USA > Missouri > Jasper County > A history of Jasper County, Missouri, and its people, Vol. I > Part 22
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"Well, that's neither here nor there. The strange thing about our Joplin engagement was the kind of admission fees we took at the door. The miners would come up wheeling a little barrow of ore, and ask if that would let them in. We had been told before what to expect, and had a man there to examine the dirt. If he said it was all right the barrow load would be taken around to the back of the building and dumped and the fellow who brought it got an admission check. When we got ready to come away we sold the pile that had accumulated, and it brought us a good deal more than the admission at regular priees would. That is one of the experienees managers in this day don't often have."
FOURTH OF JULY, 1875
The Fourth of July, 1875, was again celebrated by Joplin at the Grand Falls and the celebration was unique in its character. The games and amusements were fashioned after a tournament of the day "when knighthood was in flower."
A number of young men organized for the occasion a company of knights and they, as in the day of Richard Coeur-de-Lion, contested for the honors of the day.
The gallant knights carried lances and to determine their superiority rode at full pace past a certain spot where a ring was suspended and threw the lanee which was carried through the ring; that is, they threw the lanee at the ring and the knight who won the most points in this contest was voted the champion and was privileged to name the Queen of Festivities, while the six next best named the Maids of Honor to the Queen.
T. J. Maupin was the winner and placed the laurel crown on the head of Miss Julia Quick, now Mrs. William Fallis, while Daniel Gulley, E. D. Porter and F. E. Williams were among the knights-errant who chose the maids of honor.
Besides this sport, other games and contests were had during the afternoon and at night the merry pienickers came home with as mueh pomp as Robin Hood and his archers returning from the tournament of Prince John.
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY
HUGHI DYER & COMPANY, BOILER WORKS
In May, 1875, Hugh Dyer established at Joplin the Hugh Dyer & Company Boiler Works, the first plant of its kind to be established in the mining district. The founding of this machine works was of vast im- portance to the district, as it materially reduced the cost of mining ma- chinery.
HACK LINES TO CARTHAGE AND NEOSHO
In 1875 Messrs Thomas Connor and W. Kilgore established two hack lines, one making daily trips to the county seat and the other to Neosho. Both lines did a good business, but the Carthage line of course was the most used. During 1875-6 the fare to Carthage on the Connor-Kil-
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JOPLIN'S FIRST FOUNDRY
gore line was twenty-five cents, the same as now charged by the electric street railway.
BOARD OF TRADE
The first business-men's organization of Joplin was organized during 1875 and called the Board of Trade. Club rooms were fitted up in the basement of the Heathwood building and here the meetings were had. There were seventy-five members of the organization.
ORGANIZATION OF FIRE DEPARTMENT
After the fire in East Joplin in 1872, steps were taken to secure better fire protection and two hook and ladder trucks were bought early in 1873 which were manned by volunteer companies. The records of these two companies have been lost and we are unable to give the personnel of the two organizations other than to say that they were composed of the best citizens of both towns.
In 1875 a Babeock fire engine was purchased and a fire company or- ganized on March 10th with the following officers : Chief, C. J. G. Work-
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izer ; foreman, E. D. Porter ; assistant foreman, D. W. Cowan. The com- pany was named in honor of Joplin's first prospector, the E. R. Moffet Fire Company.
CITY ELECTION, 1875
At the fall election in October, 1875, the following officers were elected : Mayor, F. L. Thompson ; marshal, J. F. Bair ; police judge, W. B. McAntire; city attorney, John C. Trigg; treasurer, A. E. Blackwell ; councilmen, M. Clark, Ira Taylor and L. B. West, with F. E. Williams, P. L. Swartz and L. Adams holding over.
The appointed officers were: City clerk, I. W. Davis; assessor and colleetor, J. W. Reed ; fire warden, George Merwin, street commissioner, E. F. Scudder.
OLD-FASHIONED SPELLING MATCH (MAY, 1875)
The winter of '74-5 was a severe one and there was much suffering among the poor. To relieve the situation the charitably-inclined ladies of the city formed an aid society and gave a series of entertainments for the purpose of raising money. The last of these entertainments consisted of a series of spelling matches during the latter part of May. The first one of these was held May 22nd and was well attended. Miss S. S. Me- Cracken, a teacher in the West Joplin schools, and Attorney O. H. Tous- ley, of the east side, were the captains, and chose up. The winner in the contest was W. H. Calfee, Mrs. William Simpson taking second honors.
At the next match, one week later, there was much interest mani- fested and quite a number of the old-time champions brushed up for the occasion.
