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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.

COOPER COUNTY CITY HALL & ELECTIONS COOPER COUNTY CITY HALL There was a huge jump in County population between 1850 and 1890. Cooper County was growing quickly due to the Steamboats and the Railroads, until the start of the Civil War in 1861. Although Boonville was first settled in February 1810, it wasn’t incorporated by the State of Missouri until February 10, 1839. Unfortunately, records of the city’s business from 1839-1857 have been lost to history and no one even knows where City Hall was located during those early years. Thespian Hall was built in the mid-1850s and City Hall moved into the second floor. City Hall remained there until sometime in the 1870s at which time it moved to the old fire station at 413 East Spring. It remained there until 1913. In 1913, the third and current Cooper County Court House was built across the street from the Frederick Hotel. For the next 55 years, City Hall called the first floor of that building home. It was their longest stay at any one location. In the late 1960s, Boonville was blessed with a new Post Office building and the old one, after being acquired by the City of Boonville, became the new City Hall. It was the first time City Hall was in its own building. City business was conducted and council meetings were held here until the spring/summer of 2012. Kemper Bank sat on the southwest corner of Main and Spring. When that building became available, City Hall had a new home. After renovations, City Hall moved into its new space in mid-2012. But other changes were made and the City Council no longer met at City Hall. For the next five months, July through November 2012, the City Council met at the current fire station at the corner of Main and Bingham. On December 3, 2012, the Boonville City Council met for the first time in their very own quarters in the newly renovated old-City Hall/Post Office building. The occasion was celebrated by the presenting of Colors by Boy Scouts Troop 67. Will City Hall and the Council Chambers ever move again? Only the future can answer that but, at the moment, there are no plans to do so. Source: Historically Yours by Elizabeth Davis CITY ELECTIONS 100 YEARS AGO Cooper County municipal elections took place earlier this month (April 2018) with a voter turn-out of 7.2 per cent. For Boonville, voters had five positions to fill—Mayor and four City Councilmen/women. There would have been seven positions to fill had not the Board of Education voted earlier in the year to accept the two candidates running for the two open seats on the School Board. There was much talk around town about how bad it was that all these candidates were running unopposed. While this might not have been the best situation, it was hardly something new. Looking back a hundred years, things haven’t changed all that much. In 1918, Boonville’s municipal election took place on April 2. Voters turned out to fill eleven offices in the community: Mayor, Marshal, Collector, City Attorney, Treasurer, Police Judge, Assessor, and Councilmen for Wards One through Four. Please note there was no “slash women” in the listing for councilmen in 1918. Remember, at that time, women had not yet been granted suffrage and running for office was just as unheard of. The major change between 2018 and 1918 was the offices to be filled. The offices of Marshal, Collector, City Attorney, Treasurer, Police Judge, and Assessor no longer exist. Their duties have either been transferred to other positions in the city or the county or are no longer elected positions. However, what all 11 offices in 1918 had in common with the five offices in 2018 was that all the candidates ran unopposed. It seems that even 100 years ago, people weren’t always willing to step-up to the plate and serve. The only other item of interest between the two elections was when the City Council met to approve the election results. In 2018, the City Council waited seven days. In 1918, the City Council met the same day as the election. The official City Council minutes show a meeting on April 2, 1918, where the city council met to count the votes as certified in the poll books. It appears that only when all candidates ran unopposed did this same day of counting votes take place. Source: Elizabeth Davis, Historically Yours MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SALARIES 100 YEARS AGO The business of Boonville is conducted by the Mayor and Members of the City Council. The mayor sets the agenda and conducts the meeting but has no vote unless there’s a tie. The number of councilmen varies from time to time depending on the number of wards. In 1894, there were six wards. There were four in 1918. Both times each ward had two representatives serving two-year terms. Half the council was elected or re-elected each year. While these positions of authority are not full-time jobs, they do carry a great deal of responsibility. It is only right and fitting that these servants of the people be paid. But how much and how often should that amount be raised? Recently, the question of a raise was brought before the Council. It was noted that there hadn’t been a raise in over ten years. But what about a hundred years ago? How much did the Mayor and Members of the Council get paid and how long did they go between raises? To better understand the past, one needs to know that the old City Council meeting minutes were handwritten in large books. New books weren’t started at the beginning of each year, they started a new book when the old one was filled. One book went from July 1894 to May 1911. The next one was dated June 1911 to January 1923. According to the Ordinances Appropriating Money in July 1894, Members of the Council received $12.50 a quarter, or $50 a year. The mayor received $37.50 a quarter, or $150 a year. Twenty-nine years later, in January 1923, Members of the Council were still getting $12.50 a quarter. The mayor was doing a little better. His pay went to $25 a month beginning April 1896. Twenty-four years later, the mayor’s pay doubled to $50 a month beginning June 1920. Source: Elizabeth Davis, Historically Yours

FARM MACHINERY At the end of World War I, farming remained a labor-intensive process, with many harvesting operations still carried out using horses. While not a new technological advancement, threshers made it easier to separate the grain and chaff and eliminated much of the tedious and time-consuming manual labor involved in the harvest. Before threshing machines, grain was separated by hand using flails. Many farmers pooled resources by purchasing such machinery together and shared the equipment and labor involved in its operation. 