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ORPHAN TRAINS Wayne Lammers Collection Orphan trains operated in the US from the mid-1880s to about 1929. These trains were a way that social services agencies, one of the first being the Children’s Aid Society, would gather children together and then put them aboard trains destined for the Midwest where people would meet the children at train depots and decide which child they wanted. This was brought about by the horrendous conditions that many children were living under in New York and surrounding areas, where there was no system of foster care or other alternative care systems as we have today. Between 1854 and 1929, an estimated 200,000 or more homeless and orphaned children were sent west from eastern cities, accompanied by agents. The purpose was to find families that would take in children in a “free-home-placing-out” program instituted by the Children’s Aid Society of New York City, New York. The children were sent in groups of twenty-five to 100 on trains, making stops along the way where they might be chosen by some family who wanted a child or needed extra help. Here are the pictures of three children from Orphan Trains that found homes in the Pilot Grove area. Photos and text from the Carolyn Aggelar Collection. Joseph Hastely Born: 1892 Baptized March 16 1892 in NYFH Chapel Arrived on the orphan train in 1887 in Pilot Grove, Mo. 65348 Anton Gerke Family “Lucy” adopted May 24, 1892. Joseph John Lammers Birth April 30 1892 New York, USA Death July 29 1983 at the age of 91 Bakersfield, Kern County, California, USA Buried Union Cemetery Bakersfield, Kern County, California, USA This young man is JOSEPH JOHN KRAMER LAMMERS (1892-1983). He was one of 23 orphans on the Orphan Train that stopped in Pilot Grove, Missouri. He was from the Sisters of Misericordia (Quebec) Catholic Orphanage in New York City. His biological father was Joseph Kramer (23 yrs. old) and his mother was Lina Leyheim (20 yrs. old), both of Germany/New York City. He was placed in the orphanage when he was only 3 days old on May 3, 1892. He was adopted by Henry and Wilhelmina (Von der Haar) Lammers of Chouteau Springs in 1894. His surname then changed to Lammers sometime after 1900. In those early days, known as John Joseph (Kramer) Lammers. In addition, mentioned, in the Last Will and Testament of Henry Lammers, 21 Feb 1914. (Missouri, Cooper County Record of Wills, Vol E, 1910-1918) He worked on the railroad in Sedalia, Missouri; Flathead, Montana, and San Bernardino, California. He raised his family in Bakersfield, California. He had two sons, Paul and Fred and one daughter Joanne who was born in 1957 when he was age 64. He served his country in WW1 in the Navy and was awarded The Purple Heart for his service. His adopted siblings were: Clemens Augustine Lammers (Alice Lammers Schupp’s dad); Fredrick John Lammers; Henry George Lammers; John H. Lammers; Christina Mary Lammers Bradshaw; Frank Peter Lammers Carl E. Nelson, age 10, got off the Orphan Train in Pilot Grove in 1900 and was adopted into the family of Abraham Brownfield. His mother had left him with the Orphan Asylum Society of Brooklyn at just a few years of age. He attended the funeral of his father, who died September 14, 1900, and not long after that his mother inquired at the Society to take him back. But Carl had boarded the Orphan Train on September 21. Ten years later Carl began a two-year series of correspondence in search of his family through the Orphan Society and the New York Department of Health, writing in pencil on a lined pad asking, “And haven’t you got no record of Mr. Nelson’s childrens? Send me their addresses, for I would like to find them so bad, and my mother, too.” His father was identified but his mother had moved. In 1912 he made a personal plea to the president of the Borough of Brooklyn, and a notice was placed in a local newspaper, which was seen by his mother. Carl returned to New York where he was reunited with his mother and siblings, living there for four years and serving in the Coast Guard. He moved back to Pilot Grove and in 1917 married his local sweetheart, Geneva Martin, and they raised a family of three children in his adopted home town. Carl Nelson is my adopted great-uncle. (Bert McClary) The following account covers the reason for the trains and how the process worked. Wien, Missouri is in Chariton County. By Denis Fessler November 10, 2004 The community of Wien, Missouri was settled in the latter part of the 19th century, primarily by individuals of German heritage. Early residents left their families in Germany, Indiana, and other states, and made their way to the fertile fields of north-central Missouri to establish new lives. But some arrived as children with no families other than perhaps a sibling or two. They came from New York City by way of what we call now the Orphan Trains. The Beginning New York City in the 19th century suffered from the same problems as many large urban areas, then as now – overpopulation, unemployment, poverty, prejudice, drugs, crime. Also at that time hundreds of thousands of immigrants were pouring into New York City each year, often penniless upon their arrival. The Statue of Liberty proclaimed: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses”. And so they came. This exacerbated the already significant problem of homeless children – orphans, runaways, or abandoned. Even some caring parents left their infants on the doorsteps of the wealthy, hospitals, and the churches, hoping they might find better lives. An estimated 30,000 children were abandoned on the streets in New York City in 1854. To help remedy this situation, Charles Loring Brace, a 26-year-old Congregational Minister, founded the Children’s Aid Society in 1853. Children were taken off the street, cared for, educated, and taught a trade. But the need soon outgrew the means. So he took up the plan that Boston had tried ten years earlier – sending orphans “West” on trains to families at the various stops along the way who were willing to adopt them. The first train was sent out on September 20, 1854 with 46 ten-to-twelve-year-old boys and girls. Their destination was Dowagiac, Michigan. All 46 children were successfully placed in new homes. This system endured for 77 years, from 1854 to 1930. By the 1870’s the New York Foundling Hospital, run by the Catholic Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent DePaul, began sending orphans to Catholic families. Together, an estimated 150,000-400,000 children were sent West on the trains - from Indiana to Kansas, Minnesota to Texas. As many as 100,000 orphans were placed in Missouri. Some 50 became members of the Wien community. The Process The Children’s Aid Society would send notices to local postmasters along the train’s route announcing the time and date a trainload of orphans would arrive in each community. Those notices would be posted in post offices, stores, churches, and newspapers. Typically 25-35 children were placed on a train under the supervision of only 1 or 2 adults (usually a man and a woman), called “agents” (note the railroad term). Initially the children’s ages ranged from 3 to 17, although later this was narrowed to 5 to 12. Sometimes agents preceded the train by several weeks to organize a selection committee and to screen prospective foster parents. Shortly before the day of departure (oftentimes just the night before) the children would be told that they were going on the train, and they would be bathed, their hair tended to, and given new clean clothing. Then they would board the train, and off they went to their new destiny. It was a long trip from New York, but many of the children were able to see for the first-time fields of crops and animals, orchards, forests and large open areas. Upon arrival in one of the projected towns, they would disembark and go to a meeting place such as a church, hotel, courthouse, opera house, or the train depot, and be lined up on a stage or platform at the front of the room. Usually, a local town “committee” had been at work prior to the arrival of the train, trying to line up good potential families for the expected children. At this time, members of the community would be allowed to visit with (and inspect) the children. If a match-up was made between adult and child, and the local committee and placing agents approved, a written agreement was signed. Then the child would leave the group and go on to his/her “new home”. Contact continued thereafter by semi-annual letters and occasional visits by representatives of the Children’s Aid Society. Overall the system worked very well. The orphans had a better chance at life with placement in a new home “out West”, than they did remaining in New York. Thousands of children were removed from lives on the street or in orphanages and placed in loving families. A 1910 report of the Children’s Aid Society gave the final destinations of the children they had sent out on the Orphan Trains. It listed all 48 States plus the District of Columbia and Canada, with the majority going to the Midwest. There were some problems, but these should not detract from the successes of the Orphan Trains. Children were shipped with no certainty that they would be adopted. Some were not, and returned on the train to New York and the orphanage. The children had to face the ordeal of separation from home, leaving familiar surroundings and perhaps parents, brothers and sisters. Some left New York with siblings but were separated upon selection, often to never see their brothers and sisters again. English-speaking children were placed with foster parents who spoke another language (e.g., German), and vice-versa. Sometimes children went from one family to another, to another. Foster parents were also allowed to return children who did not “work out”. Not all orphans were treated well. A record of the Children’s Aid Society noted that in 1871 more than 3,000 orphans were transported at an expense of $31,638, which included train tickets, food and the agent’s salaries – approximately $10 per child! The New York Foundling Hospital Charles Brace required that the adopting home be Christian. However, there were complaints that Catholic children did not always go to Catholic families. This, in part, led the Catholic New York Foundling Hospital to begin sending children on their own version -- the Mercy Trains. Sister Irene Fitzgerald, a Sister of Charity of St. Vincent DePaul, opened the New York Foundling Hospital to help address the monumental problem of homeless and unwanted children. It was incorporated on October 8, 1869. Three days later on October 11th, the Feast of the Maternity of Our Lady, Sister Irene and her two companions, Sister Teresa Vincent and Sister Ann Aloysia, moved into a small house at 17 East 12th Street. Although they expected to spend three months preparing for the opening of the institutions, an infant was laid on the door-step that very first night. Before January 1, 1870, the proposed opening date, they had received 123 babies. When they finally opened the doors formally, a white cradle was placed in the foyer of their building where mothers could anonymously leave their children to be cared for by the sisters. The story of Sister Irene and The New York Foundling Hospital runs parallel with that of Rev. Brace and the Children’s Aid Society. However, there were a few key differences. The Sisters worked in conjunction with Priests throughout the Midwest and South in an effort to place these children in Catholic families, whereas the Children’s Aid Society requested that the children they placed be given spiritual training but left the choice of religion up to the “adoptive” family. Also, the children from the Foundling Hospital tended to be younger than those from the Children’s Aid Society. Probably the largest difference in how the Foundling Hospital placed their children is that the children were not sent out to be “randomly” adopted, but were “requested” ahead of time by families who wanted a child. Requests would be sent to the New York Foundling Home for a child (for example: a 2-year-old, blue eyed, blond haired girl), and then the Sisters would do their best to find a “matching” child. They would then send the requesting family a “receipt” for the child telling when and where the child would arrive by train. This notice requested that the family be at the station ahead of time so as not to miss the train. For each child, the sisters of the hospital made a suit or dress with his or her name and the name of the new parents pinned on the inside of the back collar. When the train arrived, the new parents were to have their “notice of arrival” with them which they were to present to the Sisters. This notice had a number on it that would match up with a child on the train. Once the match was made, the parents would sign the “receipt” for the child, and they were free to leave with their new child. Not everyone embraced the concept of the Orphan Trains. As noted earlier, there were several problems. In Missouri, a law was passed in 1901 forbidding the orphan trains, purportedly because the Children’s Aid Society “is pouring carloads of children into the state without properly supervising them”. Apparently the law was never enforced because it did not stop the trains. The last of the orphan trains came to Missouri in 1929 . By then most states had passed stricter adoption laws and policies. Many Eastern states and cities assumed more responsibility in caring for orphans, and so the trains were no longer needed. Also, the onset of the Depression made it more difficult for families to take on the responsibilities of additional children. But the Orphan Trains left a lasting legacy. Thousands of children left the streets and orphanages of New York, and other large Eastern cities, to find homes with loving families. It was an inexpensive way out of solving juvenile crime. But its greatest triumph was proving the value of foster families, and for that millions of children have benefited since the last train headed west out of New York City carrying homeless children to a new life of hope. This article is written in memory of my great-great-aunt Christine Harmon, who came to Wien on the orphan train in the 1890 ’s and was adopted by my great-great-grandmother Therese Biegel. THE RAILROADS THAT MADE IT POSSIBLE The first railroad line across Missouri was built in 1859 from Hannibal to St. Joseph. This is known today as the Burlington-Northern line that still runs through New Cambria and Bucklin – most likely the final stop for the orphans who were adopted by families around Wien. It was not until 1868 that the first train bridge across the Mississippi River from Illinois to Missouri was built at Quincy. The other railroad line in the area of Wien, known today as the Atchison Topeka and Santa Fe, came down out of Southeast Iowa, crossed the Burlington-Northern at Bucklin and went through Marceline on its way southwest. Stations were ultimately built in New Cambria, Bucklin, and Marceline, but a station was not required for the Orphan Train. The trains made “whistle stops” between stations to pick up and drop off passengers, mail – and orphans. Not everyone embraced the concept of the Orphan Trains. As noted earlier, there were several problems. In Missouri, a law was passed in 1901 forbidding the orphan trains, purportedly because the Children’s Aid Society “is pouring carloads of children into the state without properly supervising them”. Apparently the law was never enforced because it did not stop the trains. The last of the orphan trains came to Missouri in 1929. By then most states had passed stricter adoption laws and policies. Many Eastern states and cities assumed more responsibility in caring for orphans, and so the trains were no longer needed. Also, the onset of the Depression made it more difficult for families to take on the responsibilities of additional children. But the Orphan Trains left a lasting legacy. Thousands of children left the streets and orphanages of New York, and other large Eastern cities, to find homes with loving families. It was an inexpensive way out of solving juvenile crime. But its greatest triumph was proving the value of foster families, and for that millions of children have benefited since the last train headed west out of New York City carrying homeless children to a new life of hope. This article is written in memory of my great-great-aunt Christine Harmon, who came to Wien on the orphan train in the 1890’s and was adopted by my great-great-grandmother Therese Biegel. For More Information : An excellent site that covers these trains is found at Social Welfare Orphan Trains. Many books and articles have been written about the Orphan Trains. One of the best, and a source of much of the information in this article, is Orphan Trains to Missouri, by Michael D. Patrick and Evelyn Goodrich Trickel, published in 1997. It is available in libraries and can be purchased on the Internet. Articles on the Internet that I found particularly good, include: A History of the Orphan Trains by Connie DiPasquale The New York Foundling Hospital Orphan Train Heritage Society of America : The Orphan Train Heritage Society of America, Inc. (OTHSA)—founded in 1986 in Springdale (Washington and Benton counties)—preserves the history of the orphan train era, a period when thousands of children were relocated across the country. 614 East Emma Avenue, No. 115, Springdale, AR 72764 501-756-2780 National Orphan Center Complex : There is a museum and research center dedicated to the preservation of the stories of Orphan Train riders and how they lived once they were placed in their adoptive homes. 300 Washington St., P.O. Box 322, Concordia, KS 66901 Email: info@orphantraindepot.org PBS website with links to Orphan Train information

