USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 21
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CENSUS OF SHELBY COUNTY.
1870.
1880.
1890.
1900.
1910.
Population
10,000
14,024
15,642
16,167
. . .
Shelbina
1,146
1,287
1.691
1,733
. .
Clarence
444
570
1.087
1,1×4
.. .
Shelbyville
520
619
480
. ..
1Innnewell
425
427
473
At the "World's Corn Show, " held at Columbus, Ohio, in January, 1911, Mr. James Douglass, of Shelbina, was awarded the medal for the ten best ears of yellow dent eorn over all competitors, thus bringing to Shelby county the fame of having pro- dueed the best yellow eorn in the world, and inei- dentally to Mr. Douglass a great demand for seed corn from all parts of the country.
CLARENCE.
Clarence, the second city in Shelby county. Its location is at the extreme western border, abont two miles east of the Macon boundary line. It has a pres- ent population of 1,500. Its main busi- ness streets run parallel with the Han- nibal & St. Joseph Railway. The busi.
162
163
HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
ness houses of the little city vie with any in the county and draw trade from long distances in every direction, being in control of public-spirited men, whose en- terprise have gained a reputation which promises well for its future. The business houses are well built and convenient and modern within. The healthful location, that of a rolling prairie, with its abun- dance of good living water, the rich farm lands lying all about, the unsurpassed market facilities, enjoying the distine- tion of being the heaviest shipping point between Hannibal and Kansas City, render it one of the most prosperous, enterprising and promising little cities in the state. It is populated by a people thoroughly intelligent, moral, progres- sive and well-to-do, and few cities can offer to the capitalist or home seeker superior advantages for safe invest- ments. The schools are forging to the front with all the push and vim of the modern educator. The fine chnreh build- ings attest the healthfulness of the moral and religious tone of the town. Its people are cordial and hospitable, all uniting in making the town the peer of any in the state. The surrounding farm lands perhaps surpass any for fer- tility of soil, and the perfect growth of all grains and fruits common in this lati- tude. Stock raising is every man's vo- cation, from the fact that our abundance of grain, together with the great blue grass prairies which stretch over the ter- ritory make it a chief pleasure of life. So well located, Clarence can but pros- per from year to year more abundantly and her growth cannot be otherwise than steady. She possesses one of the best flouring mills and elevators in the coun- ty. She boasts of having a superior
electric light plant, owned and operated by the city. The city is practically ont of debt. Her streets are clean and well kept, and her beauty is enhanced by her long stretches of granitoid walks. On either side of her railroad are stretchies of verdant green, dotted with beautiful shade trees, the same known as her city parks.
Clarence has three splendid growing banks, which bespeak her welfare. The service within is business, yet accommo- dating.
She has one of the most modern and best equipped telephone buildings to be found anywhere in a town of her size, with a system containing 11,000 feet of cable. The proprietors, Naylor & Eagle, require a service of its force which is in keeping with such modern conveniences. It boasts of two good newspapers, repre- senting both the great political parties. Mayor Dimmitt, one of the best to be found anywhere, is progressive and pub- lic spirited and pilots well her public en- terprises. Her beautiful homes and well kept lawns are her pride. She is destined to a steady growth and a sure future.
SHELBYVILLE.
By Hon. John D. Dale.
Shelbyville, the capitol of Shelby county, is situate just north of the geo- graphical center of the county. She has about 1,000 people. Her citizenship is of the rare quality which makes Shelby county known all over the state for her morality, sobriety and intellectuality. Her financial institutions are among the safest in the state. The Shelbyville bank is an old institution, established in A. D. 1874, with Dr. Phillip Dimmitt cashier and John T. Cooper president. Both of
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
these old pioneers have long since passed over the great divide, leaving the bank in the hands of Prince Dimmitt as presi- dent and A. M. Dunn as cashier. This bank has a capital stock of $20,000 and a surplus fund of $17,000. The Citizens' bank was organized in the year A. D. 1894, with John J. Hewett as president and W. W. Mitchell as cashier. This bank has a capital of $20,000 and under its present management, with John J. Hewett as its present president and J. M. Pickett as cashier, it has grown to be one of the safe banks of the country. We have five churches, to wit: The Metho- dist Episcopal South, the Baptist, the Christian, the Presbyterian and the Holi- ness. All of these churches are active in spreading the Gospel and have left their imprint upon the people of the county.