70-year-old truck that was bought in Boonville at Prigmore Chevrolet, and found in a storage shed in Boonville after being in storage for 30 years. Videos by Tracy and Ashley Friedrich STEAM ENGINES AND THE STEAM ENGINE SHOW The Missouri River Valley Steam Engine Association was formed in the fall of 1964 by a group of 34 local men who had a passion for the farming ways of the past. With a small amount of old farm equipment they put on threshing, sawmilling, and crop harvesting displays. The show originally centered around Steam Traction Engines which were disappearing from the American landscape. These engines are rare, expensive, and cumbersome pieces to care for and operate, and have therefore become very hard to find. Most of the original members of the organization are now deceased and many of the current generation are family members who grew up with the show. The first show was at the old fairgrounds in Boonville. Then, for many years it was at the Cooper Co. Fairgrounds along I-70. In 2000 it moved to its present location at the Brady Showgrounds at the Wooldridge exit on I-70. The club has around 150 members, with around 30 who carry the burden of putting on the show each year. The show is always the week after Labor Day. It is a four day show from Thursday to Sunday. At the show you can watch Steam Engines threshing wheat, crushing rock for lime, sawing wood at the sawmill, and numerous other activities. Antique tractors and equipment, teams of horses with horse drawn farm implements, and old hit and miss gas engines pumping water and running burr mills are in abundance. The old restored Brady farmhouse is open for tours along with the barn and other out buildings. Tractor pulls go on into the evening along with other forms of entertainment. The show features a large flea market and many old-time crafts for people to view and participate in. Civil War reenactors are often putting on demonstrations. Church services are held in the restored church on Sunday morning. In 57 years the show has grown into the biggest of its kind in Missouri. Steam Engine Show Videos by Tracy and Ashley Friedrich (1980-1985 ) Farm crisis in the Midwest reaches its peak by 1985 leading to record foreclosures. (Courtesy of Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) “With changes to the Federal Reserve’s lending policies and grain embargoes placed on shipments to the Soviet Union, farmers faced an economic crisis greater than anything since the Great Depression. Agricultural communities suffered, with families being forced to relocate and businesses closing. Tens of thousands small independent farms were lost due to the 80s crisis, which greatly affected the Midwest region. By the mid-1980s, the crisis had reached its peak. Land prices had fallen dramatically leading to record foreclosures. The crisis sparked activism from famous celebrities and public figures, including the Reverend Jesse Jackson and singer-songwriters Willie Nelson and John Cougar Mellencamp, who would each visit Missouri to support family-owned farms. As founding members of Farm Aid in 1985 , Nelson and Mellencamp raised millions of dollars for farm families through their charity concert. The first Farm Aid concert benefited the founding of Missouri Rural Crisis Center, based in Columbia, which formed a week after the concert ended, receiving a $10,000 check from Farm Aid.” By: Bob Painter GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE AND LEGISLATION Farmers across the nation have cooperated with Federal Agencies for many years to balance the amount of agriculture crops grown and sent to available markets. Many agriculture producers voluntarily practiced soil erosion control by developing conservation plans that would help correct problem areas on their farms. While many producers practiced soil conservation, some did not, and in December 1985 Congress passed the 1985 Food Security Act. This legislation required that any farmer participating in USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) commodity programs needed to practice a certain amount of land-saving stewardship by developing and following a conservation plan. To some farmers this wasn’t much of a change from what they were already doing. Others changed ways they were farming to meet the requirements of the law. This national effort has saved 1.2 billion tons of soil from erosion on an annual basis. Over 130,000 acres of Cooper County farmland is considered highly erodible. Conservation plans are developed on 126,000 of these acres. Missouri made conservation history in 1983 by passing a 1/10 of 1 per cent sales tax for parks and soil conservation. One-half of this tax is reimbursed directly back to Missouri landowners to assist in applying conservation practices to their land. Another important part of this legislation was the Conservation Reserve Program. This provision allowed farmers to retire (not use the land) which was highly erodible cropland for ten years, and plant it to a permanent cover that would greatly reduce soil erosion. In return, the farmers receive an annual payment comparable to land rental prices. Nationwide, this has been a highly successful program with 36.5 million acres enrolled saving 700 million tons of soil on an annual basis. Cooper County has approximately 20,000 acres enrolled. Wetlands were also included in this important legislation. Wetlands add diversity and play an important role in ecosystem management. Farmers who wish to participate in commodity programs are required to not change any existing wetlands on their property. While farms are growing larger and farming practices are changing, the role of government in farming is changing. Ideally, farming and government will work together to benefit the land in Cooper and other counties. The last forty years have seen many advances, and also continued problems in agriculture. Improvements have been made in seed stock as well as the introduction of new crops such as soy beans. Soil conservation measures, such as terracing and contour farming, have become widely accepted in the county. The modern farmer has become better educated in scientific farming practices. Farm machinery has become bigger and better and livestock production has shown an increase. FARM OUTLOOK TODAY There are many improvements in agriculture; however, farmers face many problems. The rising costs of farm items such as chemicals, seeds, fuel, fertilizers, and farm machinery have brought about rising operational expenses. Market prices change a lot. The emphasis on larger and larger farming operations has forced many farmers to sell out. Overuse of fertilizers and chemicals have created bad soil conditions and have made the soil more easily erodible during wet years. This overuse has also created water quality problems in streams and rivers. Farmers are bothered with high interest rates, changing of market prices and uncertain weather. The floods of 1993 and 2019 brought disastrous results to some county farmers. Some have lost the ability to produce a crop for two years, plus the loss of land, home, etc. The many rains of the year helped other farmers have unusually good yields. The wet winter and spring caused livestock producers to experience a loss of calves. Even with all the problems and concerns, we realize how important farming is to the county’s economy. Farming is still Cooper County’s biggest business. In 1987 , farms occupied 86% of the land area in the county, with 73% of the farm land under cultivation. The county ranked 25th in agriculture receipts, 66% of which came from the sale of livestock. Cooper County began registering for a $1.00 fee the names of farms registered by farm owners. The first farm registered was Skylight Farm, owned by D.C. Groves, on June 15, 1907 . Crestmead was registered by W.A. Betteridge on April 20, 1909 . HISTORY OF EXTENSION SERVICE IN COOPER COUNTY (Courtesy of Cooper County Extension Service) The U.S. Department of Agriculture partnered with a nationwide network of “land grant” universities to create a system of “extension” services. The goal of these services is to improve life across the country with advice from local experts regarding all things agriculture and farming and much more. The Smith-Lever Act, which authorized establishment