MISSOURI RIVER AND TRANSPORTATION Missouri River West of Boonvillle Bridge Wayne Lammers Collection Before the white man traveled up the Missouri River, the Indians had paddled their canoes on it for centuries. Later came the French trappers and explorers in their pirogues, canoes, mackinaws, bateaus and keelboats. At this time, these types of boats were the only means of river transportation. When the first settlers arrived, the main routes of commerce and travel were still the water courses. Neither steamboats nor railroads were available yet. Because transportation was so important, the main settlements were made on the banks of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. Ferries Hannah Cole and others During the first court on July 8, 1816, at Cole’s Fort, Hannah Cole’s sons were granted a license to run a ferry on the Missouri River between Boonville and Franklin. At the same time B.W. Levens, Ward and Potter, and George W. Cary were also granted a license to keep a ferry across the Missouri at the present site of Overton. The rates charged at the Levens’ ferry were as follows: For man and horse $0.50 For either separately $0.25 For 4 horses and 4-wheeled wagon $2.00 For 2 horses and 4-wheeled carriage $1.00 For horned cattle $0.04 each For polled cattle $.02 each No one seems to remember what the cost to cross the River on the Dorothy was. Later, other ferries were licensed to help travelers cross the “Wide Missouri” River. Until 1924 , when the first Boonville Bridge connecting New Franklin to Boonville was built, one had to take a motorized ferry across the Missouri River to get to Boonville from New Franklin, or go to Howard County from Boonville. The last Ferry to operate was the “Dorothy,” which ceased operating when the Route 40 bridge was finished in 1924. The Dorothy ferry on the Missouri at Boonville. ca 1890's. Dorothy Ferry Boat circa 1918. Source: "Discover Cooper County" by Ann Betteridge. From the Wayne Lammers collection Joseph L. Stephens ferry boat in the 1890s, in front of Boonville In operation until 1924 Front of Stephens Ferry Boat Rocheport Ferry - Cooper County in the background, notice 3 covered wagons and horses. Steam engine moved the paddle wheel. Lamine Ferry 1930's, from the Jim Higbie collection (colorized). Corps of Discovery near Boonville (Keel boat) - a reproduction of the Lewis and Clark boat. The reproduction burned, but was rebuilt 1/2 scale and is in the River, Rails and Trails Museum. Photo by Wayne Lammers The pirogue was a small type of canoe. The canoe was the most commonly used type of boat, and was the simplest of all river crafts. It was usually made from a cottonwood log, hollowed out, and was usually from 15 to 18 feet long. It was generally manned by three men: one to steer and two to paddle. It was used mostly for short trips, though occasionally was employed for long trips. The mackinaw was a flatboat, pointed at both ends, and was from 40 to 50 feet long. It usually had a crew of five men: one steersman and four oarsmen. The bullboat was usually used on shallow streams because of its light draft. It was made of buffalo bull hides sewn together and stretched over a frame of poles, and needed two men to handle it. Keel Boat Jolly Flat Boatsmen by George Caleb Bingham The keelboat was considered the best and largest craft for transportation before the steamboat. It was 60 to 70 feet long, with the keel running from bow to stern. It could carry a larger cargo than any of the other boats mentioned. It was usually poled. Several men at a time pushed long poles into the river bed, and literally pushed the boat upstream. In deep, fast, or rough water, or if other problems caused poling not to work well, the keelboat was then propelled by means of a cordelle. The cordelle was a line practically 1,000 feet long, one end of which was fastened to the top of the 30-foot mast in the center of the boat. It was well-braced from the mast and the rope extended to the shore. At the shore end of the line, some twenty or thirty men walked along the river bank and pulled the boat upstream. Cordelling was extremely difficult and exhausting work, especially when the edge of the river was full of brush, or the banks so soft that they gave way under foot. Sails were used at times, when the wind was right. Many years after the steamboat made its appearance, people continued to use the keelboat. Flatboat and Steam boats on the Missouri River The First Steamboat at Franklin was on May 29, 1819 . The trip of the Independence from St. Louis to Franklin took 13 days (six of which they were grounded on sandbars). Captain John Nelson had charge of the steamboat. The day after the arrival of the Independence a dinner was given by the citizens of Franklin in honor of the occasion. The trip of the Independence from St. Louis to Franklin was the beginning of steamboat traffic upon the Missouri. The development of the steamboat changed the whole process of river transportation, making it possible to travel much faster than previously, and with much larger cargoes, and was one of the chief factors in the development of Boonville and Cooper County. The second steamboat to arrive at Franklin was the Western Engine, one of several steamboats that came up the river in 1819 as part of Major Stephen Long’s “Yellowstone Expedition.” The boat reached Franklin on June 13, 1819 . The design of the Western Engineer was startling. The prow was upturned and carved into the shape of a serpent’s head. By means of a flue, steam could be directed to come out the hinged jaws. It was intended to frighten the Indians, and it did. The real beginning point of commercially feasible steam boating began about 1830 . Because of the rush of immigration at that time, boats could not be built fast enough. Packets on the Missouri River A Packet , or packet boat, is identified by its function rather than by any distinctive vessel type. Historically, packets originated as vessels under contract with the government to carry mail. With this official duty as their primary purpose, packets could be distinguished from any other vessels by their speed and regularity of service on a fixed route, between designated ports. Steam driven packets were used extensively in the 19th century on the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, supplying and bringing personnel to forts and trading posts and carrying freight and passengers. Today, while steamboats are but a distant memory, the Missouri River is alive and well in Missouri. Sources: Elizabeth Davis "Historically Yours", Ann Betteridge "Discover Cooper County" Steamboat "Plow Boy" at Boonville unloading wheat at Boonville Mill. From the Wayne Lammers collection. Steamboat pulled by a tugboat with the Katy bridge in the background. From the Wayne Lammers collection. RIVER TRAFFIC BECAME HEAVY In 1838 , the government began to clear the Missouri River of snags, and river travel became somewhat less hazardous. As the steamboat trade increased, boats became bigger and fancier, changing from the appearance of a floating shack to a floating palace. The Boonville Register of May 20, 1841 , stated “the first boat built in the city of Boonville, is to be launched on Monday, the 24th.” The boat was built under the superintendence of Captain Courtney and was to be called the Warsaw. The “Golden Era” of the Missouri River steam boating was between 1850 and 1860 , and reached its highest prosperity in the year 1858 . There were then not less than sixty packets on the river, besides 30 to 40 transient boats called tramps, which came on the river from other streams and made one or two trips during the season. The packets had regular schedules and carried the United States mail, express, freight, newspapers (both daily and semi-weekly). Their arrival was booked forward to along the Missouri River with a great deal of interest. The discovery of gold in California, and later gold in Montana, caused many people to ride the steamboats on their way west and north. People flocked to the wharves whenever a steamboat arrived. There were so many boats on the lower river during this period that it was a common sight to see as many as five or six lying at the Boonville landing at the same time. These were prosperous days for the river towns. During the boating season, which continued from March to November, there was never a time when a boat wasn’t visible. The Missouri River freezing solid made it impossible to travel by boat during the winter months. The Missouri River was one of the most difficult streams in the United States to navigate because of its shifting channel, its swift current, and its many bends, which, with the many snags, made a continual menace to river traffic. No pilot approached a snag, especially at night, without fear and caution. The average life of a Missouri River steamboat was less than five years. Other problems, such as fires, boiler explosions, and floods as well as low water, also made traveling by steamboat hazardous. A major disaster in this area was the sinking of the El Paso after it hit a snag below Boonville in 1855 . Another period of prosperity were the years 1866 , 1867 , and 1868 . Captain C.H. Kinney, made the sum of $45,000 in profits from one trip. A number of residents in the Boonville area were involved in river trade as owners, captains, or pilots of steamboats. Many made their fortunes on the river. Perhaps the best known was Captain Joseph Kinney, who lived in Boonville from 1850 to 1860 . He built Riverscene mansion across the river from Boonville in 1869 . It was said that Captain Kinney picked out the lumber for his elegant home along the banks as he traveled the river and had it cut and delivered to the building area. Today the river is still important to the county’s economy. Barges are used to transport grain and other products. Brief History of Steam boating on the Missouri River By Bob Dyer References : Steamboats on the Missouri River Steamboat unloading wheat for the Sombart Mill in Boonville Nadine Excursion Boat near Boonville The St. Jacobs Oil steamboat at Boonville 1870's-Macurdy. Boonville Mill in the background THE MISSOURI RIVER CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS AND UNPREDICTABLE Why does the Missouri flood more now than much earlier? The only bad flood in the 1800 ’s (#4) was in 1844 . The next bad one did not come until 1944 (#8), one hundred years later. There is a lot of finger pointing that the river has been changed by straightening, and building reservoirs and levees. However, heavy snow falls and late spring rains upstream also are big contributing factors. The flooding in 2019 was believed to have been triggered by record snowfall in the Rocky Mountains of Montana and Wyoming along with near-record spring rainfall in central and eastern Montana. All six major dams along the Missouri River released record amounts of water to prevent overflow which led to flooding threatening several towns and cities downstream. Missouri also had record rain in late May in 2013 and 2019 . All six major dams along the Missouri River released record amounts of water to prevent overflow, which led to flooding downstream, which flooded several towns and cities. The result - buildings and homes were severely damaged, and some washed away. Roads and bridges were underwater, as were the just emerging spring crops. Precious topsoil helped to make the Muddy MO even muddier. Cars, buildings and machinery were badly damaged, or also washed away by the force of the rushing water. Countless animals drowned and the number of human deaths from the flooding is unknown. Historic Flood Crests of Missouri River at Boonville (1) 37.10 ft on 07/29/1993 (2) 33.73 ft on 05/31/2019 (3) 33.14 ft on 05/19/1995 (4) 32.70 ft on 06/21/1844 (5) 32.62 ft on 07/17/1951 (6) 32.02 ft on 06/27/1947 (7) 31.85 ft on 10/05/1986 (8) 30.93 ft on 04/27/1944 (9) 30.74 ft on 04/07/1983 (10) 30.72 ft on 06/02/2013 Source: Historical Crests for Missouri River at Boonville US Weather Service Scroll to read the story about the Flood of 1993 Bob Dyer’s poem for a friend who lost his home to the flood of 1993 Poem by Bob Dyer, courtesy of Sharon Dyer Highway 40 during the 1951 Flood just across the river from Boonville. From the Wayne Lammers collection. Video of 2019 Missouri River at Boonville Flood Videos by Tracy and Ashley Friedrich @FarmAlarm. Boonville YouTubers Map of the Missouri River and it's tributaries. Source: Wikipedia The Missouri River is North America's longest river, beginning in western Montana and ending 2,341 miles away, north of St. Louis, Missouri, where it enters the Mississippi River. The name 'Missouri' is derived from the Missouria tribe name, meaning 'people with wooden canoes'. The Missouri River and its tributaries have been important to people for more than 12,000 years, for many reasons including transportation, fishing, irrigation, and as a water source for animals which in turn helped to feed the people in the region. During the westward expansion of the United States the Missouri River played an important role. Because of industrial and agricultural use in the 20th century, the water quality, and animal and fish populations have been greatly impacted. Other Interesting Missouri River Facts It is believed that the Missouri River formed about 30 million years ago, but because it changes its course over time, the current course of the Missouri is estimated at 115,000 years old. Major tributaries to the Missouri River include Yellowstone River, Platte River, and the Kansas River. The Missouri River flows through several states including Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. It flows past Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas. The first explorers to lay their eyes on the Missouri River were Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette. These Frenchmen were floating along the Mississippi River in 1673 when they spotted it. Lewis and Clark were the first to travel the entire length of the Missouri River, which they accomplished in 1804. The Missouri River flows from Montana's Gallatin, Madison, and Jefferson Rivers for 2,341 miles to the Mississippi River north of St. Louis, Missouri. The Missouri River is the world's 15th longest river. The Missouri River basin (area of land drained by the river) is 529,350 square miles in size. Approximately 10 million people live in the Missouri River basin. This includes people from 10 states, from a small region in Canada, and from 28 different Native American tribes. The dams that have been built along the Missouri River have changed its ability to flow freely. Although this stops flooding in many regions, it changes the natural environment as well. The Missouri River has been called "Big Muddy" and "Muddy Mo" because of its ability to relocate large amounts of soil on occasion. There are approximately 150 fish species in the Missouri River, and about 300 species of birds live in the Missouri River's region. The Lewis and Clark Historic Trail follows the Missouri River, making it possible for people to follow. Along the trail are roughly 100 historical sites to explore. Many National Parks in the United States are located in the Missouri River's watershed, including Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Badlands National Park, and Rocky Mountain National Park. Source: SoftSchools.com Snoddy's Store by boat Flyover by drone of the Missouri River at Boonville Flood flyover in airplane

NEW MADRID EARTHQUAKE (1811) The first shocks of three major earthquakes begin in New Madrid. (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “First shocks of the New Madrid earthquakes began December 16, 1811 and continued through March 1812 . Between 6,000-10,000 earthquakes in the Bootheel of Missouri occurred during this time with the largest measuring 8.8 magnitude. Later, a witness to the earthquake described the terror in a graphic description that was published years later by the Charleston Courier. Eliza Bryan, who was 15 years old and living in New Madrid in 1811 remembered “the violent shock of an earthquake accompanies by a very awful noise, resembling loud but distant thunder, but hoarser and vibrating, which was followed in a few minutes by the complete saturation of the atmosphere with sulphureous vapor, causing total darkness…” Another eyewitness was the famed ornithologist, John James Audubon, who was working in Missouri and riding his horse when the earthquake struck. He described it to be the sound of a tornado and that his horse reacted immediately as if his footing was on smooth ice. Audubon observed the shrubs and trees moving from their roots and “the ground rose and fell like the ruffled water of a lake.” Audubon wrote that he felt like a child in a cradle as his horse rocked back-and-forth with imminent danger around him and followed by a disagreeable odor when the earthquake subsided. Trained to observe nature, Audubon’s descriptions offered more detail of the day the Earth shook Missouri’s boot heel region and caused the Mississippi to run backward and church bells in Boston to ring”. This documentary tells the story of the historic earthquakes of 1811 and 1812 that struck near the town of New Madrid, Missouri and proceeded to rattle a major part of the country for the next six months. References : Websites New Madrid Earthquakes Southeast Missouri New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812 Missouri Life: New Madrid Earthquakes of 1811-1812 U.S. Geological Survey: Summary of 1811-1812 New Madrid Earthquakes Sequence LAND GRANTS RESULTING FROM EARTHQUAKE So much land was destroyed, and landmarks lost, as a result of the massive earthquakes, that the government issued “New Madrid certificates” in the Boonslick area to those who suffered major losses in the New Madrid area. It was easier (and less expensive) exchanging for land in the Boonslick area rather than trying to resurvey and determine the boundaries of everyone’s original property down there. So a lot of people moved and took up residence in the Boonslick area. Sixty land grants were issued for what was to become Cooper County. History, Art & Archives: New Madrid Earthquakes Relief Far Outliers: Effects of the New Madrid Relief Act of 1815 Etienne Hayseed: New Madrid Claims in Missouri Apr 08, 2015 · - American State Papers, Public Lands, Volume 4, page 155, No. 453, Grants of Land to People of New Madrid County, Missouri, Who Suffered by Earthquakes - American State Papers, Public Lands, Volume 4, page 749, No. 504, New Madrid Claim in Missouri Jul 12, 2007 · On February 17, 1815 [three years after the strongest earthquakes in U.S. history], Congress passed the New Madrid Relief Act, the first federal disaster relief act in U.S. history. Melton's History of Cooper County - Chapter 06 Are you one of these land speculators, stranger?" The New Madrid earthquake occurred December 16, 1811 , with recurring shocks ... an act to relieve sufferers of the New Madrid earthquake. Landowners in the flooded districts could relinquish ... speculators, mostly from St. Louis, invaded the New Madrid district, buying claims from $40 to $60 ... 640 acres. Demand for certificates encouraged dishonest New Madrid settlers to sell their claims over and ... It led to endless law suits. Many New Madrid certificates were located in the Boon's ... St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau and New Madrid. In 1813 Washington County was formed from ... County was carved from the west of New Madrid. When formed, Howard not only included the “Corn” Taylor moved to Cooper County in about 1817 as the result of the New Madrid earthquake. He brought with him, from his native state of Kentucky, much livestock and a good supply of seed corn. Much of his land had been given to him by the government, in retribution for his land which was lost to the Mississippi River during the New Madrid earthquake. At one time, he had extensive land holdings in Cooper County.