At eleven o'clock, the room had been spelled down save three, W. H. Calfee, the champion of the first match, U. B. Webster, and Thomas Sutton.
At twelve o'clock the trio were still on the floor and the affair was called a draw, each sharing the honors of the evening.
It might be added as an item of interest that Mr. Calfee's daughter, now Mrs. W. A. Niekell, inherited her father's faculty for correct spelling and during her school days seldom misspelled or mispronounced a word, graduating as the valedietorian of her class in 1887. Her daughter, Miss Maude Nickell, graduated from the Joplin High School in 1911 and, like her mother, was valedictorian of her class.
EAST JOPLIN PUBLIC LIBRARY
On the 22d of February, 1876, at a meeting of the literary and book- loving people of East Joplin, a Library Association was formed with the following officers : President, U. B. Webster; vice president, Thomas Sut- ton ; secretary, O. II. Tousley ; treasurer, Jolin Rousch.
During the month of March a series of entertainments were given and two hundred and seventy-five dollars raised, which sum was spent in the
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purchase of newspapers, magazines and periodicals, and a reading room was maintained by the society until 1877. During that year there was a decline in the lead market and the temporary shutting down of a number of the mines brought on for a short time a financial unrest which caused the organization to close the rooms.
BRUCE YOUNGER
During the summer of 1876 Bruce Younger, brother of Cole Younger, came to Joplin and worked in the mines under an assumed name.
On the evening of August 1st of that year a band of masked men rushed into a saloon where the young man was standing, and, seizing him, hurried to the street where the entire party mounted horses and rode rapidly out of town, almost before the lookers-on realized what was going on. On learning that the young man who had been kidnapped was a brother of one of the members of the James gang, it was thought that that body of marauders was in the neighborhood and had spirited Bruce away lest his identity become known.
JOPLIN AT THE CENTENNIAL
At the Centennial exposition at Philadelphia, in 1876, Joplin had a creditable display of minerals. The expense of maintaining the exhibit was defrayed by a fund contributed by the large mining companies and by the ladies of Joplin, who gave a series of entertainments and socials for the purpose.
CITY ELECTION, CENTENNIAL YEAR
The city election in October, 1876, occurred during the midst of the presidential campaign and, although the party lines were not drawn, it was hotly contested. The two opposing candidates for mayor were F. E. Williams, druggist in East Joplin, and E. D. Porter, of the firm of Porter & Roberts, West Joplin. Both men were exceedingly popular, being held in the highest esteem by their fellow townsmen. During the cam- paign the old prejudice and jealousy between the two towns was re- newed and feeling ran high. East Joplin, as in 1873, voted almost solidly for her candidate. Porter carried West Joplin and Lone Elm, but the tremendous majority for Williams in East Joplin elected him by 111.
The vote at this mayoralty election was as follows: East Joplin, F. E. Williams, 441; E. D. Porter, 44.
West Joplin-Williams, 298; Porter, 570.
Lone Ehn-Williams, 176; Porter, 190.
Much interest was also manifested in the eontest for marshal. J. W. Lupton and W. S. Norton, who had figured so prominently in the riot in 1874, were both candidates and the feeling between their friends ran high. It was feared that the election of either one would cause trouble and L. C. (Cass) Hamilton, who was deputy under Mr. Bair, was in- duced to shy his castor into the ring. The result was: Hamilton, 1,119 ;
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Lupton, 365; Norton, 226, Mr. Hamilton was for ten successive terms reelected marshal of Joplin, elosing his political career in 1887. He was elected police judge in 1885 and served two years.
The vote on city attorney was: C. H. Montgomery, 681; G. D. Orner. 632; J. C. Trigg, 355.
The vote on treasurer was: C. W. Babst (Lone Elm), 578: A. E. Blackwell, 538; F. L. Thompson, 354.
The election for councilmen was also close in East Joplin. C. F. Taylor defeated William Quick by four votes. William Watkins in West Joplin defeated M. Clark by eight votes. I. W. Gilbert, of Lone Elm came into the aldermanic body as the representative of that thriving burg.
F. E. WILLIAMS
Frank E. Williams was a native of Michigan, being born December 6, 1849. After graduating from the Ann Arbor High School in June, 1866, he following the advice of Horace Greely, came "west to grow up with the country," and first settled at Lawrence. Kansas, clerking in a general store for three and a half years.
The later part of 1869 Mr. Williams went to Granby, Newton county, where he opened a general store and was shortly after appointed post- master of that place. He came to Joplin in August, 1873, and opened a drug store in East Joplin in connection with his brother, Henry, who was a graduate of the pharmaceutical department of the University of Michigan.