of Cooperative Extension Work, was passed by Congress and approved by President Wilson on May 8, 1914 . The Missouri Extension Services had actually begun working off campus a few years prior to that date. Beginning in September 1913 , a "farm adviser" from the University of Missouri College of Agriculture was appointed to Cooper County. His name was J.D. Wilson and he served until September 1916 . One of his main activities during that period was to assist farmers with an epidemic of hog cholera, which threatened to destroy swine herds throughout Missouri. The first county farm tour to showcase new production practices was held in July of 1916 . A large group of farmers, Farm Bureau representatives and University of Missouri staff traveled to Pilot Grove, Bunceton and Prairie Home. From September 1916 to 1929 , there was no formal Extension program in Cooper County, although there is some evidence that programs were conducted by temporary staff during and shortly after World War I. No formal record of those activities has been located. In March of 1930 , the Extension office was reopened and John P. Johnson was appointed as county agent for Cooper County. A group of advisers for the Missouri Farmers Association, farmers from throughout the county, and representatives of the University of Missouri worked together to determine the major programming efforts that Extension would be involved in. The Extension office was located in the hallway of the Cooper County Courthouse when it was first reopened. This was during the Depression and much of the activity of the office included assisting with government relief programs. Another major area of concern at that time was the loss of topsoil that was occurring throughout the county. Mortan Tuttle, a prominent young farmer near Prairie Home was one of the first farmers to work with the Extension service in terracing his land. The practice quickly caught on and Cooper County soon was one of the leading counties in the state and nation in installing terraces and conservation practices. This tradition of conservation is still prevalent today. Other major activities during the early thirties included livestock breeding and animal health. In addition, many farmers became certified seed producers at that time. Farmers also learned about the importance of liming their soils, using crop rotation and legumes to maintain and improve productivity of their farms. 4-H clubs were officially organized for the first time in Cooper County in 1937 , although other youth activities had been conducted since 1924 through the public-school systems. First year membership included 136 boys and 13 girls. First year activities included: attendance at a nine-county camp in Fayette, organization of the county 4-H Leaders Council, County Achievement Day, Cooper County 4-H News, demonstration and judging tours, state 4-H Roundup and a trip to the state fair. Through the efforts of Paul N. Doll, county agent, and numerous leaders the 4-H program grew quickly in the late 1930's and early '40s . Cooper County Fair Video by Tracy and Ashley Friedrich Extension Homemaker Clubs were also organized in 1937 . A total of eleven clubs were formed within two years. These clubs worked with Margaret Van Orsdol, county home demonstration agent. The main activities that the clubs initially engaged in included home economics, food preservation, sewing, quilting, home grounds improvement and managing family resources. The Extension Service was very active during World War II in helping farm families maintain the agricultural production needed for the war effort. In addition, veterans were assisted as they returned to agricultural production. The home economics agents assisted families dealing with the many hardships and scarcities that the war brought on. 100 year old steam tractor 100 year old kerosene tractor

COOPER COUNTY TIMELINE Grandma Day's Clock This is Grandma Day's Mars Mantel Clock, Model 194, which she purchased from Gmelick & Schmidt in 1898 for $5.63. After her death, the clock went to Geneva Day, then to my mother Edna Widel Lammers and then to me, Wayne Lammers, in November 1983. Photo by Wayne Lammers. This website is based loosely on the Timeline history of the development of Cooper County from Prehistoric times until the mid-20th century. It is quite amazing to see the tremendous progress that has been made in 200 years. Early Historical Missouri Timeline and Tidbits (Adapted from Mogenweb) 1673 – Louis Joliet and Father Jacques Marquette traveled down the Mississippi River and were the first Europeans known to set foot on what would later become Missouri. (June 25) 1682 – Explorer Robert Cavalier - called Sieur de La Salle, claimed all the land that drained into the Mississippi River for France, naming it Louisiana Territory in honor of King Louis XIV. (April 9) 1724 – Fort Orleans was built on the north bank of the Missouri River by Etienne de Bourgmont in today’s Carroll County; the first European outpost west of the Mississippi (November 14). Abandoned in 1728. 1740–1750 – approximate date of the founding of St. Genevieve, the first permanent white settlement in what was to become Missouri. 1762 – Spain acquires the Louisiana Territory in the secret Treaty of Fontainebleau (November 13). 1764 – The Treaty of Fontainebleau is made public. Saint Louis is founded as a fur trading post by Pierre Laclede Liguest and his stepson Auguste Chouteau. Saint-Ange et de Bellerive becomes the first governor of the fledgling community and recruits farmers, artisans and craftsmen from Illinois to settle at the post. 1769 – Spanish officials arrive to administer the government of Louisiana Territory. The region of Missouri becomes known as “Spanish Illinois.” 1780 – British and Indian forces attack St. Louis and nearby settlements because of Spanish support for the American Revolution. (May 26) 1789 – Colonel George Morgan, Revolutionary War veteran, establishes the town of New Madrid in the spring. 1790–1794 – The Osage Nation and Spain are at war. The Chouteau brothers negotiate peace in return for exclusive trade rights with the Osage. 1798 – Lieutenant Governor Zenon Trudeau in St. Louis offered Daniel Boone 1,000 arpents (845 acres) of land to settle in Missouri then known as “Spanish Illinois.” 1799 – Kentucky Frontiersman Daniel Boone comes to Howard County. 1800 – Spain agrees to return the Louisiana Territory to France (October 1) 1803 – The Louisiana Purchase was signed transferring possession to the United States (April 30). 1804 – The Lewis and Clark Expedition embarks from Camp Dubois east of St. Louis. (May 14) 1805 – The Territory of Louisiana was established; the seat of government was St. Louis (July 4) 1805 – First Governor of Louisiana Territory J. Wilkerson 1808 – The Osage cede most of their land in Missouri, opening the way for future white settlement. (September 14). 1809 – The Missouri Fur Company was organized in St. Louis. The abundance of animal pelts in the Missouri and Mississippi Valley region played a key role in the economic development of the Upper Louisiana Territory. 1810 – Earliest settlers arrive in Cooper County in the spring. 1811 – The first shocks of the New Madrid earthquakes , the worst in U.S. History (Dec.16) 1812 – A portion of the Territory of Louisiana becomes the Territory of Missouri (June 12). 1812 – The first general Assembly of the Territory of Missouri met (October 1); the five original counties were organized: Cape Girardeau, New Madrid, St. Charles, St. Louis, and St. Genevieve. 