COOPER COUNTY TRAIN DEPOTS The first MKT Depot was built in Boonville around 187, just before the railroad reached Sedalia on its way to Boonville. The railroad continued on to Boonville, crossing the Missouri river on its way to Chicago. The original Depot was on the west side of the tracks and was used mainly for freight. After the second depot was built, the first Depot was used for storage until 1950 when it was removed. Two pictures of the first Depot. Notice that the terrain was much different than it is today. Photos from Wayne Lammers Collection First Boonville Train Depot Notice the steep incline Close Up of First Boonville Train Depot First Depot The second MKT depot, built in 1911 on the West side of the tracks, was a Mission style building which today is the location of the Boonville Area Chamber of Commerce, and it is also the start of the KATY walking and bike trail. The Katy Rail Road built 5 Spanish Mission Style Depots, and the Boonville Depot is the only one surviving. First Boonville Depot Second and Current Boonville Depot Lamine Train Depot Pleasant Green Depot Pleasant Green Depot

FUR TRADE Adapted from “Discover Cooper County by Looking Back” by Ann Betteridge The primary occupation of the French during their early years in Missouri was trading for fur with the Indians. Much money could be made. One who became a great trader was Pierre Chouteau of St. Louis. In 1808 , Chouteau and other fur merchants organized the Missouri Fur Company, which prospered greatly. In 1809 they sent a successful trading expedition of 350 men up the Missouri River. The company remained in operation for about 20 years. In their search for animals, they were also seeking routes through the mountains to the Pacific coast. The geography learned by these trappers laid a foundation on which future development could take place. Some of the early fur trappers’ routes became well known land and water routes. Trappers were rough, and had hardy features from exposure to the sun and elements. Their hair was long and coarse and often bushy, worn down to the shoulders and usually covered with a low-crowned woolen hat. Trappers often made their own clothing or it was made for them by Indian women. The main outer clothes were of buckskin, fringed at the edges and seamed with buckskin strings. Sometimes clothing was a mix of native materials and wool or linen fabrics. Footwear consisting of deer or buffalo skin moccasins or boots. Knives, hatchets and pistols were carried on a belt around the midriff. A bullet pouch made of animal skin was hung from the neck. A strap carrying the powder horn was worn across the body. A trapper would carry a rifle of anywhere from 50 to 60 caliber. Trappers took care of their own equipment, which might include a twin-lock gun, 100 flints, 35 pounds of powder, 100 pounds of lead, a powder horn, double shot bag, skinning knife, tomahawk and four to six traps. Trappers often worked in groups, sometimes composed of 50 men. The life was tough and trying, with no luxuries. Except for a few supplies of flour, tea, coffee and salt, the trappers lived off the land, with buffalo flesh as their favorite meat. There were many hardships endured by the trappers. While following their traplines, trappers would often hide away equipment and furs, borrowing the French word “cache” to describe these hidden stores. Much care was taken in making the stores secure, but even so, they were frequently raided by Indians, or the contents damaged by floods. The trapping seasons were chiefly during the spring and fall. It was not unusual for a trapper to tramp a distance of 50 miles while setting up to 150 traps. For small animals, steel traps would be used, but for large ones a favorite trap was made after a pattern of the English figure four, using logs. In the early days of the fur trade, deer skins, bear skins and bear lard were the primary commodities. All kinds of animals were trapped, but up to about 1845 , one of the most sought after was the beaver. Because beaver-skin hats were fashionable for men, the price of pelts was between four and six dollars a pound, so that a good trapper could make $1,600 to $2,000 a year, which was a good income in those days. The bottom fell out of the beaver-skin trade when silk was imported, and a new fashion for silk hats made beaver skins valueless. Steel traps were in universal use for trapping beaver. The trap would weigh about five pounds, and during the early nineteenth century cost between 12 and 16 dollars. The trap would be secured by a five-foot chain. At one time the steel jaws of the trap were covered with netting to enclose the animal unharmed, as a live animal would provide a better skin than a dead one. In setting his traps, the trapper waded into the water for some distance in order to cover up his tracks, and the traps would be placed a short distance from the bank in three to four inches of water. Each trap was secured by stretching the chain to its full length and then fastening it to a strong stake driven into the steam bed, also a little way from the bank. A small twig was set over the trap, projecting a few inches above the water surface, and the bait was fastened to the exposed end. The bait that was used was usually obtained from the same species of animal for which the traps were being set. Besides the beaver, other kinds of animals were trapped. Some of them were: muskrat, skunk, raccoon, otter, and sometimes a sable mink. There were also bear skins, but bear trapping was considered a hazardous occupation, often more a matter of necessity than desire. The fur trade in the United States has gone down considerably since the beginning of the 20th century, because of changes in fashion, the development of synthetic fur, and many recently developed lightweight and warm fabrics. Also, some animal rights groups object to the trapping of animals. THE BARTER SYSTEM The catch of a season was taken to fortified trading posts, where a system of barter was used. In 1825 , however, General William H. Ashley introduced the “rendezvous” system as a substitute for trading posts. This allowed for a change of site from year to year. A rendezvous resembled a medieval fair and this annual event frequently ended in a heavy drinking session. Goods of all kinds were exchanged for skins, but the rate of exchange was such that the tools were often priced as much as 2,000 per cent above their cost. An item in great demand in exchange for skins, especially beaver skins, was a gun. The exchange rate was established as the number of skins, when, piled up, would reach from the stock to muzzle, a practice which led to the production of especially long-barreled guns. The fur trade declined rapidly after 1840 . Fur bearing animals, particularly beaver had been trapped and hunted to extinction in many regions. Changes in fashion also led to reduced demand for furs. Bison robes and coats became more popular. Bison leather was heavy and became a source of belts for machinery in factories which were booming in the 1840s and 1850s. While fur trapping in the mountains declined precipitously, bison hunting on the plains increased exponentially. Since the development of synthetic fur, and many recently developed lightweight and warm fabrics in the 20th century, fur trapping continued to remain marginal although some years saw increases in prices. Animal rights groups object to the trapping of animals William H. Ashley was among the most noted fur traders of Missouri history. Ashley was elected as Missouri’s first Lieutenant Governor , serving, from 1820–1824, under Governor Alexander McNair . Ashley ran for governor of Missouri , in the August 1824 election , but was defeated. Ashley formed a partnership with Andrew Henry to form the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. Between 1822 and 1825 the company conducted several large-scale fur trapping expeditions in the mountains. On June 2, 1823 Ashley’s company was repulsed by the Arikara Indians on the Missouri River with a loss of 15 men. Ashley revolutionized the fur trade in the Rocky Mountains with the creation of the rendezvous system. Trappers and Indians would meet at an appointed location to sell their furs to buyers and resupply for the coming season rather than travel to fixed outposts. This helped to advance the fur trade into the remotest sections of the western country. By 1827 , Ashley became a wealthy a man and sold his share of the company to mountain man and scout Jedidiah Smith. From October 31, 1831 , to March 3, 1837 Ashley served in the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri. In 1836 he ran again for governor but was defeated. He retired from politics and moved to Lamine Township, settling on property he purchased from Auguste Chouteau which had been part of his original Osage land grant. Ashley did not get to enjoy his Cooper County property for long. He died on March 26, 1838 . He was buried on an Indian mound which overlooked the junction of the Lamine and Missouri Rivers. A marker is on his grave site which was about a mile from his home. The burial site in on private property located off County Road CC and requires permission to enter. William Ashley's burial site, overlooking the Missouri River. Fort Osage National Historic Landmark Fort Osage , located in what is now Sibley, Missouri, was one of the first military outposts established in the Louisiana Territory. William Clark documented the area in 1804 as he passed through the area on his way to the Pacific Ocean. Clark returned to the area in 1808 as a Brigadier General in the Louisiana Territory militia and U.S. agent for Indian Affairs, confirmed that the area could be easily defended, and chose to build a fort and other buildings there. The fort was located 70 feet above the high-water mark along the Missouri River. It also became a trading post for the Indians, known as Sibley’s Trading Post. The purpose of the fort was to provide a US military presence in the territory to assure Spain, France and Great Britain that the United States meant to protect its territory by military strength and to establish healthy relations with the Native American population in the territory. The fort was abandoned in 1827 and has been reconstructed to represent the fort and buildings as they were in 1812. The following pictures give a good idea of what life in a fort was like during the War of 1812. Sibley is a small town in Jackson County, Missouri. It is part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, about 80 miles from Boonville.

EARLY COOPER COUNTY PERSONALITIES This adapted from “Discover Cooper County by Looking Back" by Ann Betteridge BLACKHAWK Blackhawk was a Sac Indian. He was living in the east part of Cooper County in 1810 when the first white settlers arrived. He became an Indian chief and an English general during the second war with England from 1812 to 1815. In 1832 his Blackhawk War spread over much of the Mississippi Valley. The two Cole families, first settlers in Cooper County, helped Blackhawk in his desire to understand the white man’s way of life. MRS. WILLIAM H. ASHLEY Elizabeth Ashley, the daughter of Dr. J. W. Moss of Howard County, was the wife of General William H. Ashley. Before her marriage to the famous fur trader she was the widow of Dr. Daniel Wilcox. After Ashley’s death she married John J. Crittenden, of Kentucky. A fictional history of her life, The Three Lives of Elizabeth, was written by Missouri author Shirley Seifert. WILLIAM H. ASHLEY William Ashley was born January 10, 1764, at Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He came from Virginia to Missouri in 1803. He was elected the first Lieutenant Governor of Missouri in the state’s first election. He was a fur trader who influenced the exploration and settlements of the West. He founded the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. He was not afraid to take his trade to places other people would not go. He was a member of Congress and served in the twenty-second, twenty-third, and twenty-fourth congresses. He owned approximately 28,000 acres along the Missouri River. He died on March 3, 1838, and is buried in an Indian mound on his land overlooking the Lamine and Missouri Rivers. See more about Ashley here . DAVID BARTON David Barton was a pioneer Cooper County lawyer and was involved in the early political activities of Missouri. Soon after moving to Boonville, Barton served as a judge, representative, and author of our state’s first constitution. He was elected the first United States Senator to Congress from Missouri. David Barton Elementary School is named for him. In 1821 Missouri finally was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state. One of the main men involved in this process was David Barton who chaired the Constitutional Convention and who wrote the Constitution which was submitted to Congress for the admission of Missouri. Barton County in southwestern Missouri is named for him. He then became the first Senator and represented the new state in the U.S. Congress. Barton died in Boonville in September, 1837, and is buried in the Walnut Grove Cemetery, where there is a monument honoring him. The restoration of his tombstone, lot, and adjacent horse watering tough was an appropriate Missouri Bicentennial Project and was undertaken by the Walnut Grove Cemetery Board and the Hannah Cole Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. See the section on cemeteries for the DAR Restoration of David Barton’s Tombstone. Background of DAVID BARTON David Barton was born on December 14, 1783, in Greeneville, North Carolina. In 1809, Barton moved to St. Louis. During the War of 1812, he joined Nathan Boone’s company of mounted rangers which in turn got him plenty of recognition in Missouri. Barton was serving Missouri prior to 1821 when it became the 24th state in the Union. He was elected attorney general of the Missouri Territory in 1813, was Howard County’s first circuit judge in 1815 and presiding judge in 1816. In 1818, Barton was a member of the Territorial house of representatives and served as speaker. He wrote Missouri’s first constitution when he served on, and was president of, the convention which was formed in 1820 to write the state’s first constitution. Barton was unanimously elected to be one of Missouri’s first US Senators and it was his suggestion that Thomas Hart Benton be the other US Senator. Barton served from August 10, 1821, until March 4, 1831, and was chairman of the Committee on Public Lands. After failing re-election to the US Senate, Barton ran for and was elected to the Missouri Senate where he served from 1834-1835. David Barton died in Boonville on September 28, 1837, and was interred at Sunset Hills Cemetery, otherwise known as the Old City Cemetery. After Walnut Grove Cemetery was established in 1852, it was decided that one of Missouri’s first US Senators and author of the state’s first constitution was deserving of a more fitting burial site. David Barton’s remains were moved to Walnut Grove Cemetery. Barton County, Missouri, is named in his honor, as is David Barton Elementary School in Boonville, Mo. COLONEL CHARLES CHRISTIAN BELL Charles Christian Bell was born in Nassau, Germany, on August 30, 1848. After moving to the United States, he lived his early life on a Missouri farm near Mr. Sinai schoolhouse. His father, John Adam Bell, planted one of the first vineyards and orchards in that neighborhood, and taught his son the art of fruit growing, a business which he followed most of his life. He served in the Union cavalry and was held prisoner by General Joe Shelby’s command for two days and was then paroled. In 1879, he was commissioned by Governor Phelps as first lieutenant of the Missouri State Guards. In 1877, he and his brother established the firm of C. C. Bell and Brothers, wholesale shippers of fruit and farm products. He later purchased his brother’s interest in the company. In 1886, he organized the Central Missouri Horticultural Association, serving as its secretary for 29 years. He also served this organization as president. He founded the International Apple Shipper’s Association in 1894, and was elected its first president. He experimented with and developed the Lady Apple tree in the Bell Apple Orchard, located about six miles east of Boonville. For years, each pupil in the Boonville Schools found a Lady Apple on their desk the first day of school. He is known for his many public services. GEORGE CALE B BINGHAM As a young boy, Bingham lived in Franklin with his parents, where his father was a hotel keeper. As a young man he was apprenticed to a Boonville cabinet maker. His first wife, Elizabeth Hutchison, was from Boonville. He served in the Missouri legislature and was Adjutant General during the Civil War. He lived in Howard and Cooper Counties and built a home in Arrow Rock, which has been restored. George Caleb Bingham statue at Boonville He is famous for his paintings, many of which were painted while he was living in Cooper County. He liked to paint portraits and scenes of everyday life. Some of his paintings can be seen in Boonville at the Boonslick Regional Library, the Masonic Hall and the Rotary International Headquarters; two are also hanging at Ravenswood. DANIEL BOONE Daniel Boone is known to almost everyone. He was born in 1728 and died in 1820. He came to Missouri about 1797 from Kentucky, and hunted up and down the Missouri River. His two sons, Nathan and Daniel Morgan Boone, ran a “salt lick” in 1807 about ten miles north of Boonville. The Boone brothers boiled the salt water, saved the salt, packed it in hollowed logs, covered the salt with mud, and floated the logs down the river, to St. Louis, to trade. KIT CARSON Kit Carson, whose real name was Christopher Columbus Carson, was born in Kentucky. His parents moved to Missouri where he was raised in Franklin, Missouri. He