Our graded public school is second to none in the county, and the citizens of this city are proud to boast of our good school. The colored public school is good and the colored folk patronize it well. The mercantile interests are not only well represented, but Shelbyville has some of the best stores in northeast Missouri. The department store of Wil- liam Winetroub Sons' is a first-class es- tablishment which would do credit to a city three times the size of Shelbyville. The dry goods house of James Edelen & Co. contains a well selected, large stock of dry goods and ladies' furnishings and clothing and is a nice store.
The two hardware stores carry large stocks in their line, and the old-estab- lished hardware store of N. C. Miller is patronized for many miles around.
Our two drug stores are up to date and handle drugs as medicines only. The
drug house of A. M. Priest is one of the oldest houses of the kind in the county, and while the drug store of J. W. Penn is not so old, it is a well-equipped store and up to date in every respect.
There are five grocery stores, all up to date, and two restaurants, two grist mills and feed stores, four blacksmith shops, where wagons are manufactured and repaired, one poultry and egg house, one newspaper and one opera house and two livery stables.
The newspaper, the Shelby County Herald, is an old-established paper, and is widely known for its advocacy of morality and such other principals as are for the best interest of the commun- ity. The opera house is a little beauty, with a seating capacity of 600. All but two of our business houses are of brick, fronting on the court house square. Our streets are wide and admirably shaded with elm and maple trees, which in the summer time are so inviting that the weary wanderer cannot forego the pleas- ure of seeking the shaded lawn and sip- ping the cool water from the spring well that is located near the court house.
Shelbyville has four lawyers, to wit: John D. Dale, V. L. Drain, E. M. Obryen and J. T. Perry.
Three physicians, to wit: Dr. W. M. Carson, Dr. John Maddox and Dr. P. C. Archer.
The court house is a large commodious briek and stone structure, equipped with steam heat and water and each office con- taining a fireproof vault for the records.
The school house is a large stone and brick building with basement and mod- eru steam heating plant. The residence district will compare favorably with any city of its size in the state and, above
165
HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
all, it is peopled with a class of citizens who are widely known for their morality and refinement.
There are two Inmber yards, the Cot- ton Lumber Company and the North Missouri. Both of these yards carry large stocks and do a large business.
The Shelby County Abstraet & Loan Company is an institution that every county must have and this one is man- aged on correet principles.
There is yet room for enterprising business men in Shelbyville and sueli will never regret having located here.
The electric light plant is not so large as some in the county, but it is sufficient for all purposes here and is now in fine shape and giving good satisfaction.
Of course, Shelbyville has a postoffice and every morning go out from this of- fice six rural carriers.
Singleton Brothers, who own one of the grist mills and feed stores, also own and operate the elevator.
Our furniture stores are among the best in the county. The old-established house of Pickett Bros. carry a large stock, well selected, and also do an un- dertaking business.
J. W. Thompson & Son, the proprie- tors of the other furniture store. are equipped nicely in their line and also do an undertaking business.
There are two jewelry stores and they are both a credit to the city. Both carry pianos in connection with their jewelry business.
One harness shop, which is the oldest establishment of the sort in the county, having been established over fifty years ago, and the present proprietor, Julius Ritter, Jr., was reared at the bench in
this store. He carries a large stock and is an expert workman.
One telephone system, owned and man- aged by R. B. Parker.
There are two drays, delivery wagons and a bus line-in fact, all the minor en- terprises that go with an up-to-date city.
We have as good or better railroad service than any city on the Burlington. The Shelby County railway trains enter our city three times daily, and with it comes the mail, express and freight.