1812 – The War of 1812 , begins June 18. The Sac & Fox, Ioway and Kickapoo, and Pottawatomie allied with Great Britain conduct raids in the Missouri Territory. 1815 – Peace treaties signed with 14 Indian nations at Portage des Sioux end the war in Missouri. (July 18 – September 16). 1816 – Howard County established (January 23). 1816 – Mid-Missouri’s first circuit court opened at Cole's Fort (July 8). 1818 – The speaker of the US House of Representative presented the first petition to Congress for Missouri requesting statehood (January 8). 1818 – Cooper County is established out of Howard County (December 17) 1820 – Missouri statehood became a national controversy over the issue of slavery. The “Missouri Compromise” allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state. Territories north of the 36 parallel are designated to be slave-free territory. 1820 – Missouri’s first Constitution was adopted (July 19) The first state officials are elected in August. They elect Alexander McNair the first governor, 43 representatives and 14 state senators. The population of the Missouri Territory is around 67,000. 1820 – Daniel Boone dies at age 85. 1820 – Missouri’s first Constitution was adopted (July 19) 1820 – Saline County is established out of Cooper County (November 25) 1820 – Missouri Packet , steamboat sinks in the Missouri River, 11 miles west of Boonville on May 5, 1820 on a supply voyage to the fort at Council Bluffs. Little was salvaged from this 2 Century old vessel in December 1987, which was one of the first steamboats to ply the Missouri River. You may view these artifacts at the Boonville, River, Rails and Trails Museum at the Katy Depot District here in Boonville. 1821 – Missouri admitted as the 24th state (August 8) 1821 – The first commercially successful trade venture to Santa Fe from Franklin. (September 1). The route becomes the Santa Fe Trail , linking Missouri and New Mexico. Many Cooper County merchants become engaged in the trade and some wagon caravans are outfitted in Boonville in the 1820s. 1828 – Major flood of the Missouri River, washed away the town of Franklin, plus Cooper’s Fort and cemetery. “New” Franklin built on higher ground. 1830 – Indian Removal Act 1835 – 6 Months of Public School became a new state law 1838 – Missouri Governor Lilburn Boggs issues extermination order against the Mormons in the state. 1839 – Boonville was incorporated 1839 – Mormon War 1844 – Fredrick T. Kemper built the family school, later military school 1844 – (Jun 21) 4th worst flood of Mo River – Crest at 32.70 feet 1845 – George Bingham 1846 – Mexican War 1848 – Thomas Benton argued against expanding slavery 1849 – People left Boonville via the Santa Fe Trail in their quest for gold 1851 – A plank road was built from Boonville to Warsaw 1853 – First official Missouri State Fair was held in Boonville 1857 – Thespian Hall was built in Boonville 1861–1864 – Cooper County involved in Civil War Battles 1865 – Slavery was abolished in MO making it the first slave state to emancipate its slaves before the adoption of the 13th Amendment to the US Constitution. 1870 – Ground was broken for the Tebo and Neosho Railroad . (MKT) 1870 – Mules in Missouri 1875 – Missouri Constitution Ratified ## 1898 – Main street in Boonville was paved with bricks 1889 – Nation-wide law Separate Schools for Black Students in US (Segregation) 1917 – Cooper County Citizens served in World War I 1919 – Missouri ratifies the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote ## 1920 – Highway 40 built across Missouri River, went down Main Street 1920 – Prohibition to 1933 1921 – Centennial Road Law 1924 – Highway bridge opened across the Missouri River 1937 – Constitutional Amendment - Conservation 1929 – Stock Market Crash 1930–1939 – Great Depression 1937–1940 – Civilian Conservation Corps trained young men in Pilot Grove 1941 – Pearl Harbor attack 1941–1945 – Cooper County citizens served in World War II 1945 – 4th Missouri Constitution signed ## 1945 – WWII over, surrender signed on USS Missouri 1950 – Korean War 1960 – Interstate 70 was constructed through the County 1961 – Defense missiles were installed underground in the County ## 1965 – Vietnam War 1970 – Cooper County Hospital was built 1980 – Farm Crisis in the Midwest 1984 – Sales tax for Soil & Water Conversation 1987 – Missouri Packet steamboat salvaged in Cooper County, 11 miles west of Boonville in December of 1987. Some of the 2 Century old artifacts are on display at the Boonville, River, Rails and Trails Museum. 1990 – Cooper County Historical Society was formed 1990 – The first section of the KATY Trail was started at Rocheport 1991 – War in Iraq 1993 – July 29 – Worst flood of Missouri river – Crest at 37.10” 1995 – New Highway 40 Boonslick Bridge was built across the MO River near Boonville 2019 – Second worst Flood in Missouri History - Crest 33.73 feet ## Indicates topic is not covered on this website but information is available at: Missouri Bicentennial Timeline

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

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

FAMILY HISTORY BOOKS DOCUMENTS AND VITAL RECORDS Original Land Patents – 1818-1856, 1877, and 1915 books match our plat maps Marriage Records from 1819-1847, 1848-1867, partial listing for 1866-1925 (books #6 and #15) Negro Marriages – 1865-1866 (book #14) Will Records – 1820-1870 (book #15) Wills on Micro Fiche – 1818-1847, 1894-1902, 1910-1918 Cooper County Will and Administrations – 1818-1847 (book #15) Probate Settlements 1819-1869 (book #9) ; on Micro-Fiche 1880-1886 Cooper County Civil Court Records – 1820-1950’s Cooper County Census Records 1830-1920 Also for Howard, Lafayette, Moniteau, Morgan, Pettis, Saline and Warren Counties (mixed dates on Microfiche) Naturalization Oaths 1826-1905 (on Microfiche) Slave Schedules 1850-1860 for all Missouri counties (Microfiche) Cooper County Will and Administrations – 1818-1847 (book #15) Probate Settlements 1819-1869 (book #9) ; on Micro-Fiche 1880-1886 Cooper County Civil Court Records – 1820-1950’s Cooper County Census Records 1830-1920, Also for Howard, Lafayette, Moniteau, Morgan, Pettis, Saline and Warren Counties (mixed dates on Microfiche) Naturalization Oaths 1826-1905 (on Microfiche) Slave Schedules 1850-1860 for all Missouri counties (Microfiche)

EARLIEST INHABITANTS Pictures from Mike Dickey collection This section is adapted from “Discover Cooper County by looking Back” by Ann Betteridge, 1995 (Edited by Mike Dickey, 2020) Recent archaeological studies and DNA analysis suggests that humans have appeared in North America about 18,000 years ago. This is at least 6,000 years earlier than has been previously believed. New research raises the likelihood that hundreds of thousands of people lived on a land mass stretching between North America and Asia known as Beringia. As the massive ice sheets retreated from western North America this population began moving from Beringia down the west coast on foot and by boat. Beringia is now underwater and the coastlines are now far different than they appeared to the first humans to explore them. The native population of the western hemisphere prior to 1492 was once estimated to be around three to six million people. Many archaeologists and anthropologists now estimate that the pre-Columbian population of the Americas was between 54 to 112 million. The term “prehistoric” is often used to describe the culture of these early people. However, it does not mean