was taught to work in a saddle shop. He had been in the saddle shop only a few months when he ran away and joined a wagon train which was bound for Santa Fe, in Mexico, this was the start of his career as an Indian scout and trail maker. Kit Carson was never a resident of Cooper County, however he spent time here hunting and visiting with relatives. HANNAH COLE Hannah Cole was born in 1764 and died in 1843. She was the first white woman to settle south of the Missouri River. She came as a widow with her nine children and built a cabin on the present site of Boonville. A fort was built later which became known as Hannah Cole’s Fort. More than a lifelike statue of Hannah Cole in Boonville The marker is hewn from a large natural stone. The cemetery itself contains about an acre of ground and the D. A. R. Chapter intends that it shall be made beautiful ... stones gathered from all parts of the Hannah Cole Country; the historic connection will be complete." October 31, 1932 From the Pilot Grove Record "Grave Formally Marked" -"Tablet at Hannah Cole Grave is Unveiled" "With fitting ceremony, the grave of Hannah Cole, Cooper County's pioneer mother..." See the full Briscoe Cemetery story here . BENJAMIN COOPER Benjamin Cooper, Revolutionary War veteran, is regarded as the first permanent settler in this area. His wife and five sons moved to the Boone’s Lick country in the year 1808. They settled in the Missouri River bottom about two miles southwest of Boone’s Lick, which became known as Cooper’s Bottom. This area is not part of the present Cooper County established in 1818. Even though the Coopers lived in Howard County, they played an important part in the history of Cooper County. Benjamin built a cabin and cleared the ground for a permanent home, but he had to leave because he was too far from the protection of government troops. He returned two years later to the same place with a group of settlers, who built forts in Howard and Cooper counties. The fort helped protect them from Indians during the War of 1812. SARSHALL COOPER Sarshall Cooper came to the Boonslick area in 1808 with a group of settlers led by his brother Benjamin. The group left the area and returned in 1810. They built four forts in Howard County: Cooper, Hempstead, Kincaid, and Head. Sarshall was chosen as Captain of the Military Rangers. There were Indian raids from 1812 through 1815. Sarshall was killed in one of the raids in 1814 as he sat by his fireside with his family in Fort Cooper, near the present town of Petersburg in Howard County. Cooper County was named in honor of Capt. Sarshall Cooper. BILL CORUM Martene “Bill” Windsor Corum was born near Speed, Missouri, on July 29, 1894. He attended grade school in Old Palestine and attended Boonville Public High School. He attended college at Wentworth Military Academy and the University of Missouri. Bill was among the first to enlist in World War I. He was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross. He was commissioned Major of Infantry, the youngest in the American Expeditionary Force. Following World War I, he enrolled in the Journalism School at the University of Missouri in Columbia, where he graduated with two degrees. He became assistant sports editor of the New York Times. He was featured as sports columnist for the New York Evening Journal. He performed well at three different jobs. He was a good writer, and in addition, found time for radio and television commentary. He was especially well-informed in horse racing, baseball and boxing. Perhaps the most important activity in spreading his fame was the commentary on radio and television of the New York Yankee baseball games. He was president of Churchill Downs Race Track in Louisville, Kentucky from 1950 until his death. WALLACE CROSSLEY Wallace Crossley was born in Bellair, Cooper County, Missouri on October 8, 1874. He was a graduate of the University of Missouri. He was interested in the field of education for many years. He was elected Lieutenant Governor of Missouri in 1916. He was chosen president of the Missouri Press Association in 1932. He died December 13, 1943. REVEREND FATHER RICHARD FELIX, O.S.B. Reverend Father Richard Felix came to Pilot Grove to serve as pastor of St. Joseph’s Church. He was author of six books. He delivered an extended series of lectures over three radio stations. Father Felix had three degrees: an A.B. in theology from St. Vincent’s Seminary, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, an A.M. from Catholic University, Washington, D.C., and a B.D. from Harvard, at Cambridge, Massachusetts. JACOB F. MELICH Jacob Gmelich was a native of Germany, who located in Boonville in 1860 when he was 20 years old. He remained a resident of Cooper County until his death 54 years later. He served as state representative from 1905 until 1909, and as lieutenant governor during the administration of Herbert S. Hadley. He was a Union veteran of the Civil War, a merchant, bank president and four times mayor of Boonville. PAYTON R. AYDEN Payton Hayden was the first lawyer certified to practice law in the Missouri Territory outside of St. Louis. He was the first lawyer to pass the bar, July 1819, in Cooper County, even before Missouri became a state. He was a native of Kentucky. He came to Howard County, Missouri, in 1818, and located in Boonville in 1819. He taught school in Old Franklin, one of his students being Kit Carson. Hayden died in Boonville on December 26, 1855. A Supreme Court Justice, Washington Adams, studied law in his office. THOMAS JEFFERSON HOWELL Thomas Jefferson Howell was born near Pisgah in 1842. In 1850, he went to the state of Oregon with his parents. He was a farmer, stock-raiser, botanist, woodsman, mountaineer, and the discoverer of the weeping spruce. Because of his interest in botany, he became interested in the flowering plants of the northwest. In 1903 he published the Flora of Northwest America. FRANK & JESSE JAMES Jesse James was born in 1847 on a small farm near Kearney, Missouri. Jesse was 14 when the Civil War began, and left to fight in the war when he was 16. In 1865, he became an outlaw, along with his older brother, Frank, and some of the men who fought with them during the Civil War. Between 1866 and 1882 the James gang robbed trains and banks in Missouri and other states. Most of the railroads and banks were owned by Northerners. The banks charged high interest rates on loans to people trying to recover from the war. People also had to pay high taxes to support the railroads, and to pay high rates for transporting freight. Because of these injustices, many people were glad when the James gang robbed a bank or a train. Some people even helped the gang hide when the law was looking for them. In an effort to stop the robbing, in 1881, Missouri’s governor, Thomas T. Crittenden, a former Union officer, offered a reward for the capture of Jesse James. In 1882, Jesse was shot in the back of the head by one of his own men, Robert Ford, in St. Joseph, Missouri. Jesse was 35. Soon after his brother’s death, Frank surrendered and the career of the James gang was ended. FREDERICK T. KEMPER Frederick Kemper was born in Virginia. He established Kemper Family School in 1844, which later became Kemper Military School. The school steadily grew until it became one of the finest schools of its kind in the United States. Crosby Kemper, a banker in Kansas City who gave money to different organizations and causes in Boonville, is thought to be distantly related to Frederick T. Kemper. See more under Kemper Military Academy under schools section. Kemper at Memorial Statues at Boonville THOMAS KIRCHMANN Thomas Kirchmann from Pisgah is known for inventing the cyclone “stacker” on threshers and the self-tying hay baler. He also made improvements on the steam engine. NATHANIEL LEONARD Nathaniel Leonard was born at Windsor, Vermont, June 13, 1799. He founded Ravenswood Farm in 1825, and was the first man to bring registered shorthorn cattle into the state of Missouri and into the United States west of the Mississippi River. The English herdsman, Thomas Boyen, set out from Chillicothe, Ohio, on May 22, 1839, to deliver the historic shipment of fine stock. He had to travel two days on a canal boat until he reached the Ohio River, then transfer his stock and forage onto a riverboat for the trip down the river until he reached Cincinnati or Louisville, transfer boats again to go down the Ohio to the Mississippi, then upstream to St. Louis, where he changed to a Missouri riverboat to take him to Boonville, with the last part of his long journey overland about 12 miles. Nathaniel Leonard successfully carried on farming and stock breeding on the Ravenswood Farm during his lifetime. He died at his farm on December 30, 1876. He was succeeded by his son, Captain Charles E. Leonard. CAPTAIN CHARLES LEONARD Captain Charles Leonard was reared on Ravenswood Farm. He received his education at Kemper Military School and the University of Missouri at Columbia. After receiving his education, he returned to the farm and was actively engaged in farming most of his life. He served as director of the American Shorthorn Association from 1882-1906. He was also president of the Central National Bank of Boonville. NATHANIEL CHARLES LEONARD Nathaniel Charles Leonard, only son of Captain Charles Leonard, was educated at Kemper Military School and Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee. He completed a law course in 1898, after which he spent most of his time continuing the breeding of shorthorn cattle. CHARLES WILLARD LEONARD Charles Willard Leonard, son of Nathaniel Nelson Leonard, purchased the remainder of the farm from his brother and sister. His son, Charles Edward Leonard (great-great-grandson of Nathaniel Leonard) managed the farm until Charles W. died January 5, 2002. After the passing of Charles Edward in 2015, Ravenswood Farm passed into a family trust. WILLIAM MITTELBACH William Mittelbach, a pharmacist, graduated from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and received an honorary Doctor of Science in recognition of his service and dedication to the practice of pharmacy and his community of Boonville. Dr. Mittelbach was active in the Evangelical Church and many civic groups, including many years of service to the Board of Education. A memorial fountain in his honor stands just inside the Walnut Grove cemetery entrance. A 1926 biography stated, “No man in the history of Boonville has held more positions both honorary and active than this esteemed citizen.” He was also a nationally recognized pharmacist, serving as president of national and state pharmacy organizations, and the Missouri Board of Pharmacy. He was a recognized authority in pharmaceutical science and a research associate of the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. JORDAN O’BRYAN Jordan O’Bryan served under General “Old Hickory” Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans. He moved to Cooper County soon afterward. He was a state senator during the 13th and 14th general assemblies, 1844 and 1846. He was county representative in the third, fourth and eighth general assemblies in 1824, 1826, and 1834. He was a Baptist leader known throughout Missouri. He was on the committee to locate William Jewell College. In an effort to establish the college at Boonville, he was able to deadlock the committee’s decision. The town of Liberty finally won by one vote. W. L. NELSON Nelson was a representative in Congress 10 of the 14 years from 1919-1933. In 1934 he was elected from the new second district of Missouri. He was also one of the first rural weekly editors in the United States to regularly feature farm and livestock news in the newspaper The Bunceton Weekly Eagle. WILL ROGERS Will Rogers attended Kemper Military School in Boonville from 1896-1903. Years later he became famous as an actor, humorist, writer, and philosopher. LON V. STEPHNS Lon Vest Stephens was a native of Boonville. He came from a family with banking history and was a graduate of Kemper Military School. He was governor of Missouri from 1897-1901. Before becoming governor, he was the state treasurer. During the time he was governor, the first Missouri State Fair was held and many state institutions were established. Some of these include: The State Historical Society of Missouri in Columbia, the Fruit Experiment Station at Mountain Grove, a School for the Feeble-minded and Epileptic in Marshall, a state hospital for the insane at Farmington, and the State Board of Charities and Corrections. JAMES MILTON TURNER James Milton Turner was born a slave in St. Louis, Missouri in 1840. His parents were John Turner Colburn and Hannah. John was a horse doctor. He bought his freedom and then in 1843, the freedom of his wife and son. In 1847, a law was passed in Missouri that forbade blacks to be educated. This did not stop the Turners, as James was educated in secret. He attended Oberlin College for one term when he was 14, but was forced to leave school in 1855 when his father died. He returned to St. Louis and supported his mother by working as a porter at the beginning of the Civil War. Turner became a body servant (valet) to Madison Miller, who joined the Union as a captain of the 1st. Missouri infantry. Among other battles, they served together at Wilson's Creek and Shiloh. By the time the war was over, Miller was a Colonel. Colonel Miller's brother-in-law, Thomas Fletcher, was elected Governor of Missouri in November 1864. Governor Fletcher appointed Turner Assistant Superintendent of schools where he was in charge of establishing schools for blacks. Over thirty schools were opened across the state while Turner served in the Department of Education, including Lincoln Institute in Jefferson 'City, now known as Lincoln University, which was the first black high school and teacher training school in Missouri. A civil rights activist, Turner was one of the founders of the Missouri Equal League. This was the first black political organization in the state. In 1871, Turner was appointed Ambassador to Liberia by President Ulysses Grant. Serving in Monrovia, Liberia, from 1871 to 1878, Turner was the first African American diplomat to a foreign country. When Turner returned from Liberia. he continued to reach out and help others succeed in the white man's world. He served on the Refugee Relief Board, and in 1881 he and Hannibal Carter organized Freedman's Oklahoma Immigration Association to promote homesteading in Oklahoma. He spent the next 20 years of his life in Indian Territory, fighting for the rights of blacks. He died in Ardmore, Oklahoma on November 1, 1915. A bust of James Milton Turner stands on a pedestal in the Morgan Street Park on the northwest corner of Main and Morgan Streets in Boonville. References: Elizabeth Davis, "Historically Yours"; James Milton Turner 1840-1915 James Milton Turner -SHSMO - Historic Missourians Jame Milton Turner - (1839? - 1915) Missouri Encyclopedia James Milton Turner (1840-1915) BlackPast James Milton Turner - Wikipedia GEORGE GRAHAM VEST Senator George Graham Vest represented Missouri in the United States Senate from 1879-1903. He was an early Boonville lawyer, involved in the building of Thespian Hall, a state legislator from Cooper County, and a supporter of the secessionist movement. He left Boonville at the First Battle of Boonville on June 17, 1861. He is most remembered for his famous “Eulogy to a Dog,” given before a jury at Warrensburg, Missouri. PAUL WHITLEY Paul Whitley was born 13 years before the American Revolution, on July 20, 1762. He died September 23, 1835. He made provisions in his will to leave money to the “poor children” in Cooper County. His will stated “at the death of my wife whatsoever may remain I wish placed by my executors in the hands of the County Court of the County of Cooper, and that they cause the same to be disposed of for schooling of the poor children in the township of Moniteau in said County of Cooper and State of Missouri. The amount of his estate was $3,768. Following the death of his wife in 1855, the money was turned over to the county court to be given to the poor in the schools. The amount grew to $13,000 due to interest because it was several years before it was used. Money was given to the schools each year. In one year, 1927, 877 boys and girls enjoyed the gift given to them. In the early 1900s, his body was removed from the grave on the bluffs of the Missouri River near Wooldridge. It was taken to Harris Cemetery near Prairie Home where a monument was erected in his honor. WALTER WILLIAMS Walter Williams was a distinguished editor. He founded the first School of Journalism in the world and was President of the University of Missouri, at Columbia. He was a native of Boonville. He took his early training as an apprentice on a Boonville newspaper, later becoming its editor as well as the editor of a Columbia newspaper. He was a firm believer in the free press. He died in 1935. HORACE GEORGE WINDSOR Horace George Windsor was the first president of the Missouri Corn Growers Association, serving until his death. In 1915, he raised the first 100 bushels of corn per acre crop in the world. He raised 116.9 bushels of corn per acre in 1917. In one year, he won first prize for the best corn in six state fairs. DE WITT C. WING DeWitt Wing was a native of Lamine township. He started his career as editor of The Missouri Democrat. He was editor of the Chicago Breeder’s Gazette for 26 years. He was editor of the Rural New Yorker, New York City. He was an information specialist for the Federal Agricultural Adjustment Administration. CHARLES WOODS Cooper County Missouri Justice of the Peace, 1820-1829, Justice of the Court, 1825. Woods was Born 1791 in Madison County, Kentucky, the fourth child of Rev. Peter Woods. In 1810 he moved to Franklin County, Tennessee. He entered the service in 1812 