over, and the threat of Indian hostilities gone, the population began to increase quickly. Like most settlers, those who came in the 1820’s to 1830’s, chose to settle close to the Missouri River, but soon started to venture into the heartland of Missouri. Many of the native Americans came from Kentucky, Tennessee and the Carolinas, seeking cheap land. The two countries that contributed greatly to the population increase were Germany and Ireland. In the year 1820, only about 12% of Missouri’s population was foreign born. Below are photos of a flintlock rifle located in the Arrow Rock Museum and two of many musket balls found at the site. Bottom left photo is at the Museum at Arrow Rock with Museum Administrator, Mike Dickey along with my friend Gene Smith. Mike Dickey and Jean Smith viewing long rifle used during War of 1812 Wayne Lammers Collection Flint Lock Rifle used during War of 1812 Wayne Lammers Collection War of 1812 Thoughts It is hard for most of us today to imagine what life was like living in a fort during the the War of 1812 to 1815 . We live in a time of ease when we can heat and cool our homes at a touch of a finger and order anything we desire on line and have it delivered. Try to step back in thought to the period of 1810 to 1815 , when the early Missouri settlers were living in forts for protection from large bands of Indians who wanted their ancient hunting grounds back, and were being encouraged to believe that the English would get it back for them IF the Indians helped to defeat (eliminate) the Americans. Early settlers traveled to central Missouri, at that time Howard County, on the North side of the Missouri River, most likely in covered (Conestoga) wagons. When they arrived, Fort Cooper already contained some single men, a few military and frontiersmen and a few families. Imagine that you are part of a family of two adults and five children. You have brought with you only the most basic cooking utensils, quilts and bedding, tools, guns and ammunition, food for the trip and anything else that you can stuff into the wagon. You probably have no money with you, as there is nothing to buy, but you will probably have some barter items. You settle into a small cabin in the fort, usually just one room. You heat the log cabin and cook your food with heat from the fireplace. It is hot in the summer and probably drafty in the winter. Some of the problems you will encounter: There are many different personalities in a small enclosure. Cooperation and harmony must prevail, especially in times of attack. Everyone must perform the duties assigned to them, even when fear and panic set in. When under attack, which could last for a few days or a week or more, all the animals must be kept inside the fort or they would be killed by the Indians. Feeding the animals for a long period of time, cleaning up after them, and removing their waste is not a pleasant or easy task. Human waste was a problem during times of attack. Other sanitation problems must be considered: how to get clean water for drinking for people and animals, clean water for cooking, cleaning people – especially children, and for cleaning wounds when someone is injured or shot. There would not be a doctor at the fort so someone would hopefully have some knowledge of herbal remedies, and have dried herbs set aside for emergencies, sickness and for tea. Bandages were often made from rags, old clothing and/or fluff from cattails or even milkweed. Forts were usually in the center of a cleared area so enemies could be easily seen. Unfortunately, the pioneers could also be easily seen by the Indians. Large forts, sometimes with 200 or more people, require a lot of food. Wild game normally furnished a majority of their food, but being unable to get out and hunt safely, sometimes meant that the animals inside had to be sacrificed to feed the people. Wild animals were not accustomed to the noise of constant gun fire and would leave the area if frightened, reducing food sources. Nuts, dried tree fruit and berries could be gathered, dried and stored during safe times for emergencies. Some grain crops such as corn, wheat and oats were grown, but during peaceful times the deer, birds and other animals would often feast on the almost ripe grain and the Indians could also set fire to it and it would be destroyed. Sometimes, harvesting the grain could be hazardous if an attack might occur. Corn bread and sourdough bread were probably made, but the choice of what to use for flour could be problematic, although certain types of acorns and nuts could be made edible and used for flour. Even sturdy clothing and shoes tend to wear out. Often men’s and some women’s clothing were made from deer skin, as that was the only material available. If native flax or nettles were available near the river bank, they could be soaked and pounded into workable fiber and eventually be made into a type of cloth. But, without a loom or spinning wheel, it would be hard to make the fibers into cloth. Elderly, or widowed women with small children, also had a hard time doing their share of work without a husband. In many cases there was no official at a fort who was licensed to marry people, but marriages were still performed. Life was a challenge, but those early settlers survived and thrived, and we all owe then a great debt of gratitude for their courage. These hardy pioneers truly were the “salt of the earth.” Barbara Dahl, Editor