they had no history. The term simply describes the period before written records documented these cultures and their traditions. THE EARLIEST INHABITANTS The earliest people in North America are known as Pre-Clovis. Their existence was doubted until around 1999. Pre-Clovis sites are rare and some are still considered questionable. Artifacts at suspected pre-Clovis sites are often sparse. Only one site in Cedar County Missouri has been identified as possibly a Pre-Clovis site. The Paleo-Indian period 12,000 – 9,000 BC is the time when humans were definitely known to be in the Cooper County area. This time period is associated with a specific hunting tool called a fluted projectile point named Clovis for Clovis, New Mexico where it was first discovered. The weapon for delivering these projectile points was the atlatl or spear thrower. In Missouri, Clovis points have been found with the bones of mastodons and giant sloths. The last ice sheet to cover the continent was melting and flooded the river valleys. The Paleo-Indians were nomadic hunters, following the game herds or escaping from the frequent floods and dust storms. The early Archaic period existed from 9,000 – 5,000 BC. The Dalton tradition (9,000-8,000 B.C.) within this period represents a transition in stone tool technology. Smaller animals and plant material became prominent in the diet as the megafauna had become extinct. Gathering plant materials allowed the people to stay longer in one area. Caves, rock ledges and other natural features were often used as shelters. In the Middle Archaic period (5,000 – 3,000 BC) Evidence indicates that prairies expanded and forests declined. Archaic sites show more evidence of birds, fish, shellfish and rabbits being consumed. Gathered plant materials remain an important part of the diet. The diversity of diet allowed people become less nomadic and establish small villages. The Late Archaic period (3,000 – 600 BC) saw a decline of prairies and the return of forested areas. Domesticated plants such as squash and gourds appear in this time. Villages become larger and more permanent and burial mounds appear. The internments and artifacts associated with them are evidence of a belief in an afterlife. Pottery begins to appear though it is utilitarian and rather plain. The Woodland period (600 BC – 900 AD) commonly called Hopewell Tradition saw the widespread introduction of pottery, much of it incised and decorated. Villages became more permanent and many are large. Corn (maize) becomes a widely cultivated plant. By the middle of this period, trade networks span the continent. Finely modeled human and animal figures are crafted from clay, wood and stone for ceremonial purposes. Complex burial and ceremonial mounds are also constructed. Towards the end of this period the bow and arrow appears as a new technology. At this same time there appears to be a breakdown in the trade network and the permanence of the villages. Burial mounds are not as well built and contain fewer artifacts than in the first half of this period. The introduction of the bow and arrow undoubtedly gave some groups a military advantage over others, possibly leading to the breakdown mentioned above. The Mississippian period (900 – 1500 AD) saw the explosive growth of large permanent villages and fortified towns, especially in the Mississippi valley. The cultivation of maize (corn) formed a major part of the diet. The largest towns contain massive temple and burial mounds, plazas and astronomical observatories. Intercontinental trade was revitalized. The traditions and symbolism used by many contemporary tribes such as the Osage, Quapaw, Caddo and Pawnee appear to have identifiable antecedents in Mississippian culture. Smaller Mississippian outposts and villages were found all along the Missouri River. The large fortified towns began declining in the late fourteenth century. The arrival of the Spanish and introduced European diseases in the 1500s hastened the final breakup of remaining Mississippian towns. The Oneota tradition (1300 – 1673 AD) with the decline of large Mississippian towns, the populations dispersed into smaller villages. The Oneota came from a late Woodland culture in the upper Great Lakes. They began moving south and west and appear to intermix with some dispersing Mississippians. Historic tribes that are Oneota descendants are the Hochunk (Winnebago), Otoe, Missouria and Ioway. Seasonal buffalo hunting provided the main source of food, although gardening and gathering was still practiced. The largest Oneota site in Missouri is preserved in Annie and Able Van Meter State Park in Saline County. Archaeological Sites in Cooper County The proximity of the Missouri River and the landscape and resources found in Cooper County resulted in extensive human activity and residency. Some of the major archaeological sites in Cooper County are: the Clear Fork of the Blackwater River, near Otterville; the Hopewell Subsistence Settlement System on the Lamine also known as the Mellor site; and the Wooldridge site. The Mellor site is second largest Woodland (Hopewell) village site known in Missouri. Examples of Indian mounds can be found in Boonville at Harley Park, in the Wooldridge area, and the Mellor site. Others are scattered throughout the county. Prior to the year 2000, Cooper County had more than 270 archaeological sites recorded with the National Historic Register of Historic Places. Many sites have been destroyed because of construction, farming, population growth and erosion over the past 200 years. However, it is highly likely that some archaeological sites remain undiscovered. Nearly every spot above the flood plain along the Missouri, Lamine, Blackwater and other rivers and large creeks in Cooper County will yield evidence of prehistoric human activity. Map of Indian Trails OSAGE AND MISSOURIA CULTURAL OVERVIEW The Missouria and the Osage nations were the primary native nations living in central Missouri when the first European explorers recorded their presence in 1673 . When Euro-Americans began settling in Cooper County (1800 -1820 ) the Missouria were gone, having suffered a major defeat by the Sac & Fox around 1790 . The Osage remained dominant in Missouri almost to 1825 . The Ioway periodically established villages along the Grand and Chariton River and are known to have hunted in the Lamine River drainage. The Sac & Fox began hunting north of the Missouri River in the early 1700s but had no permanent domiciles in Missouri until the War of 1812 era. The Osage called themselves Niu-Kon’ska meaning “Children of Middle Waters” referring to the great river systems of the Midwest. Osage is an anglicized corruption of Wahzhazhe, one band of the tribe. There were two divisions of Osage at European contact. The Big Osage “Pahatsi” (Above the Hills) built their villages on the hilltops in the Osage River valley. The Little Osage “Udseta” (Below the Hills) placed their villages below the hills. The French misinterpreted Osage sign language for “above” and “below” as meaning big and little. By 1719 but perhaps even earlier, the Little Osage established villages on the Missouri River terraces in Saline County. The Oneota ancestors of the Missouria came from the Great Lakes and settled in central Missouri around 1300 AD. Missouria villages were established on the Missouri River near the mouth of the Grand River. The Missouria called themselves Ni-uta-chi, “People of the River’s Mouth” because of this locale. By 1719 , they had moved upstream to be