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RA Lakaofeuer 1936
HISTORY
OF
ALMA
MISSOURI
A HISTORY
OF
ALMA, MISSOURI
By Milton Garrison Superintendent of Schools
1936
DEDICATED TO THE FUTURE CITIZENS WHO WILL APPRE- CIATE THE COMMUNITY OF THEIR HERITAGE AND ENVI- RONMENT.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The writer gratefully acknowledges the splendid work done by members of the Missouri history classes of Alma High School in 1935 and 1936 in helping to obtain local his- torical material for this publication. Historical data of the Alma community have been difficult to secure because first hand information can now be obtained from only a few people. The number of pioneers who were here in the eighties and "gay nineties" is small, but the generosity of those few has been outstanding and very much appreciat- ed.
Written sources for this work were very scarce and inadequate; only one copy of the newspaper published in 1894-1895 was available. This limitation has made the in- formation obtained from the interviews with the early citi- zens even more valuable. Dr. J. G. W. Fischer, who sup- plied much of the information concerning the business firms of Alma, also read the other chapters of the manu- script and offered valuable criticisms which have been in- corporated for the betterment of the book.
To perpetuate the story of these people and to trace and record the progress and development of the Alma com- munity and its citizens have been the writer's earnest pur- poses.
-M. G.
CONTENTS
I. Location and Origin 1
A. The name Alma. B. Streets.
11. Early Settlers 6
A. First Settlers. B. Familiar Names in 1883.
III. Organization and Government
8
A. Pioneer Officials. B. Later Officers.
C. Fourth Class City. D. Post Offices and Postmasters.
IV. Churches 14
A. Trinity Lutheran Church. B. Federated Church.
V. Schools 18
A. Christian Day Schools. B. Alma Public Schools.
VI. The Railroad and Highways
33
A. Depot Agents and Section Foreman. B. State Highways.
VII. Business Firms and Enterprises 36
A. First Stores. B. Firms in 1894
C. Business Directory in 1910.
D. Recent Enterprises.
VIII. Civic Organizations 46
A. Alma Community Club. B. Alma Civic Club. C. Alma Bands.
IX. Recreation and Entertainment 49
A. Baseball and Basketball.
B. Minor Sports.
C. Lutheran Men's Club.
D. Picnics and Festivals.
E. Golden Jubilee.
F. First Annual Fall Festival.
X. The People 53
A. Growth of Population. B. German Immigration.
C. Politics.
D. Pre-Prohibition Days.
E. Conclusion.
HISTORY OF ALMA CHAPTER I
Location and Origin
Alma, Missouri, is located almost seventeen degrees west of Washington, D. C., and is near the thirty-ninth parallel of latitude. It can also be described as being sixty- five miles east of Kansas City on the Chicago and Alton Railroad.
Available records show that Alma was founded in 1878 by Captain Erwin Zeysing of Waverly and John M. Wood- son, a St. Louis lawyer. The town was named for the lat- ter's daughter, Alma, and in whose memory Mr. Woodson also donated and deeded to the town the park adjoining the depot.
The word "Alma" is a feminine proper noun which means "Nourishing and Cherishing." Most certainly this reveals the spirit of Alma during its progressive history.
Originally Mr. Woodson and Captain Zeysing owned most of the land on the north side of the railroad. At first the people felt that the prices they held for their lots were too high; consequently, the south side was settled and developed several years before the north side.
Most of the streets in the city were named after people - who lived here. It is odd, indeed, that a name has never been given to the main business street. Abstracts, deeds, and insurance contracts give its name as County Road; however, in recent years it has been commonly referred to as main street despite the fact that there is an original Main Street. Other streets in the city are as follows:
South of Railroad
North and South Streets:
Edna Avenue, located east of T. C. Marshall's residence ; named after Edna Horstman, daughter of H. H. Horstman.
East and West Streets:
South Railroad Avenue, north of H. J. Dieckhoff's res-
4
idence; so-called because it runs parallel to the railroad.
Collins Street, north of Dieckhoff's Implement Store; named after Samuel C. Collins.