and Tennessee in 1814. He served as a Corporal and as a Sergeant. He served under Colonels Thomas Hart Benton and William Pillow. In both cases, the General was Andrew Jackson. Charles received 160 acres in the form of a military warrant for his service in the War of 1812. He was named a Justice of the Peace of Lamine Township, Cooper County, in 1820 by Governor Alexander McNair. The 1883 History of Cooper County lists him as a settler of Kelly Township in 1818. Charles was also named a Justice of the Peace for the Township of Moniteau, County in 1829, this time by Governor Frederick Bates. Each of these offices were for four years in duration. Charles was a County Justice, which is the equivalent of a County Commissioner today, in the May, through November Terms of 1825. According to minutes of these terms, this body was involved in the decisions of where to place roads, who would operate ferries, caring for paupers, appointed road overseers, appointed “Captain of the Patriots” in Boonville (and relieved the same), administrated patrols, approved repairs of the jail and other public properties as well as the costs associated with these, administrated the activities of the Sheriff, as well as other county officers. Charles is described in the 1883 History of Cooper County as being “for many years the leading Democrat in his neighborhood. He wa s a man of no ordinary ability, of pleasant address, and a liberal-high-toned gentleman. “Charles Woods died in January 1873 in Tipton, Missouri. He and his wife, Susan Jennings Woods, are buried in a cemetery named Woods Family Cemetery Number Two. HARVEY BUNCE Harvey Bunce was born in North Port, Long Island, New York, on October 28, 1816, the first of two children of Harvey and Keziah Jarvis Bunce. He received his education there in the commons schools. He was apprenticed to Messrs. Bayless & Co. in New York to learn the ship builder’s trade when he was 16. Four years later, he came to Missouri because he believed there were better opportunities out west for those willing to work hard. He spent the next ten years building bridges and working as a carpenter. During this time, he gained a reputation as a superior mechanic, a good businessman, and an excellent citizen. Bunce took up farming in 1847 and his political career began the following year when he was elected county assessor. He was elected sheriff at the next election and was re-elected until 1961 when he resigned. But Bunce’s service to the county were not yet over. In 1862 he was appointed public administrator, a position he held for 12 years. At the same time, he represented Cooper County in the state legislature in 1862-63. In 1864 he was a member of the state constitutional convention. His personal life as a businessman was equally successful. He was one of the leading farmers in the county and a leading bank stockholder. He was made a director of the Central National Bank of Boonville in 1866, a position he held until 1881 when he was elected vice-president of the bank. With all his interests, he was one of the most important citizens in the county. In 1868, a town about 15 miles south of Boonville was laid out and platted. It was named after Harvey Bunce. Harvey Bunce died on May 14, 1893, and was laid to rest at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Boonville. Source: Elizabeth Davis "Historically Yours"

EARLY TRANSPORTATION 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 forest. Oxen were often used for wagon transportation and continued to be used for many 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 (on paper) until 1819 . But no construction work was done upon the roads nor were they thought necessary for a many 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 ran 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. STAGE COACHES When many of us think of stage coaches we think of them in relation to the “wild west”. But stages coaches were a very important means of travel in Cooper County for many years. A stage coach was a vehicle much like an enclosed wagon with a high roof, wooden sides and doors with windows on both sides. It had an elevated seat in the front where the driver, or “whip,” was seated. Inside were seats for the passengers. The passengers sat with their baggage on their lap and mail bags under their feet. If they wanted to sleep, they had to sleep sitting up. The stage coaches were designed for travel, not comfort! They were safer than traveling alone and were often the only way to travel any distance. Roads at this time were only dirt, often rocky, and muddy after rain or snow. Coaches were pulled by draft horses, many of them Clydesdales, because of their good temperament. Stages were pulled either by two horses or a team of four. The coaches were called “stage” coaches because the travel route was done in “stages.” Stations, or stage stops were usually 10 to 15 miles apart. The horses traveled about 5 miles per hour, and pulled the coach for two to three hours. At the end of the trip between one stop and the next, the horses were replaced by another team and the tired horses rested until the return trip. Some stages traveled 60 -70 miles a day. At some stops a meal or beverages might be available, (at an extra cost) and some had provisions for sleeping. The cost of the journey was usually 10 to 15 cents per mile, which would be quite expensive based in today’s dollars. In the 1830s , a stage coach depot was located along the road between Boonville and Jefferson City. Known as "Midway" the stop was about 1 ½ miles east of the present site of Prairie Home, at Tompkins' Inn. In the mid-century, stagecoaches made regular trips to various towns in Missouri. The Tipton to Boonville Stage Coaches operated in the Cooper County area from 1850 to 1860 . An interesting account of the Tipton-Boonville Stage written by Mrs. L.H. Childs appeared in The Boonville Advertiser - Rural Life Edition, in 1940. Tipton-Boonville Stage Changed Horses at Biler Home Near Speed One and one-half miles east of Speed, in central Cooper County, stands a dilapidated but vivid reminder of the past. On the southwest corner of the crossroads at that point is an old-fashioned log house, and to the rear, only partly standing is an old barn. Up until 1868 this place buzzed with activity. It was the home of Mr. Abram Biler, his wife and two daughters, and the Boonville-Tipton stage coach made a regular stop there to change horses. The horses were cared for until the return trip, when they were changed again. The ladies served meals to the travelers. Mr. William Eller told that when he was a small boy, he would hear old Mike, the driver, come down the road blowing a bugle to let the people know the stage was coming. It is said Mike could crack his whip so loud the sound would travel almost a mile in the clear air as he drove his fine horses. Sometimes the road was hard and dry, and at other times the mud was ankle deep or the snow was drifted high, but the stage went through. The road, which now is of all-weather construction, was little more than a trail at that time. Jr. Irving Harness’ father sold the stage line a number of fine horses, as only the best animals were used to pull the coaches. It was quite a thrill for a number of small boys of the neighborhood when Mike would let them ride the stage to the bottom of the hill to the south. They never seemed to mind the tiresome walk back. Stage coach days carried their humor and tragedy, as all generations do. When Mike would linger to talk to Miss Puss Biler, some of the passengers would grow quite impatient, but that would have no effect on Mike as he would have his little visit out before he would go. During the last years of the Civil War period, an order was issued calling in all guns in an effort to stop guerrilla warfare. One evening, however, the report of a gun was heard and when neighbors investigated, they found M. Biler slain in his cucumber patch. Mr. Biler is buried with many other pioneers in the old Concord cemetery. When the branch railroad was completed between Boonville and Tipton, there was no further need for the stage line and it faded into history. Probably the last visible stage stop in Cooper County is located on the North side of Highway 5 between Boonville and Billingsville. The limestone block building was built by O.H.P. Shoemaker in 1860 and the stone was cut from a nearby quarry. He used smoother stone for the front of the building and rough-cut stone for the sides. The road in front of the house was the stage coach road/mail route to Warsaw. On the lintel above the door of the house is engraved “O.H.P. Shoemaker 1860 ” (see picture). The Shoemakers were Unionist, coming originally from Kentucky and Illinois. A son (or nephew) Horace, became a Captain during the Union occupation of Boonville and organized a voluntary cavalry unit to escort the mail, guard the telegraph wires and escort captured Confederates to Jefferson City. Capt. Shoemaker became a marked man when he took a local man named Spencer from imprisonment at the Boonville courthouse to Harley Park and hanged him without a trial. When General Price and the Confederates took control of Boonville in October 1864, Shoemaker surrendered and was confined with his family to his house in Boonville. In the dark of night, according to Van Ravensway, Spenser’s sons came for Shoemaker pretending to have orders from General Price. They took him away and Horace Shoemaker was never seen again. General Shelby was quoted later that the incident “will remain the most regrettable occurrence during the war”. East of the stone house three serious skirmishes took place that October. General Fagan stood off attacks by Union Generals Eppstein and Sanborn with heavy loss of life at Anderson’s Branch. Mrs. Shoemaker and her family, fearing further retribution fled to Oregon. The property was parceled and sold in 1866 $2,000 to Christian Osten and John Dumolt. In 1868 The Osage Valley and Southern Kansas Railroad was completed between Boonville and Tipton and the stone house was convenient to the depot at Billingsville. New immigrants arriving from Germany by steamboat took the train to Billingsville where they found welcome in their native language with the Dumolts who were originally from Alsace Lorraine. Once the railroad came through Cooper County, there was no longer a need for the stage coaches. Interestingly, once trucks and cars became popular, there was little use for trains for transportation and most of them eventually disappeared. The Dumolts and Fredericks lived in the stone house for many years, adding a kitchen and an extension to the living space at the back of the stone building. There were extensive log and frame stables on the property until the present owners, the Burnetts, cleared away the worn wooden structures, but saved the stone cottage and a large chiseled stone horse trough to preserve this part of Cooper County history. Dumolt Stage Stop on Route 5 near Billingsville

EARLY BUSINESSES Lone Rider on muddy Main Street Hill looking north. Circa 1870's Downtown Boonville in the 1930's Boonville Female Seminary 1870's by James Macurdy. Corner of Sixth and Locust St. A fire destroyed most of the building but it still stands today. You can find the story about this in Wayne's book. From the Wayne Lammers collection Main and Chestnut streets circa 1880's, looking north Harvesting Ice on the Missouri River. Photo by Max Schmidt. Circa 1900's Hotel Frederick, Main St. circa 1930 Ferd E. Arn seen behind the boy with the striped shirt in front of his Sporting Goods Store on Main St. circa 1890's. The pelican was killed by someone off the Missouri River here at Boonville. Photo by SHSMO This is inside the Ferd Arn Sporting Store where Maggie's Bar & Grill is today. Ferd is the man on the right in center in black Ferd E. Arn sold the first car in Boonville. From the Wayne Lammers collection Man biking on Main and Morgan Streets. circa 1890's. Ferd E. Arn also sold bikes in Boonville. Photo by SHSMO Gmelich Schmidt Jewelry Store Group circa 1890's. Maximilian Schmidt 2nd from left Inside Holt's cafe circa 1930/40 From the Wayne Lammers collection Garthoffner Cigar Store located where Knights of Pythias Building is today. Notice the Indian Cigarman behind the third and forth men on the right. circa 1880's. Photo by SHSMO Crowd at Zuzaks Wonder Store circa 1920. From the Wayne Lammers collection Morgan and Main Street southwest. The Senate Saloon on the corner with the James Macurdy. Photography Studio to the right. Circa 1880's. 1867 From the Wayne Lammers collection Inside Craig's Dairy on Main Street. Circa 1930/40's A.M. Koontz at 217 Main St . had a shipment of 333 wooden boxes, circa mid 1880's, of Chase & Sanborn Coffee & Tea from Boston Mass delivered via steamboat here to Boonville. This location is where Ann Harman and The Celestial Body is located today. From the Wayne Lammers collection Chief Red Fox stayed at Pete's Cafe for years telling about his life. He was a nephew of Chief Crazy Horse, the famous Sioux who fought General Custer at the Little BigHorn. Pete's Cafe has served the Boonslick area since 1920 The story of Chief Red Fox This is a broken glass plate negative taken by Max Schmidt in front of his jewelry store Gmilick & Schmidt on Main, looking toward Morgan St. Circa 1890s From the Wayne Lammers collection Beautiful home built by riverboat Captain John Porter at 312 Center Street . Circa 1890's Painting owned by the Dick Blanck Family Pottery in Boonville. Dick Blanck collection. This 9 inch jug was built by The Vollrath or Blanck Pottery Co. on Locust Street. My friend Sam Jewett dug it out of a ditch where broken pieces were discarded. The back side had a chip broken off. I repaired it and love it in my collection. Photo by Wayne Lammers Oct. 23, 2022. Walz Family Serves Boonville Grocery Store and Jewelry Born in Germany on July 29, 1838, Nicholas Waltz immigrated to the US with his family in 1846. They settled in Chicago, Illinois, where Nicholas finished growing up and received the rest of his education. When Nicholas was 19, he followed his father to Boonville where he worked as a clerk in his brother-in-law’s store. Three years later, Nicholas bought the business that he ran so well until his retirement in 1884. Nicholas grew his store to be the largest grocery store in Central Missouri and, for a number of years, could boast the largest volume of business in this part of the state. Nicholas Walz didn’t confine his interests to his business. He also devoted a good deal of his time to his community and his family. Walz served three terms on the Boonville City Council. Nicholas Walz and Julia Brenneisen, who was also born in Germany, were joined in Holy Matrimony in 1845 and the union was blessed with five sons and three daughters: Leopold C., John E., Herman G., Louise, Charles A., Julia, Laura, and Henry G. John Walz was born on November 3, 1864. He received his education in Boonville and then, in 1880, began learning the trade of watchmaker and jeweler from the firm of Hannacke and Kauffman. After four years, Walz joined the firm of Gmelich and Huber where he continued to learn the business for another ten years. In 1894, two years after his father died, Walz established his own jewelry business. A younger brother, Charles A., became his assistant. Like his father, John Walz was active in community affairs. He served as director of the Boonville Commercial Club. John was also responsible for Boonville’s “White Way” project. The plan was to light Main Street in downtown Boonville. He originated the plan, promoted it, solicited contributions, secured sufficient funds to place eight standards, and persuaded the Sombart family, who owned the electric company, to donate the power. Later, when the company was sold, he got the new owners to extend the contract for free power. For all his work on this project, Walz became known as the “Father of the White Way.” He was so well thought of that the Republican Party twice asked him to run for Mayor. Both times Walz declined saying he had no desire or preference for political honors. David Andrews, another community leader When David Andrews arrived in Old Franklin and Boonville, he was 19 and so poor he had only the shirt on his back which he washed in the Missouri River. He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on May 2, 1809, and would work hard using his financial and management gifts to eventually become one of the wealthiest men of Boonville. Andrews started out in Boonville as a tanner. Once established he went back to St. Louis for Margaret Baird whom he married. Life wasn't easy for Andrews. Twice he lost his shop by fire, but each time he rebuilt and his business continued to grow. In 1839 Boonville was incorporated into a city by the state of Missouri and Andrews was elected one of Boonville's first city councilmen. The other six were William Shields, J. L. Collins, Jacob Wyan, Charles Smith, J. S. McFarland, and J. H. Malone. Marcus Williams, Jr. was elected the first mayor and J. Rice the president of the board. Andrews didn't fair too well during the Civil War. Making canteens for Southern soldiers caused him a great deal of grief with the Union. He was attacked, beaten, and left for dead. Only by the hand of his loving wife was he found and nursed back to health. Andrews was then arrested and imprisoned in Jefferson City where General Lyons wanted him shot as a rebel sympathizer. Mrs. Andrews went to the capital determined to get him freed and did manage to secure his release. After the war, Andrews opened the first hardware store in Boonville and grew his assets to $300,000. He also took an active role in local government for a number of years by serving on the city council and becoming mayor. David Andrews died in Boonville on April 30, 1893, and is buried at Walnut Grove cemetery.