RAILROADS IN COOPER COUNTY SOME INTERESTING BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT RAILROADS IN COOPER COUNTY In the mid 1800’s, railroads became very important for the economic growth of many communities. The people in Cooper County knew they needed railroads to grow and prosper. They eagerly voted bonds to aid in constructing railroads, and land was purchased for four main railroad lines. If a railroad went through a town, the town usually gained population and businesses. The trains were fast and comfortable, making stage coaches unnecessary and soon after trains arrived in the County, stagecoaches ceased to be needed. There have been two major railroads that have traveled through Cooper County through the years. The major, longest lived and last railroad, was the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, also called the MKT, and the more minor railroad was the Osage Valley and Southern Kansas Railroad. The MKT, first known as the southern branch of the Union Pacific, was organized at Emporia in 1867. Work was begun on the road at Junction City, Kansas, in the summer of 1869, and in November the line was completed to Council Grove, Kansas, a distance of 37 miles; in December it was finished to Emporia, Kansas, 24 miles farther; in Feb., 1870, it was completed to Burlington, Kansas, 30 miles farther down the Neosho valley; in April another 30 miles took the road to Humboldt, Kansas, and on June 6 the line entered the Indian Territory, (present day Oklahoma), thus securing the sole right of way, with a land grant, through that territory. The Osage Division of the MKT Railroad began as a railroad known as the St. Louis and Santa Fe Railroad, Missouri Division which was incorporated on April 20th, 1869. Completed in 1871, the railroad was a single-track, standard gauge steam railroad that ran approximately 38 miles from Holden, Missouri (in Johnson County) to the Missouri/Kansas state line. As the St. Louis and Santa Fe Railroad, Missouri Division quickly went bankrupt; the Katy Railroad officially completed the purchase of the charter on May 29th, 1872. However, involvement may have dated back to 1870 (at the inception of the line) when Levi Parson and Francis Skiddy set into motion their plan to see that the Katy Railroad would be the first to reach Indian Territory, and the only one allowed to tap the riches of Texas and the Southwest. To this end, Parson and Skiddy set into motion a much larger plan that included the chartering of the Neosho Valley and Holden Railroad in Kansas. The charter for the Neosho Valley and Holden Railroad in Kansas was issued on May 7th, 1870. On the same day, the Neosho Valley and Holden Railroad entered into an agreement allowing for the merger and consolidation of the company with the KATY Railroad. The Neosho Valley and Holden Railway Company was effectively a paper railroad and did not construct any railroad. The original plan of the Neosho Valley and Holden Railroad was to connect in the east with the St. Louis and Santa Fe Railroad, Missouri Division, and continue west To Emporia. However, the rail line never reached Emporia; it only reached Paola, Kansas (where it connected with the Missouri Pacific Railroad). This created an orphan line with no connection to the main lines at either Emporia, Kansas or Sedalia, Missouri. Research by: Harold Kerr II THE MKT COMES TO COOPER COUNTY Katy Engine exiting the Boonville Katy Bridge circa 1980. From the Wayne Lammers collection. As for development in Cooper County Missouri, on January 1, 1872 a contract was awarded for building the Northeastern Extension— under the name of the Tebo Neosho Railway—to Boonville in Cooper County, to Fayette in Howard County, and on to a junction with the North Missouri (Wabash) at Moberly, in Randolph County, Missouri. The MKT track reached Pl easant Green in Cooper County on April 24, 1873 and by May 18 it reached Pilot Grove. The end-of-track reached Boonville on May 31, 1873. A celebration to mark the completion of the Northeastern Extension was held in Boonville on July 4, 1873, after the rail reached Fayette, Missouri on June 20, 1873. United States Congressman John Cosgrove was on hand for this celebration. Before 1870, between Sedalia and Boonville, a span of thirty-four miles, there was hardly a house to be seen. Pilot Grove was laid out very soon after the railroad arrived, on May 30, 1873. Pleasant Green came into being on June 28. Clifton City, on September 29, 1873. These three towns became busy major centers of commerce for several years until the railroad was disbanded. Once the railroad no longer came through the towns, population dropped and businesses closed. One interesting spot along the rail was