Marshall Street, south of Alma Lumber Company ; named after T. C. Marshall.
Lincoln Avenue, south of F. W. McClure's residence; probably named after President Abraham Lin- coln.
Clara Avenue, south of L. T. Francis's residence ; named after Clara Horstman, daughter of H. H. Horst- man.
Flora Avenue, south of Charles Brockhoff's residence; named after Flora Horstman, daughter of H. H. Horstman.
North of Railroad
North and South Streets:
Waverly Avenue, north from depot; probably so-called because it led to the road toward Waverly.
Zeysing Avenue, east of Martha Gieselman's residence ; named after Captain Erwin Zeysing. Mitchell Avenue, west of high school building. East and West Streets:
Main Street, north side of park; this was the first main street in Alma.
Second Street, north of Ed. A. Wendt's residence. Third Street, north of J. E. Fette's residence.
Fourth Street, north of Trinity Lutheran Church.
5
CHAPTER II
Early Settlers
When John Corder and his wife, Sallie, came from Virginia in 1832 and entered land a few miles south of what is now Alma, there was not a single house between their home and Waverly. Only seventeen years before, Gilead Rupe, the first settler of Lafayette County, had established his home southwest of Lexington. Mr. Corder was a large land owner, having acquired some three thousand acres be- fore his death. He also owned many slaves and used their labor chiefly in growing hemp. A neighbor of the early Corder family was Joseph Collins, who lived at a place since called "Bear's Grove" in Davis township. Patrick Henry was another neighbor who lived south of the Corder estate.
Several years before any settlement was made at Alma the region about Waverly was well inhabited. Settlements then gradually extended to the south of Waverly, a town which was originally known as St. Thomas and later Mid- dleton. After the boundary lines of Middleton Township were defined and recorded in 1848, the name of the town was changed to Waverly.
Five miles southwest of Waverly was a large area of land known as "Shelby Tract," which was settled by the family of General Joseph Shelby before the Civil War. James Jackson, Jr., was born near what is now Alma the year the war closed. He is among the very few people who have lived in the eastern part of the county for more than seventy years.
Prior to 1850 several German families lived south of Davis creek in the vicinity of Concordia. They upheld the customs and traditions of their forefathers, consequently they were not wanted as neighbors by the early native set- tlers in the Alma vicinity. In fact, for a long time the lat- ter families dared them to cross to the north of the creek. The first German settler to venture across and establish his home was August Schmidt, Sr., in 1848.
6
Settlements in and around Alma developed rapidly about the time the railroad was built in 1878. Near the present site of the old Maplewood cemetery lived Richard Lillard. He and his wife boarded several of the railroad workers. Charles F. W. Horstman came to the vicinity of Alma in 1873; the next year Herman Dieckhoff arrived here, and the next year Henry Nordsieck settled in the neighborhood. George F. Rogge also came to this part of the township in 1877. In the fall of 1879 P. S. Read and his bride established his present home northeast of Alma. Soon afterwards the first marriage in the town, H. C. Clay to a Miss Milburn, was performed by Thomas Luke, a justice of the peace.
Among those who settled in and near Alma during the period, 1880-1884, were Henry G. Dierker, William H. Kel- lerman, Dr. J. W. Horner, Frank Becker, P. H. Koppenbrink, F. W. Lohoefener, Henry Bokelman, Henry Nienhauser, and Joseph H. Schmidt. A few of the other familiar family names around Alma in 1883 were Goodwin, Fletcher, Catron, Taylor, Smelser, Reynolds, Schultz, Neal, Morgan, Erdman, Younger, Groves, Kueck, Harding, Peters, Buckley, Steffens, Dryden, Collins, Weston, Mevius, Zeysing, Woodson and Doublie.
7
CHAPTER III
Organization and Government
The town site of Alma was incorporated in June, 1880, just a few weeks before James A. Garfield was elected president of the nation. Dr. Thomas H. Field, pioneer mer- chant of the village, was the first chairman of the village board. Trustees of the village that year were George B. Weston, Samuel C. Collins, W. Doublie and Charles Mevius.