AGRICULTURE Adapted from Discover Cooper County by Ann Betteridge The first settlements in the county were made during the period between 1810 and 1820. However, it was not until the 1830s that any widespread farming began to take place. Before the 1830s, settlers relied on the trade center in Boonville to provide most of their needs. Early settlers avoided bottomlands and prairies. Because of the supply of wood for fuel and building purposes, the presence of good springs, and the good supply of game (which was the main food source at the time), settlers built their homes in the high-timbered area of the county. CENTURY FARMS Since the “Century Farm” program began in 1976, more than 8,000 Missouri farms have received the Century Farm designation. To qualify, the same family must have owned the farm for 100 consecutive years. The line of ownership from the original settler or buyer may be through related family members or spouses. The farm must be at least 40 acres of the original land acquisition and make a financial contribution to the overall farm income. LIVESTOCK In the 1830s, settlers began to recognize the value of the prairie lands for grazing livestock and growing crops. The native prairie grasses provided excellent grazing, and their extensive root systems helped develop and retain a deep topsoil layer that was very helpful in raising agricultural crops. A substantial amount of central and southern Cooper County was native prairie. By the 1840s, many farmers were raising livestock, a trend that continues today. Early settlers who came to Missouri from the southern states brought a few head of livestock with them. Raising of livestock became the basis of early Cooper County agriculture. EARLY OUTSTA NDING FARMERS Some of the people who contributed to the field of agriculture in the county were: The first purebred hogs, Duroc Jerseys, were the first west of the Mississippi, and owned by S.Y. Thornton. Ravenswood, located south of Boonville, was the site of the first purebred cattle in Missouri. These Shorthorns were the oldest herd west of the Mississippi River. Fairfield, located near Boonville, was the home of Walter B. Windsor, world-record early corn grower (1880s-1920s). Chris T. Smith, gold-medal winner for corn sample (Carter corn) at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, lived at “Walnut Dale Farm” in Cooper County. James Chambers owned the first nursery in Cooper County and grew cherry and apple trees. It was established in 1817. The first imported sheep of the Cotswold breed to Missouri were owned by Samuel H. Groves, of Cooper County. Mr. And Mrs. Thomas Nelson owned “Eminence Stock Farm” south of Boonville, near Bunceton. Mrs. Sarah Nelson was the first woman to make a specialty of producing poultry of the better breeds and of pure strain, Barred Rocks poultry. Thomas J. Wallace was known for buying, breeding, and developing saddle stock. He and his son, A.A. Wallace, owned four of the finest stallions in the country: Denmark Chief, Crigler’s Denmark, Blackbird, and King Chester 294. MULES IN COOPER COUNTY The mule has played an important part in helping people in Cooper County achieve their goals and farm their land. Besides being a power source for farmers, mules were a good cash crop. Mules have often been a supplemental source of power to the horse. However, when the going was hard, the heat intense, and the food and water scarce, the mule out-performed his horse half-brother. The Missouri Mule industry was born at the turn of the 19th century when the Santa Fe Trail opened. People returning from the Spanish town of Santa Fe, Mexico, brought gold, silver, furs, and mules with them. By 1820, Franklin, across the river from present day Boonville, was at the end of river transportation. Trappers, explorers, and other travelers rode upriver from St. Louis by boat as far as Franklin and outfitted themselves at Franklin before heading for the western world. William Becknell, explorer, returned from a trip to Santa Fe in 1822 with mules he had purchased. This was the first record of mules in Missouri. Mule power was used heavily in the Civil War and were saluted by Civil War soldiers in the song Selby’s Mule. Over 350,000 mules were sent to the British military during World War I. They were also used in World War II. During the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis, a Missouri man drove his six-mule team past all the other competition and permanently placed the phrase “Missouri Mule” in the global vocabulary. By 1870, Missouri was the major mule producing state in the nation. Many mules were bought and sold in Cooper County. During the next 30 years, mule production was the highest. In the summer of 1995, the mule was recognized by the Missouri Legislature as the official state animal. The mule is an offspring of the male donkey (Jack) and the female horse (mare). FARMING The county was also well adapted to crop farming. It was not long before raising crops also became an important part of the farming in the county. Initially, the main crop was corn. Other crops raised were wheat, oats, and barley. Many German immigrants came in the 1850s, and raised grapes and planted fruit orchards. MISSOURI STATE FAIR The major business in Cooper County in the 1850s was agriculture. The first official state fair in Missouri was held October 3-7, 1853, near the site of the old St. Joseph’s Hospital building in Boonville. The state fair was a way for farmers to get together and trade information about agriculture practices, as well as to see the finest livestock and produce raised in the state. The next two state fairs were also in Boonville. The state legislature didn’t appropriate any funds for the fair after that, although there were many county fairs throughout the state. The next official state fair was in 1901 and at that time it was moved to Sedalia, where it has remained. THE GRANGE New Lebanon had an active Grange organization in the 1870s which was an organization of farmers, established in 1867. It was officially titled “Order of Patrons of Husbandry.” The farmers were concerned with the practice of the railroads and grain elevators. By 1875, Missouri led all states in membership, but it soon began to decline. The year 1890 marked a turning point in county history because, in this year, total county population reached an all-time high. For the next 90 years the general tendency in county population was downward and people moved from farm to town. FRUIT GROWING IN COOPER COUNTY Colonel Charles Bell founded the International Apple Shippers Association. He experimented with and developed the “Lady Apple” tree in the Bell Apple Orchard located about six miles east of Boonville. For years each pupil in the Boonville Schools found a “Lady Apple” on their desk the first day of school. Apples being delivered to Boonville merchants Bell Orchard Apples being delivered. Notice the bronze dogs which are now above the entry doors at Laura Speed Elliott school. Workers at Bell Orchard Photos from Wayne Lammers Collection THE CIVIL WAR AND W WII AND AGRICULTURE During the Civil War, agriculture in the county was brought nearly to a stop. The most severe effect of the war was the drastic reduction in livestock. Crops were burned, farmers were terrorized and sometimes killed, barns and houses were burned and ransacked. Cattle and other livestock were stolen or slaughtered for food for soldiers. It wasn’t until the 1870s that farmers were able to rebuild their herds and begin farming again. WORLD II Farming began to show a slow recovery by the end of the 1930s, and then came the outbreak of World War II. Many young farmers went off to war and never came back. Those who stayed behind to farm their land were given extra support to increase their productivity, and soil conservation work began with terracing, soil liming, contour plowing, and pond building. It was about this time that the government started its “Balanced Farming” educational programs to area farmers. In 1940, Cooper County led all counties in Missouri in the number of farms on which terraces had been constructed. On December 1, 1940, the number was 207. A total of 70,000 trees were planted in gullies and eroded areas in the spring of 1940. FARMING AFTER WWII After World War II, a new era in agriculture began. In 1949, Edgar Nelson made the following observations: Tractors are fast replacing horses and mules. There is much more farm machinery used meaning more acres farmed by fewer persons. This means fewer people on the farms and a tendency toward larger farms. Practically everyone is growing hybrid corn. Lespedeza has proved a lifesaver for poor soil. There has been an increase in dairying as well as in the development of herds of beef-type cattle. Mr. Nelson’s comments were mostly good; however, at this time there was also concern that while many farmers had improved their soil, the majority of them had allowed their soil to become overworked because of the demand for crops at high prices. Due to the negligence of the soil, there has been a general loss of topsoil and soil fertility. Farmers currently rely on big applications of fertilizers to keep high yields. Farmers began to use chemical insecticides and herbicides in the early 1950's. COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE New Lebanon Home Improvement Club Since the colonists first landed on the shores of North America, men and women have been joining together for survival and social activities. Granted, many social gatherings revolved around barn raisings and quilting bees, but any excuse to get together was welcome. Years passed and times changed, but the need to socialize never went away. In June 1937, Miss Margaret Van Orsdol came to Cooper County as the new County Home Agent. Barely two weeks later, she was at the little country school house in New Lebanon explaining to a group of busy rural ladies how to organize an extension club. The New Lebanon Home Improvement Club was founded that same day with 11 charter members and officers were elected. The group decided to meet in members' homes on the fourth Thursday of each month. Dues were one cent a month. By 1970, they had risen to $1.25/year. Membership reached 19 by the end of the year. Six more extension clubs were organized that year. With the three that had been formed in 1936 (Lone Elm Lively Ladies, County Line Homemakers, and Brick Extension Club), the county now had ten such clubs. By the end of 1942, Cooper County could boast 23 extension clubs. Like their ancestors, these get-togethers were more than social events. The ladies learned cooking, canning, food preservation, gardening, dress making, aluminum etching, glass etching, textile painting, yard improvement, remodeled kitchens, and community improvements. They learned about health, first-aid, and other interesting, beneficial and educational topics. While social events included bridal and baby showers, they were not limited to the ladies. There were annual family Thanksgiving suppers, ice cream socials, picnics, trips and tours. According to the “History of New Lebanon, Cooper County, Mo” which was published in 1976, the organization's 35th Anniversary was observed on June 22, 1972, at the home of Mrs. Clarence Brumback.

EARLY CEMETERIES EARLY CEMETERIES IN COOPER COUNTY Both life and death were serious concerns for the early settlers. Life spans were shorter, and life more perilous than today. Drug stores were nonexistent and doctors were few and far between. Children often died during their first year, and mothers often died in childbirth. It was only natural that churches would want to provide for the passing of their flock by establishing a cemetery near the church. The cemetery was often placed behind the church, but could also be on either side of the church, or across the road, depending on the size and situation of the church property. WHERE ARE THE OLD CEMETERIES? The same fate of old churches has happened to many old cemeteries. When the church and the members were no longer there, the cemeteries become neglected or forgotten. Then, the area where the cemeteries were located was often plowed and planted with crops. Headstones become stepping stones, or were broken up and tossed away. This is a great loss for those who want to preserve history and locate the final resting place of their ancestors. The picture below is the statue of Kate Tracy, a young woman who died in 1854 from cholera at the age of 17. She has a beautiful monument at Walnut Grove cemetery. Someone always puts flowers in her hand which are changed with the seasons. No one knows who does this. This statue was restored to its original beauty by the Hannah Cole Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, in 2019. See the article from the 3/20/2021 “Missouri Life” magazine which tells the story of Kate Tracy and the monument . Early photo of Walnut Grove Cemetery Walnut Grove Cemetery, Oct. 31, 2018 by Wayne Lammers Walnut Grove is the largest cemetery in Boonville and one of, if not the largest, in Cooper County. Some have referred to it as “the biggest city in Cooper County.” It began in the mid 1850’s as a Romantic-style cemetery and expanded in the 1880’s when the cypress trees were planted and the wrought iron fence was installed. Today Walnut Grove is a wildlife and plant sanctuary due to the planning of George Kessler, a famous landscape architect, who laid a master plan for the cemetery. Watch for the horse water troughs and horse rings that are scattered throughout. Walnut Grove has many impressive graves and monuments. A walk through the cemetery will not disappoint you. Walnut Grove was designed to be a prestigious cemetery and that is reflected in the number of wealthy and famous residents who chose it for their final resting place. Some of the famous people buried there include: Civil War Confederate General R. McCullough; Lon Stephens, former Governor of Missouri and his wife; Educator Laura Speed Elliot; Steamboat Captain Joseph Kinney; and many members of the Leonard family who built Ravenswood and are large land holders in Cooper County; and David Barton, the first US Senator from Missouri who also wrote the Missouri State Constitution that allowed Missouri to become a state. DAVID BARTON TOMBSTONE AND LOT RESTORATION WALNUT GROVE CEMETERY, BOONVILLE, MISSOURI By Dr. Maryellen McVicker In 1821 Missouri finally was admitted to the Union as the 23rd state. One of the main men involved in this process was David Barton who chaired the Constitutional Convention and who wrote the Constitution which was submitted to Congress for the admission of Missouri. He then became the first Senator and represented the new state in the U.S. Congress. When he died, he was buried in Boonville, Missouri. The restoration of his tombstone, lot, and adjacent horse watering tough was an appropriate Missouri Bicentennial Project and was undertaken by the Walnut Grove Cemetery Board and the Hannah Cole Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. Barton died penniless on September 28, 1837 . The Gibson family and the citizens of Boonville held a fund-raising drive to place a suitable tombstone over his grave after his burial in what was then called the City Cemetery. Today the name has been changed to Sunset Hills Cemetery. This was accomplished with the erection of an obelisk embellished with all his accomplishments. In 1853 Boonville citizens established Walnut Grove Cemetery, a privately-owned rural park cemetery located on the east edge of town south of Cole’s Fort where David Barton had held court. The area contained a large grove of walnut trees and local promoters had obtained the ground where Cole’s Fort was located and were turning it into the First State Fair in Missouri. Cemeteries were the largest tourist attractions in the United States at the time and the founders of Walnut Grove realized they could capitalize on the cemetery location and attract large crowds if only they had somebody of national prominence buried on the ground. Thus, the remains of David Barton were moved from Sunset Hills to Walnut Grove Cemetery in March 1853 . The cemetery investors decided a new tombstone was needed and so political strings were pulled. On December 8, 1855 the Missouri legislature authorized $400 to erect a new marble gravestone and build an iron fence around the circular lot. The inscription on this new stone repeated exactly the inscription on the earlier tombstone which was left in place in Sunset Hills Cemetery. The new tombstone was over 20 feet tall and was ornamented by an intricately carved torch shown being extinguished by being turned upside down. The dousing of an eternal flame was intended to symbolize how the death of Barton caused knowledge to be extinguished. The first gravestone remained in Sunset Hills Cemetery until 1899 . The University of Missouri acquired the original Thomas Jefferson Tombstone and displayed it on the Frances Quadrangle near the recently completed Jesse Hall. A member of a MU fraternity was visiting family in Boonville and wondered about the Barton tombstone. When told the details, he determined his fraternity would move the stone to MU and place it near the Jefferson monument as a visible reminder of another person interested in Missouri education. The fraternity raised enough money to accomplish the goal and the tombstone is still on the Francis Quadrangle at the University of Missouri. Original David Barton Tombstone previously located in Sunset Hills Cemetery—photo taken in the 1890’s Earliest known photo of David Barton Tombstone in Walnut Grove Cemetery shows fence posts for the iron fence around the lot and tombstone Original Tombstone now located on the Francis Quadrangle at the University of Missouri in Columbia The State Fair was not a financial success in Boonville, and the honor was soon passed to Sedalia, Missouri. But the David Barton monument, fence, and lot graced by walnut trees remained in place. A horse watering trough was placed immediately to the north of the lot so that the horses pulling hearses in funeral processions could drink. In 1901 nationally known landscape architect, George Kessler, was hired to develop a landscaping scheme for the cemetery. Suddenly it was the 21st century and the Missouri Bicentennial Commemoration was just around the corner. Although the Kessler plan was still in place, inevitable changes had occurred. The walnut trees on the Barton lot had died of old age. The iron fence was removed during a scrap metal drive. Horses no longer pulled hearses to the cemetery so the trough was dry. Not having any descendants, nothing had been done on the Barton lot since he was buried there so long ago. The Hannah Cole Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, wanted to commemorate the Missouri Bicentennial with a project that would have a lasting positive impact in the community. Restoration of the David Barton tombstone, replacement of the fence, repair of the watering trough and replacing walnut trees became the goal. Happily, the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution has a competitive national competition for grants that are used for historic projects. The Hannah Cole Chapter DAR and Cole’s Fort Chapter Children of the American Revolution (CAR) applied for one of these grants. CAR members measured how much fence would be required and decided to undertake the watering trough as their project, intending to plant it with flowers each year. Needless to say, all were thrilled when this project was granted the entire amount of requested funds. Cole’s Fort CAR member Abbie Wax looking at tape measure after measuring the size of a lot foundation stone at the David Barton tombstone (behind her)—Walnut Grove Cemetery, Boonville, Missouri, in