Mr. Williams at once became prominently identified with the public enterprise of the city and was elected a member of the city council from East Joplin in October, 1874. During his membership in that body he urged the building of sidewalks and a uniform system of grading the streets. He saw to it that East Joplin got all that was coming to it and it was this loyalty to the east side that gained for him the almost unan- imous support of the First ward at the election of 1876. During his oc- cupancy of the mayor's chair, however, he was fair and impartial and worked for the good of the whole town, carrying into vigorous execution his policies of eivic improvement.
Personally, Mr. Williams was a most popular man, having scarcely an enemy. His polite and polished manner and his many little deeds of kindness gained for him the title of "Lord Chesterfield of Joplin."
Mr. Williams was president of the Board of Education in 1889 and took a prominent part also in military affairs. being major of the Second Missouri Regiment, United States Volunteers, during the Spanish-Amer- ican war. During his second year as mayor he moved his drug business to West Joplin and was closely identified with the business interests of the city, being a director in the Miners' Bank and South Joplin Land Company. A mention of the reception given in honor of his wedding will be made in our notes of ".Joplin During the 'Eighties." Major Williams died in 1901.
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN 1876
Very naturally the presidential campaign of 1876 caused mueh ex- citement in Joplin. Both the Democratic and Republican committees maintained elub rooms and, in addition to having a number of speeches and ward meetings. had toreh-light processions. A mention of the two monster torch-light processions and the Democratic barbecue has al- ready been made in the chapter on "County Politics During the 'Sev- enties. "
The vote in Joplin at the presidential election of 1876 was as fol- lows : Hayes, Republican-East Joplin, 381 ; West Joplin, 538.
Tilden, Democrat-East Joplin 523; West Joplin, 657.
Cooper, Greenbacker-East Joplin, 47; West Joplin, 31.
The successful candidates on the Galena township ticket were: Trns- tees-W. B. MeCracken, Geo. Orear and J. P. Newell; assessor, P. L. Swartz; collector. J. J. Breazeale; constables-L. A. Short and John T. Hodshier.
SOCIETY MASK-BALL DECEMBER 28, 1876
The society event of 1876 was the mask-ball at the Joplin Hotel, the close of the Centennial year.
The following were among the jolly throng of dancers: Miss Fannie Davis, as Catharine Howard ; Miss Addie Stoddard, as Lady Jane Grey ; Miss Nellie Coyle, as Anne Boleyn ; Miss F. C. Burns, as Mary Queen of Seots; Miss Jo. Roberts, as Queen Elizabeth : little Lillie Henderson, as Daughter of the Regiment ; Miss Agnes Conway, as Anne of Austria ; Miss Beach, as Juliet ; Mrs. Cronk, as Topsy; Jas. Wise, as Prince of Friseo; W. G. Baker, as Duke of Essex; E. D. Porter, as Cassius ; J. D. Rainwatter, as officer in Confederate Army; C. A. Powell, as Thomas Jefferson ; Mayor F. C. Williams, as Hamlet ; Mr. Coyle, as Brother Jon- athan; G. B. Young, as George Washington; P. H. Head, as Royal Guardsman; M. W. Stafford, as Oxford Student: Jas. M. Leonard, as Charles II; W. E. Maynard, as King Henry VIII; A. D. Coon, as Sir Peter Teazle : W. II. Picher, as Sitting Bull ; Mose Weiler and Joe Frank- lin. as Crusaders.
THE RISELING BUILDING
A few years ago there was a funny story that went the rounds about the Bingville school board. The story briefly told was as follows: The distriet had outgrown the schoolhouse and it was voted to build a new one and in order to economize, it was decided to use the brieks in the old school with which to build the new temple of learning, and to the end that no time be lost, it was further agreed to use the old schoolhouse until the new building was completed. Joplin, during the first boom days, had a parallel to the above and, although a larger and substantial house was not built from an old one, a new and larger store was aetually built around an old structure while an extensive and profitable business was being carried on, without the loss of a single day's occupancy of the store.
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY
During the summer of 1876, Levi Riseling built at the corner of Third and Main street a two-story briek store room, fifty by one hundred feet, in and around a two-story frame building which he was using as a gen- eral hardware and furniture store.
The shelving was first moved in from the north and south side of the room and a temporary wooden water-shed built. After placing props under the roof the side walls were torn down, the foundation dug and the massive walls of the brick store put up. The new building extended further baek than the old house and the rear wall was built at the same time as the side walls. On the completion of these three walls, temn- porary center-pieces were put in and the roof built over the old house.