Unfortunately the records of the town board meetings were not preserved from the time of the incorporation of the village in 1880 until 1919. Other sources show that in 1894 the officers were L. E. Johnson, chairman; Herman Bremer, clerk; J. W. Horner, assessor; R. W. Neil, treasur- er; P. H. Koppenbrink, collector; and J. W. Horner, W. O. Kueck, and J. C. Goodwin, trustees. In 1910 C. A. Guenther was chairman; T. C. Marshall, clerk; August Buck, marshal; and C. A. Guenther, William Horstman, H. J. Dieckhoff, J. G. Mueller, and Hugo Kleeschulte, trustees.
The town board records show that there have been forty-six ordinances passed by the officials during the ex- istence of the town. The ordinances were last revised in 1903, many of which have since become obsolete and not recognized nor enforced. For instance: Ordinance Seven, Section 24, Revised Ordinances of the Village of Alma, 1903, reads ... "Whoever shall purposely cause dogs or other animals to fight upon the square, streets, alleys, or other public places of the village shall be deemed guilty of a mis- demeanor." Then again, Section 49 of the same ordinance provided that ... "No person shall exhibit any kind of ma- chinery on any public square, street, avenue, or alley within the village, and no person shall run or take any road steam engine through any such square, street, avenue, or alley, unless he shall send a messenger along with, and at least one hundred yards in advance of such engine to notify the public of its coming. And it shall be unlawful for any per- son to blow or sound the whistle of any such engine while passing through said village. Any person violating the pro-
8
visions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misde- meanor."
Available sources show that the following citizens serv- ed as mayor of Alma after 1903:
-1903 Arthur O'Neil 1932-1933 Hugo Kleeschulte
1904-1905 L. E. Johnson
1906-1914 T. C. Marshall
1933-1934 Ralph Fischer
1915-1931 H. A. Dankenbring 1935-1936 J. E. Fette
Those who have served on the town board since 1919 are as follows :
1919-1921
H. A. Dankenbring, Chairman
T. C. Marshall, Clerk
John G. Mueller
Andy Rolf
O. E. Horstman
H. J. Dieckhoff
1925
H. A. Dankenbring, Chairman
T. C. Marshall, Clerk
Hugo Kleeschulte
William Stuenkel
E. W. Klaustermeyer
William Kellerman, St. Com.
H. J. Dieckhoff, Park Com.
F. W. Lohoefener, Park Com.
1923
H. A. Dankenbring, Chairman T. C. Marshall, Clerk
Henry Bokelman William Kellerman
E. W. Klaustermeyer Hugo Kleeschulte
1924
E. W. Klaustermeyer, Chairman
T. C. Marshall, Clerk
H. A. Dankenbring
Hugo Kleeschulte
William Stuenkel
William Kellerman, St. Com.
H. J. Dieckhoff, Park Com.
F. W. McClure, Park Com.
F. T. McClure, Collector
1922
H. A. Dankenbring, Chairman
T. C. Marshall, Clerk
Henry Bokelman
E. B. Becker
E. W. Klaustermeyer
Hugo Kleeschulte
1926
Same as in 1925
1927
H. A. Dankenbring, Chairman
T. C. Marshall, Clerk
Fred Franz H. V. Melin
William Stuenkel
William Kellerman, St. Com. H. J. Dieckhoff, Park Com. F. W. Lohoefener, Park Com.
9
1928
H. A. Dankenbring, Chairman
T. C. Marshall, Clerk
Fred Franz
O. H. Henning
H. V. Melin
William Stuenkel
H. J. Dieckhoff, Park Com.
F. W. Lohoefener, Park Com.
1932
Hugo Kleeschulte, Chairman
T. C. Marshall, Clerk
Ralph Fischer
O. H. Henning
F. T. McClure
William Stuenkel, St. Com.