Our hotel is a commodious briek struc- ture and admirably located, with a beau- tiful lawn and large shade trees. The proprietor, J. L. Gaines, has built this hostelry up to a first-class hotel.
SHELBINA. By W. O. L. Jewett.
Fifty-five years ago a strip of prairie extended nearly across the southern edge of Shelby county, from Salt river on the east to the Macon line. This prairie was covered with a luxuriant growth of grass, often six to nine feet in height. A few farms jutted out of the timber into the edge of this prairie, but it was mainly unbroken-just as Nature had made it.
Railroads often, probably usually, fol- low the line of least resistance. So when the Hannibal & St. Joe was laid out, be- ing compelled by its charter to touch Pal- myra, it took from there a southwest- erly course for sixteen to eighteen miles, and then bore slightly north of west, so as to follow the prairie and avoid the breaks near the streams both north and sonth. Its course across the county west of Salt river is nearly straight, but where it reaches the Macon line it is about four
166
HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
miles north of where it crosses the east line of Shelby.
During 1857 the railroad was built as far west as where Shelbina stands; a station was made on the level prairie and named Shelbina, being nearly in the cen- ter of the county east and west, and two and one-half miles from the Monroe line. Then Walkersville, three and one-half miles to the northwest, on Salt river, was an important trading point, and Old Clinton, nine miles to the southeast, also on Salt river, was a still more important commercial center. But these, like most towns missed by a few miles, were killed by the railroad.
Soon as this station was located cheap business houses were erected; first on the north side, and business began. Shel- byville, the county seat of Shelby, and Paris, the county seat of Monroe, were without railroad communications, and Shelbina became the shipping point for these towns, and for all the county north and south for more than twenty miles. With these advantages business thrived and the town grew rapidly. This was checked by the war, which broke out in 1861. Among the early business men were Kemper Bros., R. A. Moffett. Sam- ael Hardy, John J. Foster, John I. and William Taylor, William A. Reid, George Hill, John Myer, S. G. Parsons, C. A. Whitehead, and then Charles Miller, Charles and Morris Goodman, Daniel G. and Columbus Minter, Huron Miller, "Clabe" True, and Newton and John Bates. Among these Henson Thomas should not be forgotten, for he was an extensive real estate owner and dealer. Several saloons to dispense intoxicants to the railroad builders and others were among the first to occupy business lots.
In the fall and winter of 1857 the Thomas hotel, a good frame structure, was erect- ed where the Waverly hotel now stands. This hotel, we are told, did a large busi- ness in the early days.
The early days of this town were like those of most other western villages, not as orderly as they should be. There were many rough characters about and muell drinking. Saturdays often wit- nessed a number of fights. This condi- tion continued until near the close of the war.
The first religious services were held in William A. Reid's store by Elder Powell, of the Baptist church, in the fall of 1858. Mr. Reid had recently come from Old Virginia, and he was a man of character and force and soon became a leader, not only in business matters, but also in building up the M. E. church South and in Sabbath school work. He became the wealthiest man of the place and died in 1890 at the age of sixty-four. Religious services were held in the Thomas hotel and afterwards in Miller's hall on Center street. It was 1867 before any church edifice was erected, and that was built by the Southern Methodists and Baptists on the site now ocenpied by the Pietorium.
The war checked the material as well as the intellectual and moral growth of the place. During the troubles school opportunities were few. Charles M. King and some others had given instruc- tion to the youths before the war and part of the time during the continuance of the strife.