November 2019 The watering trough on the north side of the David Barton lot with his tombstone in the background behind CAR member Abbie Wax. Stone, circular foundation blocks are visible. The first thing done was to clean the tombstone with D/2 chemical solution. The entire stone was also checked from top to bottom for cracks and fissures. Amazingly. the stone was still perfectly level after 164 years. The watering trough was also thoroughly cleaned and all cracks were repaired. Refilled with dirt, the trough was turned into a beautiful flower bed. Cole’s Fort members, Children of the American Revolution (CAR) planted the watering trough one Sunday evening just before Memorial Day weekend so it would look nice for that holiday. Originally, the iron fence posts had been set in the circular foundation stones going around the lot. When the replacement fence arrived, the installation crew found the stones to be too fragile to withstand post holes drilled into them. With supervision from the cemetery superintendent, the fence was placed in the grass in the lot in the best position for weed eating, creating a win-win project where the fence was replaced and the original stones were kept. The final phase is to plant walnut trees again on the lot. This was done in Fall 2020 . Hopefully, this lot and the items placed on it will survive and be in good condition when Missouri celebrates its Tricentennial in 2120 . The finished product! August 2020 Cole’s Fort CAR Members plant the watering trough—May 2020 Sunset Hills - If Walnut Grove was the place to be buried for Boonville’s rich and famous, Sunset Hills was the resting place for everyone else. Some of Boonville’s earliest settlers are buried there. The city of Franklin was the starting point of the Santa Fe Trail and travelers who died on their way west often ended up in Sunset Hills. The same held true for criminals – the first stone in Sunset Hills belongs to James West, who was hung for murder. Mrs. George Caleb Bingham, Sarah Elizabeth, is buried in Sunset Hills. Sunset Hills was started by the Methodists as a Methodist church burial ground. Soon, there were too many burials, and the Methodists turned the cemetery over to the city. Many people think that Sunset Hills is the Black cemetery in Boonville, but the segregation was not intentional. After Walnut Grove was built, many of the wealthier families moved their family to Walnut Grove, leaving Sunset Hills de facto segregated. To date, there are no Black people buried in Walnut Grove. There are many African-American Civil War veterans buried in Sunset Hills who fought for the North. Perhaps they are near the mass grave for the Union soldiers. Photos courtesy of Sharon Dyer and Wayne Lammers With permission from Sharon Dyer With permission from Sharon Dyer HANNAH COLE GRAVE SITE Hannah Cole Head Stone Dedication of Hannah Cole Grave Site, October 31, 1932 Hannah Cole, a widow with nine children, is believed to be the first white woman head of household to venture south of the Missouri River within the state of Missouri. Many historians have portrayed Hannah Cole and her family as courageous leaders in the pioneer days of Cooper County, Missouri. She came to what was to become Cooper County along with her sister Phoebe and her brother-in-law Stephen and their children, who were the first white people to settle in the present site of Boonville in early 1810. She has been lauded as “Missouri’s greatest Pioneer Mother.” The Briscoe Cemetery was deeded by William Briscoe to the people of the community in 1867. It was a family burying ground as early as 1825. The cemetery, which is one acre in size, is located on Highway 5 about 15 miles south of Boonville. The burial place of Hannah Cole and many of her family had long lain unattended for many years. Some of the headstones had fallen down and many were sunken into the ground. Hannah’s grave was unmarked until the Pilot Grove Daughters of the American Revolution (D.A.R.) decided to mark her burial place in 1932. A huge red Granite boulder from southeast Missouri, was moved to the historical burial site as a gift from the highway Department. Circling the base of the boulder are cemented 13 large stones, each stone from one of the Cooper County townships. The grave was formally dedicated on October 30,1932 with a bronze plaque set into the Granite. The inscription reads: “Cooper County’s first white woman settler, whose unfailing courage in facing the dangers of the wilderness and a cruel Indian War entitles her to be called a Pioneer Mother of early Missouri Civilization 1764-1843 The fenced cemetery is located next to land which is now the Hannah Cole Wayside Park, maintained by the state of Missouri. The Briscoe Cemetery is maintained by the Cole Family Association. This cemetery is a spot of historical interest for all Missourians. Other Cooper County cemeteries on the map that follows are: Saint Joseph , in Pilot Grove (#39) and Saints Peter and Paul (#42) in Boonville, are the two largest Catholic cemeteries in the Boonslick region. Hannah Cole , the founding mother of Boonville, is buried in Briscoe (#6) cemetery. Pleasant Green (#31) features the graves of several Civil War era soldiers. Pisgah (#29) is also notable for Civil War burials, including the grave of one of the two Robert McCulloughs. The Robert McCulloughs were cousins, and both were Confederate soldiers. General McCullough is buried in Walnut Grove. Concord (#10) is one of the oldest cemeteries in Cooper County and it’s the oldest Baptist cemetery in the region. Pleasant Grove Evangelical (#32) is a German cemetery where originally, they buried people in order of the date of death instead of in family groups, an old German custom. Today they are buried in family groupings. Old Lamine (#26) is a typical country church cemetery. At New Lebanon Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery (#23) you will find all styles of graves, including the four wives of Mr. Mahan. Wives number 2, 3 and 4 have identical headstones. Wife #1’s stone has fallen over- perhaps because of too much grave rolling? Perhaps Mr. Mahan got a volume discount on tombstones. As for him, he’s buried on his own lot. Makes you wonder why. Other Cooper County cemeteries on the map that follows are: Saint Joseph , in Pilot Grove (#39) and Saints Peter and Paul (#42) in Boonville, are the two largest Catholic cemeteries in the Boonslick region. Pleasant Green (#31) features the graves of several Civil War era soldiers. Pisgah (#29) is also notable for Civil War burials, including the grave of one of the two Robert McCulloughs. The Robert McCulloughs were cousins, and both were Confederate soldiers. General McCullough is buried in Walnut Grove. Concord (#10) is the oldest cemetery in Cooper County and it’s the oldest Baptist cemetery in the region. Pleasant Grove Evangelical (#32) is a German cemetery where originally, they buried people in order of the date of death instead of in family groups, an old German custom. Today they are buried in family groupings. Old Lamine (#26) is a typical country church cemetery. “Corn” Taylor” moved to Cooper County in about 1817. He brought with him a number of slaves. He asked to be buried in a local cemetery and also have his slaves buried there beside him. When his request was denied, he chose a burial place on his own property, and his slaves were buried there also. It is thought that as many as sixteen or more slaves were buried there. There is one large marker with the Taylor data. About twenty-nine graves were counted here, but unknown, as the only markers are rocks. Missouri Law 214.455 – Destruction or defacing any cemetery property, penalty : Every person who shall knowingly destroy, mutilate, disfigure, deface, injure, or remove any tomb, monument, or gravestone, or other structure placed in such cemetery or burial ground or place of burial of any human being, is guilty of a class A misdemeanor. Terms Used in Missouri Laws 214.455 Misdemeanor: Usually a petty offense, a less serious crime than a felony, punishable by less than a year of confinement. Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Missouri Laws 1.020 INFORMATION ON COOPER COUNTY CEMETERIES The first two sites will help you locate the cemeteries and those who are buried there. The Website “Find A Grave ” is very helpful to find graves anywhere in the US. North American obituaries Secretary of State - To request an appointment email archives@sos.mo.gov or call (573) 751-3280. Cooper County MO Cemetery Records - LDS Genealogy Biographical Memorabilia for Cooper County Taylor Springs Burial Ground Cemetery References at CCHS : Pleasant Green Underground by Florence Friedrichs – booklet detailing a brief history of the town of Pleasant Green and those who are buried there. For sale at CCHS - price $9 Cemetery Records and file information for Cooper, Moniteau and Morgan Counties. Card File with Individual Burial Records Cemetery Record Books with burials listed Cemetery Locations – see end of Early Churches , listing churches by Township Notebooks listing burials by cemetery Cemetery map brochure with 52 cemeteries– free Large cemetery wall map of 186 cemetery locations Church Records in File Drawer 104 different churches some with a great deal of information See last portion of Church section for listing of some cemeteries by Township Cooper County Missouri Genealogy good source of cemetery information Cooper County Cemetery Records Map of majority of the old Cooper County Cemeteries

DISCOVERY OF FORT MCMAHAN MCMAHAN FORT Background - Lamine Township was settled about 1810. The first settlers were David Jones, a Revolutionary War soldier; Thomas, Samuel and James McMahan; Stephen, Samuel and Jesse Turley; and Saunders Townsend. Other families soon followed and joined the settlement. The Jones’ settlement also known as McMahan’s settlement was located about midway between Arrow Rock and the Lamine River. During the War of 1812 two fortifications were built for the protection of the 15 families in the settlement. McMahan’s Fort was described as a “little stockade” and was located on the bluff. McMahan’s Fort was also sometimes referred to as Anderson’s Fort. William Reed built a smaller blockhouse or fortified cabin that was probably in the nearby river bottoms. McMahan’s Fort was burned by Sac & Fox Indians in September of 1814. Reed’s Fort may have suffered the same fate but its location has almost certainly been washed away by the Missouri River. The inhabitants of both forts had fled to the greater safety of Cooper’s Fort just before they were attacked in 1814. [Settlers at McMahan Fort Area: Written by William D. Lay 1998.] At the mouth of the Lamine River is a natural bedrock shoreline that made it easy for docking the flatboats and keel-boats. Workers could toil from the shore line, loading supplies for traveling up and down the river. Among some of these early settlers were the McMahans. The McMahans traveled from their Kentucky homes at the very beginning of organized settlement and became established in what is now the Lamine Township. According to history, these families lived along the south side of the Missouri River just west and north of the Lamine River. Samuel McMahan was attacked by hostile Indians and killed on December 24, 1814. One account says he was driving some cattle, another said he was chopping down a bee tree for honey, yet another family tradition said he was drawing water from a spring. This is an example of the difficulty of relying on reminisces made by old pioneers 40 or 50 years after the event occurred. One of Samuel’s sons, Samuel Woodson McMahan, became one of the largest landholders of Cooper County, owned a tract of 1,000 acres that was worked by many slaves. William McMahan’s Fort Written by William D. Lay 1998 Constructed date - most likely 1812 or after. Location: On the Missouri, 2 miles North of Lamine River where it empties into the Missouri River, Samuel Cole (Son of Hannah Cole) said the fort was located on the south side of the Missouri River some 5 miles south from Cooper’s Fort. Judge Frederick Hyatt said the fort was located 4 miles below Arrow Rock on the south side of the Missouri. William Reed, a son-in-law of McMahan had his blockhouse in the east half of the northeast quarter of section 7 township 49 range 18. The fort was thought to be on the hill immediately to the south. Commonly referred to as the Jones Settlement. (But in later years, no one was sure where the exact location of the fort was). THE ATTACK BY THE INDIANS AS THE SETTLERS WERE ABANDONING THE FORT Written by William D. Lay 1998 A few weeks before the Dodge force [a military unit to help guard these early forts] got to the Boonslick Area, the settlers learned that the Sauks and Miamis were assembling for an attack on the 14 families on the south bank of the Missouri, about two miles above the Lamine River, and about five miles below Cooper’s Fort. There were too many hostile Indians for those settlers, so they left their homes and started to Cooper’s Fort. They had planned to move the families on the first day then go back the next day to pick up their household goods and livestock. They had hardly gotten the last person on their canoes when the Indians crept up and attacked them as they were leaving. The Indians killed Thomas McMahan but the balance with their families escaped. They were still in their canoes when they looked back and saw the smoke curling up from the fires that the Indians had set to the stockade. This fire consumed all their household goods and clothing, and the Indian took all their horses and cattle. This was probably done about July 20th of 1814. Author’s Note: Cooper’s Fort was a much larger and secured fort. It was located about one mile south of where the town of Petersburg is today, in The Howard County River Bottoms. [From History of Cooper County Missouri by W. F. Johnson – 1919] Most of the settlers in the Boonslick Country came from Kentucky and Tennessee where they had earlier experienced conflict with American Indians. The attitude of the settlers towards any Indians whether they were friend or foe ranged from condescension to loathing, fear and outright hatred. The Indians with which our early settlers had to contend were idle, shiftless, vicious and treacherous. In the presence of the white settlers they were apparently frank, accommodating, and kind, yet they nursed the tradition that the white man was their natural enemy, and would eventually dispossess them of their "happy hunting grounds" . Warfare in the Boonslick was not just a matter of wanton “blood lust” by Indians as some have characterized it. It represented a larger clash of cultures that sometimes manifested itself in bloodshed. The Indians for the most part saw white settlers as trespassers on land they possessed for generations, threatening their livelihood and culture. For them, the attacks were acts of self-defense. The famous Sac warrior Black Hawk who led raids into Missouri Territory and the Boonslick expressed in 1833 a view many Indians long held towards Americans; I had not discovered one good trait in the character of the Americans that had come to the country. They made fair promises but never fulfilled them. Whilst the British made but few, but we could always rely on their word…Why did the Great Spirit ever send the whites to this island, to drive us from our homes, and introduce among us poisonous liquors, disease and death? They should have remained upon the island where the Great Spirit first placed them. Casualties in the Boonslick were relatively light during the war. Only about dozen or so whites were killed and possibly a similar number of Indians. Numbers of wounded on both sides may have been the same. Lindsey Carson, the father of famed western scout Kit Carson, had both thumbs shot off in one skirmish with Indians. After the war, John Mason Peck, a Baptist missionary, wrote of the hardship experienced by the Boonslick settlers: “With all their vigilance during the war, about three hundred horses were stolen; many cattle and nearly all their hogs were killed. Bear-meat and raccoon-bacon became a substitute…” Deerskin clothing became the daily attire, as neither cotton nor flax could be grown in any quantity to manufacture cloth. A few days ago, a barge belonging to Messrs. M. Lisa & Co. which was ascending the Missouri to their trading establishment, were induced to stop at Mackay’s Saline, (commonly called Boon’s Lick) as the country was overrun by the Indians and all the inhabitants were in Forts. The crew which arrived here on Saturday night, last…reports that on the south side of the Missouri, the Indians had taken all the horses and were killing the cattle for food; that on their arrival at the Saline, the people of Coles’ fort were interring a man just shot by the Indians. On the north side near Kincaid’s fort a man was killed in a flax field. Missouri Gazette, August 13, 1814 Settlers at McMahan Fort Area: Written by William D. Lay 1998. “Claims for Indian Reparations from McMahan Fort” during June and July 1814, attacks on eleven members of the McMahan Fort: Author’s Note: The following information was prepared by Lyman Copeland Draper’s Notes, Roll 22S March 30, 1815 Act of Congress. (The federal government took these depositions in 1825 - Mike Dickey) Results of the Attack - The McMahan Fort was burned to the ground in the Indian attack. The attacking Indians carried off anything that was of value to them, and destroyed what remained, so that there was nothing left for the former inhabitants to reclaim. INDIAN WAR REPARATIONS [CHAPTER XIII. (William D. Lay] AN ACT TO REGULATE TRADE AND INTERCOURSE WITH THE INDIAN TRIBES. SEC. 14 MEANS OF REDRESS PRESCRIBED FOR TRANSGRESSIONS OF INDIANS AGAINST WHITE SETTLERS. Claims for losses by Indians during the June and July 1814 raids, (or transgressions) were filed by about 11 members of families at and around McMahan Fort, Lamine Township. AUTHOR’S NOTE: IN THE INTEREST OF BREVITY, OF THE 11 FAMILIES THAT HAD DAMAGE, I WILL ONLY LIST ONE OF THE FAMILIES BELOW. McMahan, Thomas, (June or July 1814): “Site of the McMahan Fort” 1 sorrel mare, about four years old, 14 1/2 hands high, appraised to, $50.00 10 Head of hogs, $45.00 1 Axe, $2.00 1 Bottle of the oil of vitriol, $2.00 4 Pair of stockings, $4.00 1 large bear skin, $1.50 1/2 bushel’s sowing of wheat, $30.00 1/2 acre of flax, $2.50 1 bed quilt, $3.00 Total $140.00 AUTHOR’S NOTE: At present, I’m inquiring to see if payments by the Federal Government to the white settlers were made. Seems this is going to be another rabbit hole that I need to travel down to get the rest of the story. Where was the McMahan Fort Located? William McMahan’s Fort: Written by William D. Lay 1998. Constructed date: April, 1810/11 Location: On the Missouri, 2 miles North of Lamine River where it empties into the Missouri River, Samuel Cole (Son of Hannah Cole) said the fort was located on the south side of the Missouri River some 5 miles south from Cooper’s Fort. Judge Frederick Hyatt said the fort was located 4 miles below Arrow Rock on the south side of the Missouri. William Reed, a son-in-law of McMahan had his blockhouse in the east half of the northeast quarter of section 7 township 49 range 18. The fort was thought to be on the hill immediately to the south. Commonly referred to as the Jones Settlement. Many attempts have been made to find the exact location of this fort. However, two hundred years later it is believed that some eager historians, seeking the location with metal detectors, may have found the exact location. Fast Forward over 200 years to March of 2018 - Exploration to Find the Lost Lamine Fort - McMahan Fort By Wayne Lammers - October, 2019 I have two friends