closer to their allies, the Little Osage. The word “Missouri” was derived from an Algonquian Peoria word meaning “People of Wood Canoe” referring to the large dugout canoes they used for traveling on the river. The Osage spoke a dialect known as Dhegihan Siouan. The Missouria dialect is known as Chiwere Siouan. Cultural elements of the eastern woodlands and the western plains met and mingled here in the prairies, savannahs and woodlands of Missouri. The culture of the Missouria and Osage is sometimes identified as “Southern Siouan” or the “Prairie-Plains.” This Siouan language and cultural group encompasses the Dhegihan speaking Osage, Omaha, Quapaw, Kaw (Kanza) and Ponca and the Chiwere speaking Missouria, Otoe and Ioway. In very broad terms, their dialects, cultures, lifestyles and appearance were similar although each would have unique and identifying characteristics to their respective nations. Europeans, and then later Americans, erroneously believed that Indians were simple peoples, savages who were incapable of philosophical thoughts. In reality the spiritual beliefs of the indigenous people were complex and highly sophisticated. They centered on a Supreme Being, an all-encompassing life force they called Wa-kon-tah or Wa-kon-dah. Animals and forces of nature were often seen as messengers from Wa-kon-tah. The Osage referred to themselves as “Little Ones” to show they were small and humble before Wa-kon-tah. The Osage held a dualistic view of the universe where everything was paired. For example day and night, summer and winter, war and peace, life and death etc., maintained balance and harmony in the universe. This balance was reflected in the division of clans into moieties; the Tzi-shu (Sky People) and Hunka (Earth People). Chiefs of the Tzi-shu led the tribe in civil matters whereas chiefs of the Hunka led in military matters. There were varying degrees of chiefs within the tribal structure. Chiefs led by example or exhortation but they could not enforce their decisions on individuals. Unpopular chiefs could be simply be ignored or the people would “vote with their feet” by walking off and forming a new village. A political schism after 1786 led the formation of third Osage band, the Arkansas Osage who settled near the junction of the Neosho, Verdigris and Arkansas rivers in northeast Oklahoma. Ceremonies conducted by clan priests known as Non-hon-zhing-ga (Little Old Men) guided major life events such as hunting, trading, planting, peacemaking, and war. They were the wisest men of the tribe who had obtained all 13 war honors called o’don. The Non-hon-zhing-ga were the true spiritual and political power of the tribe, advising and guiding the chiefs. Their existence to whites was unknown until the 1850s. Warfare was the main way male members gained stature in the tribe. Killing was not always an objective of warfare; bluffing an enemy to leave the field was a war honor as was stealing a horse or merely touching an enemy (counting coup). In an organized war movement, the ceremony of preparation lasted for ten days. A successful war party returning to the village while exuberant about their victory also mourned for any slain enemies. In this way, balance and harmony in the universe was maintained. Missouria culture is not as well-known as Osage culture. Little of their tribal structure and ceremonies was recorded before they lost their independence as a tribe following the disastrous defeat by the Sac & Fox around 1790 . Survivors dispersed and merged with either the Otoe in Nebraska or with the Little Osage. A few families joined the Kaw in eastern Kansas. However there are indications that the Missouria as well as all the other Southern Siouans also held a dualistic view of the universe similar to the Osage. THE OSAGE AND EUROPEANS MEET The date of the first meeting between Europeans and the Osage is unknown. However, there is a vague tribal memory of this meeting. The Missouria brought two French hunters to an Osage village. The Osage observed the Frenchmen were hairy like bears and they were sickened by their body odor trapped inside their heavy deerskin shirts. Members of the Panther clan debated on whether or not to kill the abominable strangers, but the Tzi-shu Chief prevailed in giving them sanctuary. The Missouria were more amenable to the French, while the Osage tended to remain somewhat more aloof. The first documented meeting of Europeans with the Osage occurred in May of 1693 . The French in Illinois facilitated a peace council between the Osage, Missouria and Iliniwek (Illinois) nations. Peace between the three tribal entities would foster growth of the fur trade in the region. For decades afterwards, the three tribes would annually gather to “smoke the pipe” confirming their alliance, and would dance, share feasts and exchange gifts. The Osage and Missouria adopted European trade goods into their cultures without adopting European culture. Missionaries found it very difficult to convert the Indians; they were quite happy and contented with their traditional beliefs that undoubtedly had roots going back centuries. References Websites The Tribes of the Missouria Part 1 - When the Osage and Missouria Reigned Osage Nation Otoe-Missouria Ioway Cultural Institute - Resources on the Ioway or Iowa Indian Tribe Books The Osage in Missouri (University of Missouri Press) by Kristie C. Wolferman A History of the Osage People (University of Alabama Press) by Louis F. Burns, Osage Mottled Eagle Clan The Osage: An Ethnohistorical Study of Hegemony on the Prairie-Plains (University of Missouri Press) by Willard Rollings ·The Osages: Children of the Middle Waters (University of Oklahoma Press) by John Joseph Mathews The Osage and the Invisible World: From the Works of Francis La Flesche (University of Oklahoma Press) by Garrick Bailey The Osage Ceremonial Dance I’n-Lon-Schka (University of Oklahoma Press) by Alice Callahan Traditions of the Osage: Stories Collected and Translated by Francis La Flesche (University of New Mexico Press) edited by Garrick Bailey The People of the River’s Mouth: In Search of the Missouria Indians (University of Missouri Press) by Michael E. Dickey The Otoe-Missouria People (Phoenix Press) by R. David Edmunds The Sac and Fox Indians (University of Oklahoma Press) by William T. Hagen The Ioway Indians (University of Oklahoma Press) by Martha Royce Blaine The Ioway in Missouri (University of Missouri Press) by Greg Olson EXAMPLES OF INDIAN LIFE From the time of European contact forward, there were no known permanent Indian villages within Cooper County. The villages of the Big Osage were in the Osage River valley while the Little Osage and Missouria were on the Missouri River in western Saline County. However, trails and hunting camps existed throughout the area. Hunting camps were a scaled down version of the larger, more permanent villages. While the men hunted, the daily activities of the women and children would have included butchering animals, drying the meat and preparing the hides for tanning. They also would have been gathering edible and medicinal plant material in the area. The village layout and lifeways of the Missouria is largely unknown. Undoubtedly, they were similar to their kinsmen and neighbors the Otoe, Ioway, Omaha, Kaw and Osage. Osage villages were divided on an east to west axis representing the path of the Sun, the giver of life. Members of the Tzi-shu division composed of Sky clans lived in the north half of the village.The south half was occupied by