south of Boonville, a place called “Lard Hill.” Old timers in the area described how this came to be known by this colorful name: an old Irish lady who was untidy in appearance, had a shack full of children and no husband. Allegedly, a KATY train killed the family pig one day, and, since the pig was in an area where it had no business being, and was a terrible looking thing, the claims agent valued the loss at $5.00. The woman was extremely upset about this and went about to get revenge. She rendered the fat from the pig and every time she heard the train whistle for the Boonville train, she would send her children out to put lard on the tracks. After several times of the train slipping and sliding to make its way, the railroad gave the woman more money for her loss. Yet, nothing appears in the records to validate this story. Another story holds that disgruntled farmers in the area larded the rails as they were unhappy with the rail coming through their land. The MKT ran until 1989 when it was succeeded by the Missouri Pacific Railroad (a.k.a MoPac). In 1997 the MoPac became the Union Pacific. Sources: https://legendsofkansas.com/railroads3.html http://genealogytrails.com/mo/bates/railroad.html https://www.abandonedrails.com/bryson-to-paola THE KATY RAILROAND AND THE LAST FRONTIER, V. V. MASTERSON, © 1978 UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PRESS, pp 150, 193-194, 198, 209-210 Katy Railroad Historical Society - There is a Katy Railroad Historical Society Museum located in Denison, Texas. They are a 501c3 organization. Memberships are available on the website. Their webpage: https://katyrailroad.org/ Their phone number: 903-327-5966 Boonville Katy Depot & Caboose #134. By Wayne Lammers on January 14, 2019. Caboose painting by volunteers on Sept. 14, 2017 by Wayne Lammers. OTHER RAILROADS IN COOPER COUNTY Map from 1877. MKT and river bridge (started 1873) top left, and Osage Valley and Southern Railroad (started 1865-68) shown in the middle of the map coming out of Boonville. Rails along the Missouri River had not started by 1877. The other line that came to Cooper County was the Osage Valley and Southern Kansas Railroad. The Southern Kansas was one of five railroads to receive their charter from the first legislature in Kansas in 1855. The capital stock of the Southern Kansas was fixed at $3,000,000, and the company was given a franchise to build a road "from the Missouri state line due west of Springfield to the west line of Kansas Territory." A. J. Dorn, William J. Godfroy, James M. Linn, Joseph C. Anderson and others were named as the incorporators, and the act stipulated that work was to begin on the road within nine years. On October 17, 1860 a convention met at Topeka with about 125 delegates present, representing 20 counties of the territory. The principal work of the convention was the adoption of a resolution to the effect that a petition be presented to Congress asking an appropriation of public lands to aid in the construction of railroads in Kansas as follows: A railroad from the western boundary of the State of Missouri, where the Osage Valley & Southern Kansas railroad terminates, westwardly via Emporia, Fremont and Council Grove, to the Fort Riley Military Reservation, among other issues. In 1867 a company was organized under the name of the Osage Valley & Southern Kansas Railroad Company, proposing to construct a railroad from Boonville on the Missouri river to Fort Scott and $100,000 in bonds was asked of Bates County with a donation of the right of way. Chicago was to be the northern terminus, an "air line" to "just where you like it." The county officials did not seem to catch onto this scheme and no action of the bond question was taken. The Osage Valley and Southern Kansas Railroad was chartered in 1857 by the Missouri Legislature to run from a point on the Pacific Railroad near present day Tipton, Missouri, to Emporia, Kansas. The charter was modified in 1858 to include an extension north to Boonville, Missouri. Grading on the line was completed to Versailles, Missouri, in 1861, but was halted due to the American Civil War. After the war the Boonville to Tipton portion was completed in 1868 and leased to the Pacific Railroad. In 1870, portions of the line were graded from Warsaw, Missouri, north to Cole Camp, Missouri. Construction ended in 1872, when the line defaulted on bond payments. The Warsaw portion became the property of Benton County, Missouri, and was later used, in 1880, as the roadbed for the narrow-gauge Sedalia, Warsaw and Southern Railway between Sedalia and Warsaw. The line between Tipton and Versailles, Missouri, was reorganized in 1880 and 1881, as the Boonville, St. Louis and Southern Railway, and was then leased to Jay Gould's Missouri Pacific Railway. Boonville to Versailles RR, brakeman Earl Hays, on October 21, 1911. Two engines hit head on at 7:10 AM From the Wayne Lammers collection From the Wayne Lammers collection On January 13, 1880, a train wreck occurred on the Boonville Branch. The wreck occurred at 4:30 in the afternoon about three miles