H. J. Dieckhoff, Park Com.
F. W. Lohoefener, Park Com.
1929
H. A. Dankenbring, Chairman
T. C. Marshall, Clerk
William Stuenkel
H. V. Melin
E. H. Gerschefske
Ed. Biesemeyer, St. Com.
H. J. Dieckhoff, Park Com.
F. W. Lohoefener, Park Com.
1930
H. A. Dankenbring, Chairman
T. C. Marshall, Clerk
Ralph Fischer
H. V. Melin
William Stuenkel, St. Com.
H. J. Dieckhoff, Park Com.
F. W. Lohoefener, Park Com.
1931
H. A. Dankenbring, Chairman
T. C. Marshall, Clerk
Hugo Kleeschulte
E. W. Klaustermeyer
Ralph Fischer
William Stuenkel, St. Com.
H. J. Dieckhoff, Park Com.
F. W. Lohoefener, Park Com.
1933
Ralph Fischer, Chairman
T. C. Marshall, Clerk
Hugo Kleeschulte
O. H. Henning
William Stuenkel, St. Com.
H. J. Dieckhoff, Park Com.
F. W. Lohoefener, Park Com.
1934 (Fourth Class City)
Ralph Fischer, Chairman T. C. Marshall, Clerk
O. H. Henning, 1st Ward William Stuenkel, 1st Ward Hugo Kleeschulte, 2nd Ward H. J. Dieckhoff, 2nd Ward Ed. Biesemeyer, St. Com. F. W. Lohoefener, Park Com.
1935
J. E. Fette, Chairman
H. A. Dankenbring, Clerk
Ed. A. Wendt, 1st Ward August Buck, 1st Ward
Richard Buhlig, 2nd Ward
H. J. Dieckhoff, 2nd Ward Walter Rist, Collector
1936
Same as in 1935.
In 1909 it became evident to the citizens that the old
10
frame building used as a jail had become unsafe. Up to this time the town officers had no place in which to hold their meetings. Consequently, the people voted to erect a city hall which would include a modern jail in the basement. A suitable building was erected of concrete blocks at a total cost of $1,400. Later the building was en- larged to make room for a fire truck.
With the disappearance of the saloons a decade after the new city hall and jail were built, the original purpose of the building became nearly obsolete, as municipal court sessions were seldom held and the jail hardly used. For fifteen years no special police officers have been required in Alma to maintain peace and order. The few minor disturb- ances which occasionally occur are taken care of by the mayor.
Electric current was at first supplied to the Alma citi- zens by a plant operated by William Everett and Henry Schumacher. Later, David Riepe operated the plant until about 1924, when the Kansas City Power and Light Com- pany took over control of the service. Few cities the size of Alma can boast of better lighting than its citizens enjoy. Alma has been furnished with natural gas since the gas lines were laid in 1930.
Early in 1934 a petition was circulated among the vot- ers of Alma designed to place before the voters in the an- nual spring election the proposition for making Alma a fourth-class city. The proposition carried by a vote of 150 for the proposition to 20 votes against it. The principal change made in the government was the method of electing officers. Now the mayor could be selected by a direct vote of all the voters and his term increased from one to two years. The city was divided into two wards, each of which was to be represented by two aldermen elected for two years by the voters in each particular ward. Also, the col- lector is now elected by all the voters for a two-year term. Some additional authority was vested in the board of alder- men under the new plan. Perhaps, the popularity of the
11
proposal in the election of 1934 was due largely to the fact that most citizens desired to have Alma classed among the "cities" rather than to continue it in the village category.
During the last decade there have been several minor improvements in the development of the city by its officials. Much street and drainage work, as well as new paint on the city hall, were among the CWA projects carried out in 1933-1934. During the administration of Mayor Ralph Fischer the main business street was also graveled and sur- faced with a black top. The streets are maintained from funds derived from poll taxes and special oil levies. All of the main streets have recently been oiled.
The pride of Alma is the little park adjoining the de- pot in which many picnics, reunions, and other gatherings have been held. With the "old elm" as center of attraction and beauty, this park has drawn a number of compliments from visitors. Certainly a great deal of credit must be given to those patient and deserving caretakers, F. W. Lohoefener and H. J. Dieckhoff, who have taken care of the park for many years.