the Hunka division of Earth and Water clans. The lodges of the Tzi-shu chief and the Hunka chief would have been in the center of the village. Osage houses were rectangular or oval in shape, with center posts in the middle. The roof was made of bent poles that were attached to wall posts. The framework was covered with woven rush mats. Fireplaces for cooking and heating were in the middle. Doorways on the house facing east to greet the arrival of the Sun. Archaeological research indicates that Missouria homes had the same type of layout. The only furniture inside a lodge was a low bench where valuables such as animal skins were stored, and cradle-boards where the babies were strapped. Also, bison robes were spread for sitting or sleeping near the fireplace. Some of the moveable household items, other than mats, were pottery cooking vessels. Each person had a personal wooden bowl. Food was served with a spoon often shaped from buffalo horn. A knife and fingers were the main eating utensils. Gourds and dried buffalo bladders were used as water containers. Pottery quickly gave way to metal trade pots and kettles which were more durable. Caches were dug in the lodge interior and contained dried meat, corn, beans and other edible plant materials. If the contents spoiled, they were used as trash pits. Personal items and household furnishing were stored in rawhide boxes called a “parfleche” or hung along the walls or from ceilings. Clothing was made from skins but when trade with Europeans began, trade cloth and wool blankets replaced some skin clothing, although trade material was still used in traditional patterns. DAILY LIFE IN THE VILLAGES Life was geared to the seasons, which in turn, was marked by ceremonies of preparation or celebration. The first hunt in the early spring was for black bears. Women planted crops of corn, beans, squash and pumpkins in spring then the entire village would depart for a summer buffalo hunt. They returned in the fall to harvest the crops and then depart again for a fall buffalo hunt. Late fall was spent by the women and children in gathering persimmons, paw paws, nuts and water lily roots. In the winter months the Indians would disperse in small clan groups to hunt deer, elk and trap smaller animals for the fur trade. The women and girls did the food preparation, food preservation, and cooking. On the buffalo hunts they butchered the meat and packed it for the return to the village. Drying racks for meat and plant materials were set up near the lodges. Groups of women would gather to tan and prepare hides for clothing or prepare rush and cattail mats for lodge coverings, making it a social event. Girls learned these domestic chores at an early age. The women built and owned the lodges and all the furnishings and equipage they contained. The perception of the Europeans was that the women were chattel, doing all the hard work while the men were lazy did nothing but lounge around or go hunting. While the duties of the men and women were generally separate, both were equally vital to the survival of the tribe. Hunting was not done for sport, although there was a recreational element to it. It was a dangerous but necessary occupation to eat and acquire furs for clothing or for trade. Hunters were occasionally killed by stampeding bison or by wounded animals. The men also had to defend the hunting territory and especially the villages from enemy tribes. If a man were truly idle and lazy in providing for his family, his wife could divorce him simply by throwing his meager belongings out the lodge door. Before acquiring horses around 1680, dogs were used as pack animals. Dogs were never fed but scavenged through the village keeping it clean. They also served as alarms by barking at unknown persons approaching the village. Dog meat was considered a delicacy and often served to visiting dignitaries. The camp dogs could be a source of a quick and ready meal. Bones of butchered canines have been found in many archaeological sites. Arrow heads found in the Lamine area. Private collection Arrowhead Chart Each period of Indian culture is noted for its distinctive stone projectile point. (Source: Missouri Resource Review, Missouri Department of Natural Resources) OSAGE AND MISSOURIA RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS The Osage and Missouria adopted French and the Spanish trade goods without adopting their culture. Metal tools were lighter, more versatile, and more durable than stone ones. Cloth and wool blankets were lighter and often more colorful than skin clothing or heavy robes. But firearms became the most important part of trade. Better armed tribes could wield military superiority over their enemies. In short, trade goods made life much easier for the Indians and for over a hundred years trade benefited Missouri tribes. But trade goods eventually became a trap as the Indians became dependent on things they could not manufacture or repair themselves. The Osage and Missouria got along reasonably well with the French. France was interested only in acquiring furs, not land, and French traders and officials made accommodations to native traditions, such as giving gifts and feasts for visiting guests. The Spanish did not share the French approach to dealing with Indians. Although the Spanish wanted furs, they found native traditions tedious and expensive to their treasury. Consequently the Indians viewed them as stingy and miserly. Officials also sought to force the Osage and Missouria to conform to Spanish policy by periodically halting trade with them. These actions hurt the merchants of St. Louis more than the Indians. As a result, tensions between the Spanish government and the Osage and Missouria ran high and occasionally erupted into physical conflict. Very few people died in these conflicts, but fear often kept the settlements on edge. The Osage and Missouria got along reasonably well with the French. France was interested only in acquiring furs, not land, and French traders and officials made accommodations to native traditions, such as giving gifts and feasts for visiting guests. The Spanish did not share the French approach to dealing with Indians. Although the Spanish wanted furs, they found native traditions tedious and expensive to their treasury. Consequently the Indians viewed them as stingy and miserly. Officials also sought to force the Osage and Missouria to conform to Spanish policy by periodically halting trade with them. These actions hurt the merchants of St. Louis more than the Indians. As a result, tensions between the Spanish government and the Osage and Missouria ran high and occasionally erupted into physical conflict. Very few people died in these conflicts, but fear often kept the settlements on edge. 1808 THE OSAGE NATION AND THE UNITED STATES SIGN ITS FIRST TREATY FOR LAND (Missouri Bicentennial Timeline) As the dominant tribe in Missouri, the Osages had grown increasingly restless as more white settlers were moving onto their lands. The government, too, was concerned about the growing unrest and agreed to establish forts closer to the native settlements for use of various tribes. The government saw this effort also as a way to entice Indigenous people to rely upon the U.S. for trade goods. The government relied on Meriwether Lewis, now governor of the Louisiana Territory and William Clark, superintendent of Indian Affairs along with Indian agent and trader Pierre Chouteau to work out a deal. Clark negotiated the treaty where the Osages gave up