north of Tipton. Five box cars next to the engine jumped the track, tearing up the rails for about a hundred yards. There were passengers and baggage, as well as empty cars on the train, but these did not come off the track. No one was injured. The engineer, named Rosenhahn, gave the engine full steam when he saw that the head box car was trying to come onto his tender. This caused the coupling to break and the car broke away. Four of the broken cars were empty and one was full of merchandise headed to Boonville. No passenger or merchandise was late to arrive, due to good management of the situation. The line operated until June 1935, when successor Missouri Pacific Railroad asked permission of the Interstate Commerce Commission to abandon the line. The last train operated was to Versailles on April 30, 1936, and the entire property was torn up except for a bit at the Boonville end, which followed 2nd Street. This line came up from Moniteau County through Kelly Township, where there was a station called Vermont Station. The name “Vermont” may have come from the fact that Nathaniel Leonard, a large property owner in southern Cooper County (over 1,500 acres in 1877) was born in the State of Vermont. The line went up through present-day Bunceton, Speed, and into Boonville. The Osage Valley and Southern Kansas was succeeded by the Boonville, St Louis and Southern Railway in 1881. This railroad was then succeeded by the MoPac in 1956, which was then succeeded by the Union Pacific in 1997. Sources: Osage Valley and Southern Kansas Railroad Legends of Kansas Genealogy Trails The Tipton (MO) Times, January 15, 1880: The Missouri Pacific built a route from St. Louis to Kansas City, which came through the southern part of Cooper County. The line was completed through Otterville in 1860. The second railroad to come through Cooper County was the Osage Valley and Southern Kansas Railroad, a branch line of the Missouri Pacific. It ran from Boonville to Versailles, with stops at Billingsville, Jo Town, New Palestine, Petersburg, Bunceton and Vermont. It was completed in 1868. This line was abandoned in 1937. The third railroad was originally called the Tebo and Neosho, and later the Missouri, Kansas and Texas (shortened to “KATY” or “MKT”). It was built through Cooper County in the early 1870s and crossed the Missouri River at Boonville going through Prairie Lick, Pilot Grove, Harriston, Pleasant Green, and Clifton City. It ceased operation in 1986. The tracks have been removed and it has been converted to a recreation bike trail and is now called the Katy Trail. Prairie Lick and Harriston are now extinct, and Pleasant Green and Clifton City are now just settlements with a few homes. Pilot Grove, although not the large thriving city it once was, is now the second largest town in Cooper County. The fourth railroad to come through Cooper County was called the River Route because it followed along the Missouri River. It was built by the Missouri Pacific and is now the Union Pacific. It was completed as far as Boonville in the early 1890s and then extended downriver to St. Louis in the early 1900s. It goes through Overton, Wooldridge, Boonville, Lamine, and Blackwater, but does not stop. All the above towns became prosperous while the trains regularly stopped there, but once the railroads left, so did business and the population. Today, Overton, Wooldridge, Lamine and Speed have no businesses, but there are still a few homes there. The Union Pacific railroad still carries coal and other freight, especially coal, on a regular basis as it travels past Boonville. Here is a 1897 railroad map showing the rails in both counties. The only one not showing is the Missouri Pacific or later the Union Pacific that goes from Boonville down the river route to Jefferson City which started in 1899. The railroad going from Sedalia to Boonville and then to New Franklin is the MK&T RR or the Katy. The railroad from Boonville south to Versailles is the Southern Branch of the Missouri Pacific which ended in 1938. The Missouri Pacific RR at the bottom of Cooper County had a short rail that ran through Otterville from Sedalia to St. Louis. OTHER NOTABLE TRAIN WRECKS Pilot Grove train wreck World War II was brought to a close for the Citizens of Pilot Grove on May 6, 1945, when a train carrying ammunition wrecked about a half mile north of town. The fire and smoke caused by the derailment of twenty cars of oil, three cars of artillery shells, and part on the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad, was visible for 35 miles, and it attracted hundreds of people to the scene. Flames and smoke leaped 400 feet into the air almost immediately; about 2 hours after the wreck the shells began to explode, and continued to explode for two hours. Shell fragments, casings, bags of powder, and some unexploded shells were scattered over the area. One shell landed near the depot, about a half mile away. Two crewmen were injured. It appeared that a brake beam on one of the cars had broken and was dragged along the track until it caught in a switch from a