With all the advantages of living in Alma, its citizens are perhaps less burdened with city taxation than any sur- rounding city. An annual levy of thirty-five or forty cents on the one-hundred dollars assessed valuation raises revenue to furnish street lights, maintain the city hall and jail, keep the fire truck and equipment ready for any emergency, and pay the wages and small salaries. A poll tax of three dol- lars on all able-bodied male citizens is also levied.
It is estimated that approximately ninety per cent of the people in Alma own their own homes. Further evidence of thrift and interest in the progress of the city is mani- fested in their pride of keeping the streets, alleys, and lawns clean and beautified. But, perhaps their interest is mani- fested most by their almost one hundred per cent partici- pation in annual city elections and their harmonious cooper- ation in all worthwhile civic enterprises.
A postoffice was established in Alma in 1879, and the
12
postmasters serving have been as follows: Perry Catron, R. W. Neal, J. G. Goodwin, Bettie Goodwin, E. W. Erdman, P. H. Koppenbrink, J. E. Fette, and F. T. McClure. The first rural free delivery route was stablished in 1903 with S. B. Francis the carrier. The second route was established about a year later with Henry W. Nolte as its carrier. The two routes remained until a consolidation of routes was ef- fected in 1928. The present carrier is Roy Wahrenbrock.
Prior to 1905 the post office was located in E. W. Erd- man's Saddle Shop at the site of the present Lohoefener Mercantile Company. Then, when P. H. Koppenbrink re- ceived his commission as postmaster from President Theo- dore Roosevelt in March, 1905, the office was moved to the old hardware building where the Skelly Service Station is now located. In 1915 it was again transferred across the street to the office building owned by Dr. J. G. W. Fischer. It remained there until late in 1935 when Postmaster F. T. McClure moved it into the office building of the late Dr. J. W. Horner. The post office was elevated to the third class in 1921 where it has remained, with the exception of one year, until the present.
13
TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH
CHAPTER IV
Churchs
The life of the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran church as an organized congregation began January 2, 1875. In the fall of the preceding year, the Rev. J. F. Biltz, pastor of the Lutheran church at Concordia, had been asked by Hermann Dieckhoff, Sr., to conduct preaching services at the old Sunny Bank school house near Alma. This he willingly con- sented to do. After a few months, the little group of Lu- therans felt strong enough to organize as a congregation. On January 2 the first meeting was held and the organiza- tion went into effect with the following eight charter mem- bers: Claus Henning, George Deterding, John Robohm, Her- man Fricke, John Oberkoetter, Herman Dieckhoff, Sr., Wil- liam Kessler, and John Eckhoff.
The little congregation was still served by Pastor Biltz until the summer of 1878, when a church building was erected one and one-half miles northwest of Alma near the Lutheran cemetery. The building was completed and dedi- cated in the fall of 1873. At this time a Christian Day school was opened. W. G. Bullinger, a student of theology, was employed to serve the congregation as preacher and teacher. In 1879 the membership of the congregation had so increased that it resolved to call a resident pastor. They chose the Rev. Frederick Rohlfing, who had just graduated at the Seminary in St. Louis. He was ordained and install- ed as pastor on August 22 of that year. Besides his duties as pastor, Rev. Rohlfing assumed those of a teacher of the congregation's children, serving in that capacity for five years. Then he was relieved of the school work by A. Eich- mann from the Lutheran Normal School at Addison, Illinois.
Rev. Rohlfing served faithfully and diligently as pastor of the church for forty-two years. __ Under his leadership the growth in the size of the congregation made it neces- sary to increase the size of the church building. In 1887 an addition which doubled the seating capacity of the church was constructed. Eight years later the size of the congre-
14
0
gation had increased to such an extent that the enlarged building proved too small. Since the growth in membership was greatest in and near Alma, it was found desirable to have the church located in the thriving village. Two blocks or approximately seven acres of land were donated to the congregation by several generous members, and upon this ground the parsonage was built in the summer of 1889. Six years later the present church edifice was built at a total cost of $10,000. This building was dedicated September 15, 1895.