most of Missouri to the United States. In return, the government agreed to maintain a permanent trading post with a blacksmith shop and mill for the Osage people, protection to the Osages who lived near it, along with an annual grant of $1,500. Fort Osage, located on a high bluff overlooking the Missouri River in Jackson County, would continue as an important outpost for over a decade. INDIAN TREATIES On July 4, 1804 Pierre Chouteau was appointed by President Thomas Jefferson as U.S. Agent for Indian Affairs West of the Mississippi. Chouteau was a St. Louis fur trader and knew the languages and customs of several tribes, especially the Osage. On September 14, 1808 , William Clark, Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the West negotiated with the Osage at Fort Osage to receive $1,200 worth of gifts and an annuity of $1,500 and access to a blacksmith and flour mill. The government also promised “protection” from eastern Indians who hunted on Osage land where game was still plentiful while it was depleted in their shrinking homelands. Some Missouria who lived with the Osage also signed this treaty. In later years Clark expressed remorse saying, “it was the hardest treaty he had ever made on the Indians and if he was damned hereafter, it would be for making that treaty.” The price for the treaty “benefits” was 52 million acres of land in Missouri and Arkansas. A group of Arkansas Osage visiting St. Louis said the treaty was invalid because they had not been at the council. Governor Meriwether Lewis quickly amended the treaty to include another 20 million acres of land north of the Missouri River. On November 8 1808 , Chouteau met with the Osage to sign the amended treaty. He had to pay them another year’s annuity in advance to get them to sign. The treaty was ratified by Congress on April 28, 1810. The region of Cooper County was officially no longer “Indian Territory.” On June 2, 1825 , the Osage signed a treaty in St. Louis ceding any remaining claims in Missouri and Arkansas and large portion of Oklahoma and Kansas. They retained a reservation about 50 miles wide and 150 miles long in southern Kansas. In exchange, they received $6,000 worth of trade goods. Osages still periodically appeared in Missouri to visit government officials in St. Louis or visit the graves of ancestors. As late as 1837 , they still went on their spring bear hunts in Missouri, as bears were more numerous here than on the plains of Kansas. Settlers in Cooper County and across the state continually feared these small hunting parities were the forerunners of large “Indian invasions.” The so-called “Osage War of 1837 ” was a bloodless confrontation between some Osage bear hunters and white settlers in Green County. The Missouria, Otoe, Ioway and Sac & Fox signed treaties in 1824 ceding their claims to most of the land north of the Missouri River. In September1836 they signed a treaty known as “The Platte Purchase.” This ceded their claims to what became the northwest counties of the state. With this treaty all Indian ownership of land within the state of Missouri was terminated. Pictures from Mike Dickey collection AMERICAN INDIAN, INDIAN, NATIVE AMERICAN, OR NATIVE? The National Museum of the American Indian says: “What is the correct terminology: American Indian, Indian, Native American, or Native? All of these terms are acceptable. The consensus, however, is that whenever possible, Native people prefer to be called by their specific tribal name. In the United States, Native American has been widely used but is falling out of favor with some groups, and the terms American Indian or Indigenous American are preferred by many Native people.” American Indian vs. Native American. The term “Native American” according to the U.S. Census Bureau includes all indigenous people of the Western Hemisphere; American Indians and Alaskan natives such as the Aleut, Inuit, Yupik and Eyak. Most tribal governments and organizations still use “Indian” in their official seal and documents. Younger generations sometimes prefer the term “Native” “Indigenous” “First Nation” or “Amerindian.” Regardless, tribal affiliation is the first and best way to identify a person of native heritage. Mike Dickey, Historic Site Manager, Arrow Rock State Historic Site. Missouri Archaeological Society Site on Collecting and Identifying Artifacts, and also Archeology in Missouri “Tracey Barters for an Historic Powd er Horn.” This is the Powder Horn that my daughter, Tracey, bartered from a French Explorer that descended the Missouri River back in the late 1970's Back in the late 1970's a group of men, who were re-enacting the voyage of the early French Explorers from the late 1600’s and early 1700's, down the Missouri River. They were descending the Missouri River in their long canoes from Kansas City to Saint Louis. I remember listening to Ted B. on the Boonville Radio Station, KWRT, talking about this group of men. The men wanted people from the Boonslick Area to visit them while they camped at our Harley Park overnight. Ted also stated that you could only trade with the men, with items of the 1700 period, to actually trade or barter with the explorers. I wanted to do just that with the explorers, so I went to the basement to see what I could find. The only things that I had at the time was an old, small oil lamp about seven inches tall that my mother gave me, and a case of "Home Brew" that I had just made at the time. My daughter, Tracey Lammers, who was only about 6 or 7 years old at the time, said she would trade the small oil lamp. This lamp was given to me by my mother who collected things of this nature back in the 1950’s. I had the big cooler of “Home Brew” to deal with at the time. We got there at one of the Harley Park Shelter Houses, north of the Little League diamond around 6 pm. Right away, all the group of men notice the brew I had which was in a cooler and gathered around. The 20-some bottles were gone in a flash. They all knew a good deal in the Home Brew. I noticed that one of the re-enactors was talking to my young daughter, Tracey, about her little red lamp she was holding. He asked her if she wanted to trade for the lamp she was holding. She said “Yes, I guess so.” The man left and went to his small tent. He returned with a beautiful powder horn that he had made years ago. He said, “Would you trade your red lamp for my powder horn?” Tracey said, “Sure!” So the trade was made. I looked at her new, bartered item that she held and was astonished. This powder horn was an historic piece that could be placed in any fine museum, anywhere. I went to the man and asked if he was sure about the exchange. The man said “Son...I’ve been looking for a small lamp like this for years, so as to read and write in my tent.” He continued by saying “We made the agreement and I don’t want to alter the contract and by the way I can always make another horn.” This man had scrimshawed an image of an Osage Indian on this horn that was first painted by an early explorer by the name of George Catlin in 1844. My family and I were ready to leave when another member of the group came up to me and said. “You really don’t know what you have in that powder horn. I’ve been wanting to buy or trade for this horn for a long time. He just wouldn’t give in, in anyway. You sure have a bargain.” To this day, I have shown this powder horn to many and I proud to say that it will stay in the family for many years to come. By: Wayne Lammers Early explorers on the Missouri River. circa 1700