siding in town. Source: Pilot Grove Centennial book The Otterville 1948 collision of two Missouri Pacific trains left 12 passages and 2 Pullman employees dead, and 32 passengers and six crewmen injured. One train was creeping through a blinding snowstorm, at about 20 mile an hour, when the second train rammed into it. The trains were bound from Saint Louis to Kansas City. The accident happened two miles west of Syracuse, MO. Film Director Frank Ryan, his wife and three children died, as did the Ambassador to Spain and Argentina, Alexander Weddell and his wife also lost their lives. Source: Carolyn Aggelar THE RAILROADS BROUGHT PEOPLE TO COOPER COUNTY, AND ALSO MAY HAVE HELPED THEM MOVE AWAY Railroads have been credited with helping towns prosper and grow, and also may have led to the eventual demise of many Cooper County towns. Trains were especially helpful in moving animals and grain to major markets like St. Louis and Kansas City, plus allowing passengers to comfortably travel to where they wanted to go. Trains were a major travel improvement over stage coaches, wagons, or a horse and buggy. The change from rail travel to gasoline vehicles, started the decline of railroads. By the early 1920’s, transportation by train was being replaced by trucks and cars, which were faster and provided a more convenient, comfortable, and a direct way to travel. This change from rail travel to gasoline vehicles, plus the depression, caused area populations to dramatically decrease, as people moved closer to towns that were larger, had more shopping opportunities, still had trains, and/or offered more job opportunities with higher pay. Once cars and trucks became popular in the 1920’s, most trains were rerouted from going through the center of towns, to either bypass the towns, or were eliminated altogether. This was a big blow to farmers who depended on trains to haul their grain and cattle to major shipping points, such as At. Louis or Kansas City, and also eliminated passengers who had no other means of traveling from one city to another. The railroad business declined dramatically by the mid-1930’s. This led to the closing of Boonville’s Tipton-Versailles Branch line, and the Katy continued to cut back service despite the building of the new lift span bridge over the Missouri River in 1932. The hope that the lift span bridge would bring more business to Cooper County did not become a reality. Towns once serviced by trains that have almost, or totally disappeared, are: Petersburg, Vermont, Prairie Lick, Harriston, and Pleasant Green. It is interesting to see how the population of Cooper County increased and decreased with the advent of the railroads which covered much of the County. The railroads have been credited with helping towns prosper and grow, and also may have led to their eventual demise. When populations declined, the number of post offices did too. You will notice that many of the early, small Cooper County towns were named after a local grain mill, many of which were located on the Petite Saline River. Red = Missouri Pacific Orange = Osage Valley Green = Tebo/Neosho Blue = River Route This is the Union Pacific coal train #6040 going east through Boonville from the west on Feb. 5th, 2015 at 9:50 AM. It came from the coal fields in Colorado. We don't see as many of them here these days. They are using other sources of fuel nowadays in the power plants. This train does not stop in Boonville A hobo heating up his lunch on the MK&T Railroad. Circa 1890's by Max Schmidt Old Team Track unloading wheat in box car on 2nd street Boonville circa 1920's. From the Wayne Lammers collection. Union Pacific RR spur at Boonville, August 1998, long before the existence of the Isle of Capri Casino Hotel. By Wayne Lammers Union Pacific siding at Boonville circa 1978. Photo by Wayne Lammers. RAILROAD BRIDGES OVER THE MISSOURI RIVER In 1869, people began talking about building a railroad bridge over the Missouri River at Boonville, but it was not until 1870 that steps were taken to build one. Once the Tebo and Neosho railroad was turned over to the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad, a charter was obtained for the building of the bridge, plus with an act of Congress, the building began is 1872. The bridge was completed in January, 1874. The first bridge was a swing-span bridge which was replaced a few years later by a lift-span bridge, which is the type that still stands. First image of the Boonville MK&T RR Bridge from the 1870's. From the Wayne Lammers collection Third Katy Bridge in 1880 First Katy Bridge Katy Bridge 1950's Todd Baslee climbing the Katy South Tower of the Boonville Katy Bridge. Photo by Wayne Lammers October 14, 2004 View from under the Katy Bridge View from on the river, looking west The bridges of Boonville Hot air balloon over Boonville Katy Railroad bridge circa 1980s. Photo by Wayne Lammers. Katy Railroad Bridge at sunset by Wayne Lammers, March 20 2014, at 5:58 pm. This is the Rocheport Bridge in Boone County with the Katy railroad below. Photographer unknown, October 8, 1960. Source: Farm Alarm REMEMBERING KATY CROSSINGS Kids from the west side of town crossed the Katy Railroad tracks on an unprotected path from Haller Street to Kemper, and on Spring and Morgan Streets, near the Katy Depot, at crossings protected by bright flashing red lights and loud warning bells, sometimes we counted 100 cars as we waited. Even though tragedy struck at Morgan Street in 1953, some still caught a short ride from Spring to Haller on the ladder of a slow-moving boxcar as a long train lumbered southwest up Lard Hill. The busy Katy bridge across the Missouri River provided crossings for Katy trains carrying freight from near St. Louis to Galveston, and for boys from Boonville carrying .22 rifles to the sloughs and sand bars along the north shore to shoot cans and bottles. Crossings by the latter were sometimes sanctioned and sometimes stealthy, depending on the operator on duty in the shanty on the Boonville side. There was no walkway, and if you were caught on the bridge by a train, it was loud and shaky holding onto a beam as the train roared past. My friend Kenny and I tried another crossing method, riding his motorcycle across from the north approach. Bump-bump, bump-bump, bump-bump across the ties. No trains came. The operator in the shanty just shook his head as we passed. He didn’t need to tell us not to do it again. By: Wayne Lammers Last train to cross the Boonville KATY bridge. Video by Wayne Lammers KATY BRIDGE DEDICATION Visitors' side of Katy Bridge Gov. Jay Nixon came to Boonville to help save The Katy Railroad Bridge. From the Wayne Lammers collection Old MKT Caboose Ribbon Cutting of the Katy Bridge on April 2, 2016 Governor Jay Nixon and Ann Betteridge Katy Trail Bikers crossing the USA on Trails. June 23, 2012. Photo by Wayne Lammers K A TY BRIDGE REOPENING CELEBRATED DURING BOONVILLE CEREMONY By Rudi Keller / rjkeller@columbiatribune.com | 815-1709 Posted Apr 3, 2016 at 12:01 AM BOONVILLE -- When the last train crossed the MKT Railroad bridge at Boonville in May 1986, Dennis Huff was the engineer and he called his friend Wayne Lammers to record it. The five-minute video explores the 1932 bridge and shows the 408-foot lift span in the up position, then cuts to the locomotive, with Huff hanging his arm out the window, as it approaches and passes. The 16 tanker, gondola and hopper cars pass within a few inches of the camera lens. On Saturday, Huff, Lammers and hundreds of others from Boonville and beyond returned to the bridge to celebrate its resurrection as part of the Katy Trail State Park. “It is nice to see a piece of history be preserved and put to some useful purpose,” Huff said before the festivities began. During the short ceremony, Gov. Jay Nixon was praised as the savior of the bridge by former Columbia Mayor Darwin Hindman, who in turn was dubbed Mayor of the Katy Trail by Boonville Mayor Julie Thacher. Nixon was attorney general in 2005 when then-Gov. Matt Blunt approved plans for the Union Pacific Railroad to dismantle the bridge for use as a second span at the Osage River for its line south of the Missouri River. Nixon took “the unusual and extremely brave step of suing the governor to set aside the decision,” Hindman told the gathering. Nixon argued the bridge was part of the deal that transferred the rail line to the state for trail use in 1990. The lawsuit ultimately was unsuccessful, but it delayed demolition until after Nixon became governor in 2009. Union Pacific’s second span at the Osage River was built with federal stimulus funds, and the Boonville bridge was deeded to the state . “This is really a fun day for me,” Nixon said before crossing the bridge with his wife Georgeanne Nixon. “I am not as excited about suing governors as I used to be,” he joked. Saturday’s ceremony celebrated the first phase of the bridge rehabilitation, costing about $900,000 and financed with a combination of private donations, city revenue and federal block grant funds. Visitors can walk about a third of the way across the river for views up- and downstream and a close-up look at the lift span. The next two phases are to complete a similar walkway on the Howard County side and, eventually, finish the crossing by putting the lift span into regular operation, said Paula Shannon, executive director of the Katy Bridge Coalition. The project cost is estimated to be $3.4 million. The ceremony brought many former residents back to Boonville to be part of the crowd of about 400 who attended the ceremony. “It is like going to a class reunion, almost,” Shannon said. The MKT’s days were numbered when Huff guided his locomotive over the river on May 23, 1986. The railroad had been in on-and-off merger negotiations with the Union Pacific for several years. A flood in October 1986 knocked the line north of the Missouri River out of commission. it was abandoned after the merger was approved by federal regulators. The state acquired the line under federal rail banking laws, and the trail now extends for 240 miles from Machens in St. Charles County to Clinton in Henry County. Because the bridge was left in