who called me one day in the winter of 2018, wanting to do some metal detecting to find some history in the City of Boonville. Knowing that Boonville has been searched for years, I wanted to find something virgin. Lamine was this virgin spot. As I have always known that the area around Lamine is full of history. My mother was born in that small town in 1919 along the tracks of the Missouri Pacific RR. I thought of some of the stories that she had told me living here in Boonville. I knew that General William H. Ashley lived there and ran a fur trading company out west. General Ashley (1780-1838) was an entrepreneur in the Louisiana Territory in the early days of its existence. He made money in real estate and manufacturing in St. Louis, MO, and during the War of 1812, he joined the Missouri Militia where he earned the rank of Brigadier General. At war’s end, he was elected the first Lieutenant Governor of the newly admitted state of Missouri in 1820. Ashley decided to try his luck in the fur trade business, which was quite lucrative at the time. Beaver hats were the height of fashion in Europe, driving massive demand for furs. Ashley decided to employ different methods of trade. The fur trade establishments on the upper Missouri did business by trading with local tribes of Indians. Ashley’s Company employed a few hunters/trappers directly, but most of their furs and skins were obtained through the trading with Indians. Ashley decided to send hundreds of men out to obtain furs directly by hunting and trapping. The men would be paid in furs, keeping half of what they collected as payment. William Ashley famously advertised in St. Louis newspapers in the 1820s: To enterprising young men. “The subscriber wishes to engage one hundred young men to ascend the Missouri to its source, there to be employed for one, two, or three years. For particulars enquire of Major Andrew Henry who will ascend with, and command, the party; or of the subscriber near St. Louis.” Thus, started his career in the fur trade business. He traveled with his company of men in keelboats up the Missouri River. He was very successful in trading with the Indians out west. He was buried inside an Indian mound overlooking the Missouri and Lamine Rivers in 1838. Many local people in the Lamine area have stated that General Ashley was buried in this Indian mound standing up right and that he wanted to watch over the Missouri and Lamine Rivers. This site is only two miles south of the site of the McMahan Fort. I have friends living in the Lamine area who know the early history there. Another old friend, Bob Dyer, who passed away on April 11, 2007, called me about 21 years ago, and asked me to go with him in a search of a Lost Lamine Fort. I had never heard of this. He had an idea where the McMahan Fort might be located which be on a farm on a hillside overlooking the Missouri River on property owned by another friend who will remain anonymous. In respect to these friends, I will not name them. Bob Dyer and I searched the area but found nothing. At that time, we had no metal detectors. On March 23, 2018, my two new friends and I went to this site again to see what we could find using a model Spectra VX3 made by White Metal Detectors, with a 13-inch coil. We were in high hopes to find something that would spur us on in our search of this lost early Lamine pioneer fort. Right away we started getting numerous metal hits in the grid that we laid out in this field overlooking the Missouri River. A nail. Another nail, and more square nails were the first finds of the day. Knowing that this type of nail would not have been used by early pioneers, we were disheartened. Over the years, a family must have built a home on this site resulting in our finding the square nails and other more modern artifacts like hinges, hand irons, meat cleaver, early wrenches, door knobs and so on. This field was semi level, overlooking the Missouri River which was about 400 yards away to the north. We were high enough to see that the river, could have been closer to this field some 200 years earlier. The area we were searching was a field of harvested corn, so searching was rather easy. LOOK what we found! Then it happened…… “A SILVER COIN!” someone cried!!! That’s right, a Spanish Real, dated 1806, and it was in fine shape (see photo below). In the early history of the expansion of the Far West, currency was in its infancy. No one bought things outright with cash. They bartered for things that they wanted. Federal Jacket Button Black Flint from England, supplied to Indians from British, porcelain dish shard Fired Musket Ball - impression from the wadding Cuff Button from Federal Uniform Osage Arrowhead Military Button with Stars Dime and Cuff Button 1806 Spanish Real Front and Back Mike Harris examining artifacts Map lists the settlers of Fort McMahan We were jumping up and down, still screaming to high heavens. This was again, a big find. The date on the old coin was 1806. The same year Lewis & Clark’s Expedition returned from their voyage to find a pathway to the Pacific Ocean. This was unbelievable. On the many trips to the site, we would stay as long as we could. After the finding of the 1806 silver coin, we again, hit the ground running. We started to find quite a few brass and metal buttons that we dated from the late 1700s and early 1800s. Some were made in England with eagles adorned on them which we felt were from an early military uniform. During the War of 1812 the Federal Government sent platoons of armed military units in to the established forts along the Missouri River to protect these early settlers. Forts like Cooper’s Fort, Fort Hempstead, Fort Kincaid, Hannah Cole’s Fort, Stephen Cole’s Fort and McMahan Fort were mostly situated each about 5 miles apart from one another. Many of the military must have stayed at the McMahan Fort for we found many of these military buttons at our site. We found a rusty broad ax that weighed about three pounds that may have been used to fell trees for the construction of the fort. I was told by the owner of the property that a spring was in a ravine about 60 yards to the south of the site. A water spring was so necessary for the livelihood of the pioneers. They needed it for survival. Good clean water for cooking, bathing for watering of animals and so on. He also told me that years ago, it was covered by a land slide that had a large tree on the slid area and stopped the flow of water. With this in mind, we proceeded to see what we could find. As we arrived at the spot, we could see the area that had slid down the embankment. You could tell we were near this spot. We looked under a bunch of fallen branches and found this wonderful running water again, coming up out of the ground (see photo below). Back at the site we found a multitude of lead musket balls scattered all over the site. I found only one that was completely round and had not been fired. The rest were all deformed from impact. We began finding a large quantity of broken pieces of cast iron that were from two to four inches across and about one forth inch thick. Some had little feet and handles on them that looked like they were from a large pot or kettle. Why so many???? And why everywhere???? At one point, we were finding so many cast iron pieces that we started to throw them out of the target field. This puzzled me for months. And then it finally came to me. While the Indians were burning the fort, the Indian braves began destroying all the household articles in the fort, like large kettles, pans and lids, knives, forks and spoons, everything. We found a spoon and fork broken and both bent double. We also found large stones in the area that could have been used for breaking up the cast iron and then scattered the pieces so that the pioneers could no longer use them. The Indians wanted the pioneers to leave this area and be gone… Forever. I consulted with another local historian who said Indians did this very thing when they destroyed a settlement or a fort. Discovered the spring CHECKING MY FINDS WITH EXPERTS On May 9th, 2019 I followed a lead from Michael Dickey who is the Administrator of the Arrow Rock Museum who has been helping me with my story. He advised me to contact Michael D. Harris who is an authority on the War of 1812. He is also a High School History teacher for some 29 years in St. James, MO. Michael D. Harris - War of 1812 in Missouri researcher for 32 years. BS ED in History, Masters in History. Michael Harris is very knowledgeable of the War of 1812 history. Mr. Harris stated “I think this MIGHT be the site (McMahan Fort). I need to see all your artifacts and the site itself before I can give you my honest opinion". So far, everything looks good.” He visited the fort site in June of 2019 to view the artifacts that we found. When I first called Michael Harris, I felt, he thought that I was pulling his leg. Right away he wanted facts and wanted to see artifacts. That same day, I sent him some clear photos that I had taken of the 1806 Spanish coin and what I thought were military buttons. He listened to my ideas on what we had discovered in the field overlooking the Missouri River. He was patient with me and I knew he was digesting my responses. He wasn’t satisfied with just some of the buttons. He wanted to see all of them, front and back. It took some time to send about 30 or so images of buttons, coins, and shot musket balls and etc. to him. Being a novice at this documentation, I had failed to place a scale or ruler by each object showing its size. My mother always told me “If you’re going to do something, do it right.” So, I proceeded to photograph them with ruler in hand. He also wanted to see the Early American Broad Axe that we found. On June 15th, 2019 I met with Michael Harris, Michael Dickey and the metal detector friend, to show all artifacts from the site at Lamine. This is to establish if this is the McMahan Fort Site that we have read about in the early history books from Cooper and Howard Counties, for once and for all. On this date we all sat down to view the multitude of artifact from the site. I was very excited to see what Harris and Dickey had to say about our finds. We met at 10 am and studied the relics for some 2 hours. We wanted to make a bee line, only 4 miles to the fort site. This didn’t happen. The Flood of 2019 stopped us in our tracks. Literally. Two of the 3 roads to the site were flooded by the Missouri River. After about one hour, we walked through the rain and waist high field corn to the hill overlooking the Missouri and Lamine Rivers. While my friend with the metal detector was scanning the ground, I took Michael Harris to the spring near the site. We found the spring flowing a fine stream of water to the Missouri River which was very nearby because of the flooding. We made our way back and found my friend who had found some square nails, earthenware, pottery and some broken Indian points. But nothing to shout out about. It was getting late and Mr. Harris needed to travel a long way home so we said our good-byes and left. When I got home all three of us exchanged emails about the day and our findings. Mr. Harris sent me photos of the washed pottery and earthenware. The metal detector operator did the same with what he and I found. In his bag of goodies, he found a black piece of flint about one inch long, about the size of my thumb nail. In studying it, we think he found a black flint from an early Flint Lock Rifle from the early 1800’s. CONCLUSIONS; Michael Harris wrote me saying: “I saw Mike’s [Mike Dickey] comment about the flint being English and I agree. The best flint came from England and was heavily imported before the war. [War of 1812]. The local flint in Missouri is gray and white as you know. The darker the flint, the better the spark. Yeah, the best flints came from England.” Now, about the fort. Do you have a specific reference to the Fort being on Thomas’ place? As you know, William McMahan had a blockhouse which was burned by the Indians. This was the only reference I have located about a McMahan Fort. We do know that Samuel had two houses on his property which does coincide with the areas you discovered in that field. Either one area is a trash pit or there was a structure there which matches the description.” This was the clincher. This had to be the site of the Lost Lamine Fort that has been gone from our history books for over 200 years…… The McMahan Fort. I believe that this story needs to be told because the people of Lamine should be very proud and need to preserve the heritage and legacy that they possess… Forever. Wayne Lammers - Boonville, MO Settlement in Lamine Township REFERENCES References: (Courtesy of Mike Dickey, Site Administrator, Arrow Rock Historic Site) Google Books – A History of Cooper County Missouri, 1876 Google Books – History of Howard and Cooper Counties, Missouri, 1883 Google Books – History of Cooper County Missouri, 1919 Library of Congress – Illustrated Historical Atlas of Cooper County, 1897 BALTIMORE KENTUCKY AXE HEAD The axe came from Kentucky to settle this new land lived in this area. History also states they built a fort to keep the families safe from roving Indians that were not peaceful to the new invaders who wanted to steal their land. The Indians were supplied by the British to help prevent these settlers from taking a foothold in the land west of the Missouri River. During the War of 1812, the settlers at Fort McMahan, located just 2 miles north of the Lamine River, were at peace. It wasn’t until June and July of 1815, that the Indians did attack this fort and drove all pioneers north across the Missouri River to a well established settlement called Coopers Fort, some 6 miles away. During the summer of 2019, I decided to restore a fine old rusty axe that was found on a hillside of the Missouri River just north of the Lamine River. The summer before I, along with two of my friends, were searching for a lost fort in the Lamine area. History books told us that twelve to fourteen pioneer families that see the fires from their homes and Fort McMahan. They never returned. Fast forward 200 years. I always wanted to fine a piece of history by digging in the earth. My friends felt the same, so I took them to where I thought this Lost McMahan Fort was located. Twenty five years ago my friend Bob Dyer took me to where he thought this fort was located. We had no metal detectors that day but felt it was a good location for an early pioneer fort. My friends and I returned to this site in 2018 looking for artifacts, using a fine metal detector that would indicate that the fort was here. While there, we found a very rusty old axe head that I researched and found that it was a Kentucky Baltimore Axe that dated back to the early 1800’s. I knew I needed to rejuvenate this 200 year old artifact from our early settlers of the Lamine area and the McMahan Fort. I did my research and found the easiest way to rejuvenate it was for me was to soak the axe head in a solution of pure apple cider vinegar for about four days. I checking it every other day or so and used a hammer to chip away some of the hard rust that resisted to leave this early American relic. This took much work to remove the corrosion from the artifact. I used a steal brush to finish it off then put a coat of fine oil on it to preserve the metal. When finished with the restoration of the axe head, I needed to mount it on a fine piece of wood that would complete the project. I had an old broken axe that was used beyond it’s time. I reshaped the handle to make a fine fit for the piece. When done, I feel that I did justice to this 200 year old piece of our early pioneer relic. Restoring Kentucky Axe Head Below this flint was made and shipped from England. England had the best known gun flints that were used at the time. They were superior to what were found and used in the New Frontier. The British supplied the Indians with guns and ammo to fight the pioneers here, during the War of 1812. This was also a major find, indicating that Indians were involved in the attack on Fort McMahan in June of 1816.

The Cooper County Historical Society is a nonprofit 501© (3) organization, founded in 1990, with a focus on collecting and preserving documents, records, historical books and other historical information on Cooper County. We have a free research library to assist the public in finding the information. THANK YOU, HANNAH COLE Picture of the Hannah Cole statue P rior to the coming of the Cole families, what would someday become Cooper County was explored by several early explorers starting with Charles Ravensway in 1658, Daniel Boone in 1799 and later Lewis and Clark in1803-1804 after Missouri became a state. The area was already well known to fur traders. Hannah Allison Cole must have been a very adventuresome, determined, courageous and hardy woman. She was a widow, and almost 50, when she crossed the Missouri River in something similar to a large canoe, called a “dugout” or “pirogue.” She was accompanied by her nine children, her beloved slave Lucy, her sister Phoebe, and Stephan, her husband, and their five children. That’s 18 people in a hollowed-out log, which was usually 15 to 18 feet long. The pirogue or dugout would usually be maneuvered through the water by men using long poles. Although explorers and trappers visited what was to become Missouri in the 1600’s and later, the Coles were the first white families to settle on the South side of the Missouri River. When the family crossed the Missouri River, just before Christmas in 1810, the river was swift and full of ice. Evidently, the men made two trips across the river, the first to carry the women and children to their planned destination, plus swim their stock across the river. The second, to retrieve supplies and provisions that could not fit in the boat on the first trip across the river. That second trip also included dismantling their wagon and bringing it, and probably tools and seeds to the other side of the river. However, the day after they made their initial trip across the river, there was an violent storm. Due to the raging river and ice, the men had to wait eleven days before they could retrieve their wagon and supplies. As the family probably had no little or food with them in the dugout, all they had to eat were acorns, slippery elm bark and one wild turkey. Due to the bad weather, game would have been hard to find, and since it was December, most of the acorns would be gone. That must have been very disheartening for the 18 members of the family. Yet, they all survived! Hannah’s family constructed a small cabin near the river’s edge just up from where Boonville is located today. They lived peacefully for a year or so until there was an Indian uprising, encouraged by the British, known today as the War of 1812 (Yes, the same war when we fought the British and they burned Washington). By this time there were other hardy souls who had crossed the river for a new life in the newly opened territory. Later, for protection, a fort was built on a rocky, very steep bluff that jutted out almost to the river. Looking at the property today, which is still very heavily wooded, you will wonder “how in the world, did they get up there,” as the location had to be reached by climbing through the dense, almost vertical virgin forest and then down a very steep forested hill. Hannah must have been a very giving person who really loved people. During the Indian uprising she invited other families to stay in her fort, providing them a safe place to live. She eventually found teachers to provide education for the children, and preachers to provide hope and inspiration to everyone. The fort had many other uses after the War. Click here for more information