The zeal of the members became even more mani- fest. They were willing to lend a helping hand to others. With this spirit and encouragement, Rev. Rohlfing helped to organize Lutheran congregations at Lttle Rock, near Slater, in 1885; Zion Lutheran church at Corder in 1889; Hazel Hill, two miles west of Waverly, and Blackburn in 1879; and the St. Peter's Evangelical church at Flora in 1900.
Near the close of Rev. Rohlfing's ministry in Alma his health became impaired. For a time the congregation gave him an assistant, the Rev. A. Boepler of St. Paul's college. As the condition of his health steadily grew worse, Rev. Rohlfing resigned in 1921. A call was sent to Rev. A. Griesse, who accepted and was installed as pastor September 11, 1921.
Trinity Lutheran church has continued to grow in faith and membership under the able stewardship of Rev. Griesse. To date the church has sent out thirty pastors and seven teachers from its midst. At the beginning of 1936 the number of baptized members was 603, the number of communicant members 432, and the number of church vot- ers 124.
After the Civil War the little Presbyterian church stood for several years near the cemetery between Alma and Blackburn in what was known as the Maplewood neighbor- hood. About the time Alma was incorporated the building was moved to where it is now located, however, it is now
15
known as the Federated church.
From 1883 to 1897 the German Methodists of Alma and vicinity, having the same preacher as the German Metho- dists of Concordia, used this church building in which to hold their meetings. Rev. Brink was pastor during these years.
In 1897 the little Methodist church of Alma was built on a lot west of the Trinity Lutheran church which is at present the location of the home of George W. Sandford. This little church was just large enough for two short rows of benches with an aisle down the center. It really had the appearance of a school room more than that of a church. Although the building was small, the Methodists boasted an organ and later a bell and bell tower. From 1897 until 1920, the Methodists of Alma and Corder had the same preacher. The first pastor under this plan was Rev. H. H. Peters.
Since the Presbyterian church had been vacated by the Methodists in 1897, three ladies, Mrs. Henry Nolte, Mrs. J. W. Horner, and Anna Koppenbrink, decided to use the building in which to organize an English-speaking Sunday School for those children who had no other place to attend. In 1906 these ladies met with fourteen children and organ- ized a Sunday School. This little organization grew until some years later the older people decided they would have preaching services. Since no one denomination predomin- ated, they were confronted with a great problem in trying to organize the church.
In 1912 Rev. Blaney of Marshall outlined a plan for a Federated organization which would include all denomina- tions. With the aid of Charles Leonard, Presbyterian min- ister of Marshall; Rev. Hunter, Christian minister of Hig- ginsville; and Rev. Combs, a Baptist minister of Corder, the Alma Federated church was organized with seventeen char- ter members. Among the first members were Mr. and Mrs. Henry Nolte, Dr. and Mrs. J. W. Horner, Mrs. Richard Bohl- ing, Mable, August, and William Kueck, J. E. Fette, Roy Elsea, Mr. and Mrs. R. M. Branscum, W. W. English, Mrs.
16
S. W. Fletcher, and Floyd and Edith Nowlin. Mrs. J. W. Horner was the first superintendent of the Sunday School. After Mrs. Horner, E. B. Becker has served in this capacity. A few other superintendents have been elected from time to time, but none ever served more than a year or two.
The following is a list of the pastors of the Federated church in the order in which they served: Rev. Charles Leonard, Rev. E. Moneymaker, Rev. Sloan Whitsett, Rev. W. F. Baker, Rev. C. A. Erdman, Rev. Schnackenberg, Dr. R. S. Shepard, Rev. F. W. Denton, Rev. Claude R. Short, and Rev. J. G. Korb.
During Rev. Schnackenberg's pastorate, in 1920, the German Methodists joined with the Federated church. Three years after the Methodists abandoned their little church, it was struck by lightning and burned.
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