The old frame was then torn down and as much of the lumber as was available was used in the new structure; in faet, almost every par- ticle of timber in the old building, excepting the shingles and siding, were put to some use. All the time that this work was going on, a large business was being carried on, some five or six clerks being employed in the store, besides a couple of delivery wagons which were in nse all the time. Of course, during this time the stock of goods was shifted a great many times to accommodate the daily changing conditions. All of the men employed in building were paid off each night at the elose of the day's work and out of the sales of the day's business.
THE EAST JOPLIN SCHOOL
Mr. Ormsby was succeeded as principal of the East Joplin school by S. A. Underwood. Mr. Underwood was a good organizer and brought the schools up to a high standard, retiring in 1877, when he was elected county superintendent of schools. For notes on his administration as county commissioner the reader is referred to the chapter on "Educa- tional Matters."
The teaching force in East Joplin during the Centennial year com- prised the following, with the number enrolled by eael on the first day of the term : S. A. Underwood, principal, 40; U. B. Webster, 60; Josie Culpepper, 70; Anna Whitwell, 80; total, 250. With two hundred and fifty pupils in the four rooms the first day, one ean readily imagine the ingenuity it required to plan for the school when all the pupils are en- rolled. Mr. Underwood devised a system of hearing recitation under these trying circumstances.
THE WEST JOPLIN SCHOOLS
Mr. Arnold continued in charge of the West Joplin Schools during 1874-6, under the same conditions as at the organization, with one as- sistant in the briek building at 4th and Pennsylvania, and two assistants at the Methodist church, Fourth and Kentucky.
At the close of the term in the spring of 1875, publie exercises were eondneted in the several rooms and the Joplin Daily News published
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the names of the pupils who had made in, the elosing examinations, a grade of 90 per cent. or more.
The following were in the honor list : Emma Giles, 100; Artie Spencer (A. E.), 100; Ordie Allen, 99.5; Ethel Holman, 98; Emma Bingham, 98; Ida Miller, 98; Millie Smith, 98; Gee Howell, 98; Elsie Mitchell, 97.5; Mamie McClaren, 97.5; Phoebe Reubart, 97.5; Laura MeAdams, 97.5; Clarence Franz, 97; Isabel Irwin, 97; Jaek Dolan, 97; Wilson Mc- Adams, 97; Frank Reed, 97; Frank Warren, 96; Frank Hobbs, 96; Addie Irwin, 96; Willie Henrichs, 95.5; Anna MeClarren, 95; Caddie Goodwin, 94.4; Almanda Prewitt, 94; Joe Reibart, 93.5; Mamie Alley, 93; Ella Weidener, 92.5; Mamie Holman, 92.5; Mamie Norton, 92; and Martha Caldwell, 92.
During the fall of '76 a new school for the west side was built at the corner of Fourth and Byers, the present site of the high school. The new building was a three-room frame. The building was completed dur- ing the winter and was opened for the spring term March 20, 1877. G. P. Garland was the first principal of the school and Messrs. Miles and Cornwell his assistants. These three new rooms gave to the west side schools nine teachers for the term 1876-7.
THE LONE ELM SCHOOL
In 1875 the people of Lone Elm, now grown to a eamp of approx- imately a thousand people, clamored for a separate school organization and steps were taken to detach a portion of the territory belonging to Distriet No. 4 and unite it with a portion of the old Peace Church school district. In 1876 the organization was affected and Joseph Hos- tilter, P. Quinn and J. L. Harvey were elected the first board of directors.
The territorial limits of the Lone Elm distriet ineluded that portion of Joplin, west of Joplin creek north of what is now "E" street, and ex- tending north of Turkey creek to a quarter of a mile south of old Tuek- ahoe. R. T. Guinn was the first teacher of the district and he, with the directors, bent every effort toward building a school. In 1877, $1,000 was raised by popular subscription and a neat two-roomed frame school erected.
The two rooms of the school were built so that they could be thrown into one room by opening the folding doors. On Sunday the building was used for church purposes and during the winter evenings for the meeting of literary societies. During the politieal campaigns it also served as a town hall.
Mr. Guinn was a very popular teacher and the Lone Elm board paid him one hundred dollars per month for his services.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
We are indebted to Charles Miles for the following information con- eerning the early history of the First Christian ehureh of Joplin, whiel was read at the time of the dedieation of its new building, December 29, 1901.