the up position after it ceased being used, trail traffic goes over the river on a walkway attached to the Highway 40 bridge. The completion of the first phase is the realization of a dream, Lammers said. “It is a glorious day,” Lammers said. “It is one we have been working toward for years and years.” COOPER COUNTY’S LESSER-KNOWN CABOOSE Most of us have seen the beautifully restored KATY caboose which is parked on the short rails in front of the Chamber of Commerce building in Boonville. It is a beautifully-preserved reminder of the days when trains were the best way to travel and move agricultural goods to market. However, there is another caboose in Cooper County that represents the small town of Bunceton, that was once a very busy stop on the Osage Valley Railroad. It stands on a short railroad track next to the Kelly Township building, which was built to look like a train Depot. Inside the caboose is a museum. Here is a brief history of this caboose, shared by Gerald Ulrich, who was the Mayor of Bunceton from 1980 until 2006. The Cooper County Sheriff, Harvey Bunce, learned that a railroad would be built between Boonville and Versailles. He immediately purchased the land where the planned railroad would run. The town that received the train route was later named Bunceton, after Mr. Bunce. Many years later the Osage Valley Railroad was sold to the Missouri Pacific Railroad. Mr. Ulrich thought that if a caboose could be placed in Bunceton, it could be used as a museum. He contacted the Missouri Pacific Railroad to see if a caboose could be acquired. Missouri Pacific agreed to donate a caboose and donate it to the Chamber of Commerce. After making many connections with area groups the deal was done. Several area groups started working to get donations to pay for the concrete slab, and two trucks to haul the caboose. Riley Rock Quarries donated the trucks and trailers, and two giant cranes to lift the caboose onto the concrete slab. They also donated the fuel used for the haul and the drivers donated their time. It was a dangerous trip as there were several high wires that the caboose had to pass under. However, everything went without a hitch! The trickiest part was to haul all that weight over an old bridge, but that too worked perfectly. The city is proud of the fact that they raised the funds needed for this project and did not go into debt for moving the caboose, or for the new city hall. This was a wonderful community project. WHAT IS A CABOOSE? Although rarely seen on a train today, a caboose was always the last car on a train. The caboose served as a trainman’s “home away from home”. Since most trains ran on 12-hour shifts, the caboose was where the men ate their meals (brought from home) and slept. At one time it also served as the Engineer’s office. It is interesting to note that a caboose is an American invention, and never really caught on in Europe. On the top of the caboose was a cupula. This was a raised box surrounded by windows so that the tracks could be observed in all directions by looking through the windows above the roof of the train. As trains became more mechanically controlled, the need for the cupula to see the tracks hazards was replaced by a strange word for a strange railroad car, that somehow survived for more than a hundred years, from the days of oil burning lamps into the computer age. The origins of both the car and the word, are surrounded as much by legend as by fact. One popular version dates the word back to a derivation of the Dutch word "kombuis," which referred to a ship's galley. Use of cabooses began in the 1830s, when railroads housed trainmen in shanties built onto boxcars or flatcars. Even in the United States, technological change began eliminating the need for cabooses before the turn of the century. The spread in the 1880s of the automatic air brake system invented by George Westinghouse, eliminated the need for brakemen to manually set brakes. The air brakes soon were followed by the use of electric track circuits to activate signals, providing protection for trains and eliminating the need for flagmen. Friction bearings were replaced by roller bearings, reducing overheated journals and making visual detection by smoke an unlikely event. Trains became longer, making it difficult for the conductor to see the entire train from the caboose, and freight cars became so high that they blocked the view from the traditional cupola. The increasing heaviness and speed of the trains made on-board cooking hazardous and unnecessary. New labor agreements reduced the hours of service required for train crews and eliminated the need for cabooses as lodging. Cabooses, when used at all, were drawn from "pools" and no longer assigned to individual conductors. Eventually, electronic "hotbox" and dragging equipment detectors, which would check moving trains more efficiently and reliably than men in cabooses, were installed along main lines, and computers eliminated the conductors' need to store and track paperwork in the car. Source: Union Pacific A Brief History of the Caboose