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The First Christian Church of Joplin was formally organized in 1874, but a word as to the conditions existing prior to that time and leading to the organization may be instructive and interesting. As a river fre- quently has its origin in several places, so this church was made up from several different sources.
In the fall of 1867 Mr. Israel Patton, lately deceased, led an emigrant train from Indiana to this county, finally settling just southwest of this city. He was an ardent member of the Christian church and he, with others, were soon holding religious services in the "Grove," which was God's first temple. The first building occupied was a log schoolhouse, which had stood the ravages of the Civil war. Messrs. Wells, Field and Starks were the names of the early preachers to this flock. The local elders were Mr. Patton and Mr. Carey. The deacons were Mr. Adams and Mr. Schumacher. The latter is still living in Blendeville.
They next occupied a building especially erected for church pur- poses. It was a double room log house. The hewn logs and also pine Ium- ber for ceiling and flooring, together with six windows and easing, were furnished by J. A. Miles, late of No. 224 N. Wall street. This building stood just north of what is now Central City and was known as Short Creek Christian church.
There were also congregations at Carthage, Diamond Grove and Five Mile, all surrounding points. Services were also held at various schoolhouses nearby, by Mr. M. Lane and Mr. Wells. In 1870 ore was discovered and in a year the town of Joplin had grown to a population of four hundred souls. Among the people who came from a distance were members of the Christian church. Members of the churches above mentioned were drawn to the rapidly growing city, especially from the Short Creek church, so that by 1873 there were some thirty or forty persons who found themselves of similar religious faith but without a church home. About this time Mr. M. Jenkins began to visit Joplin and preach as opportunity offered.
In the month of May, 1874, he preached a sermon in the brick Pres- byteriau church, northeast corner of Fourth and Pennsylvania avenue, at the elose of which an organization was effected. Among the charter members were the following: Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Faulkender, Mr. and Mrs. L. E. Gillette, Mrs. Elizabeth Huffman, Mr. and Mrs. J. A. Miles, Mr. W. L. Shumacher, Mr. and Mrs. Israel Patton, Mr. Eugene Poor, Mr. and Mrs. Harlan, Mr. and Mrs. Havill, Mr. and Mrs. Sutherland, Mrs. Moore, J. Groves and wife, Mrs. Pruitt, Mr. L. Kay ; Mr. and Mrs. Lampkin (now in Mexico), Dr. T. W. Miles (of Denver), Mr. and Mrs. Whitwell (of Diamond, this county), Mrs. Underwood (of Kansas City). Mrs. Lampkin (of Joplin), Mr. Lampkin (deceased). and possibly a few names may be overlooked.
Mr. Jenkins was continued for some time as the regular preacher, making a visit monthly. For six months the congregation met in the Cumberland Presbyterian church, above mentioned. Then for six months they met in the old city hall on Broadway, near the site of the old gas
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY
works. Next, they met in a Baptist church at the corner of John and Hill streets, which was subsequently sold and removed to the country. Amos Buchanan then became pastor of the church.
The next abiding place, but not for long was Howell Hall on Broad- way near Gillette and Lichliter's store. From here they went to Forbe's Hall, corner of Broadway and John street. This was sold for a medical institute and the church then found itself like many a wanderer upon the earth.
For awhile meetings were held from house to house. The members then resolved that they would build a home of their own. Mr. Miles and Dr. Wells led in this movement. A lot was purchased at the southeast corner of Fourth and Pennsylvania avenue for fifty dollars. It recently sold for a consideration of three thousand dollars. On this lot was ereeted a modest building costing probably two thousand dollars. L. Z. Burr, now of Kansas City, was pastor while the house was being built and with the assistance of Mr. Lane dedicated it to the service of God. Mr. Burr was a teacher, as well as a preacher. At that time, as many times sinee, the city was short of school rooms and the church was used the first year as a school building. A curtain was hung from the ceiling, making two rooms. Thus the children were taught during the week and the people heard the gospel on the Lord's day. Mr. Burr was pastor five years.
In November, 1877, the Rev. Cunningham assisted Rev. Burr in a sne- eessful revival, during which time sixty-eight conversions were made. Most of the converts were baptized in Joplin creek, just south of where the Broadway bridge is located and it was an impressive sight each after- noon to witness the ceremonies of immersion. (Joplin ereek at that time was much deeper than it is now and, although much used for washing purposes, the water was still comparatively elear.) One evening, just as the ceremonies were about to conclude, a miner returning from his work stopped to witness the ceremony and becoming converted asked to be baptised. Wading out into the middle of the creek, he was immersed by the Rev. Cunningham in the elothes he wore at the mines that day.
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