Speaking of Mr. King, who afterwards became a lawyer and leading citizen of Shelbina, recalls an incident during Bill
167
HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
Anderson's raid on the town in 1864. This outlaw had the citizens lined up the better to rob them of valuables. Mr. King was always a nicely dressed gen- tleman, and when the bandits demanded his valuables and he could produce only $1, they cursed him and handed the dol- lar back. Judge Daniel Taylor had to- bacco in the depot to be shipped and he approached Bill Anderson and asked the privilege of getting his tobacco out be- fore the building was fired. The bandit leveled his revolver at Taylor's face and said he believed he should shoot the d-d Yankee, but finally allowed him to get his tobacco out and then burned the depot. The Federal authorities assessed $20,000 against the people of Shelbina and vicinity to pay the damage to the railroads. The military authority acted upon the false theory that the people of the vicinity were in sympathy with the raiders and could have prevented the damage; whereas they were as much opposed to the raiders as the military authorities themselves. Father D. S. Phelan interceded with Gen. Rosecrans and he revoked the order. This was the last raid of the war.
With peace in 1865 came a new period of growth, and since then improvement has been continuous, though there have been periods when the town seemed to be at a standstill. This was especially so from '73 to '78, during the hardest times this country has ever seen. Then real estate values depreciated to less than half their former price and things were stagnant. Again during the eighties there was a period of depres- sion, when business did not flourish. Whenever farm products are so de- pressed that agriculture makes small re-
turns, towns like Shelbina, dependent on rural trade, do not grow rapidly.
In 1866 a fire consumed the Thomas hotel and all the business houses front- ing towards the railroad, west of Center street, and these were the main ones. The fire broke out when all were asleep and hence nearly everything the build- ings contained were destroyed. Fam- ilies living in the second story of the building barely escaped with their lives. It was determined to rebuild in a more substantial form and the three-story Masonic block and the two business houses, both two-story, east of this, were erected in 1867. The hotel was not built until 1871 and was named the "Waverly."
Again in 1874 Shelbina was visited by a destructive fire, which also came in the night, and all the west side of Center street from the bricks fronting the rail- road south were swept away; Charles Miller's furniture store, at the extreme southern end, alone remaining. As the hard times were on the country, rebuild- ing was slow ; but finally that large block of Bedford stone fronts was developed. A few years after the '74 fire the east side of Center street was also laid in ashes. Both sides of Center street are now lined with solid brick buildings. In 1881 Wailnut street, east of Center street, began to develop, and it now has more brick buildings on the south side than there are on one side of any other street.
Shelbina has been blessed with a lot of live, enterprising merchants, who have advertised and drawn trade from a long distance. They have made for themselves commodious places, in which to display and keep their goods, and
168
HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
have also kept an excellent quality and variety of articles. Most of these men have been successful in making for them- selves and the town solid and substantial growth. Some have accumulated consid- erable property.
In 1867 Shelbina was incorporated as a town, and in 1878 as a city of the fourth class. Soon after it became a city the business streets were made solid with gravel. It has long been noted for its good sidewalks, first of plank and now of granitoid. For twenty years past it has also been noted for the beauty and elegance of its homes. Forty years ago it looked bleak and bare; now nearly all its streets are lined with fine, towering shade trees.
About twenty years ago the people voted $5,000 for an electric light plant, and this has since been doubled and the city has a good lighting system. The people also voted for water-works and sewers, but these have not yet been made.
Some years ago a Business Men's As- sociation, with William M. Hanly as president and John H. Wood as secre- tary, was organized, and through its in- finence a brick and tile plant was located just north of the city limits, and this is building up a fine trade. And a canning factory at a cost of $16,000 has also been established. Recently a factory for making frames for window screens, the Starrett Window Screen Company, has opened, with a fine promise of large suc- cess. For twenty years our Flouring Mill Company has done an extensive business. There are also three wagon factories in the city.
In 1877 Shelbina Collegiate Institute was established for the better education
of the youth of the community, and it did a fine work until the public high school became so efficient the institute became unnecessary. Shelbina has fine educational advantages and it also has strong church organizations and elegant houses of worship. The rough element, which was strong in the early history of the place, gradually faded away, and the people of this city and vicinity stand in the first rank for intelligence and moral- ity. The community about the city is prosperous and fine farm houses and barns dot the prairie in every direction. No more pleasing sight is to be found in a thousand miles than right here in the city and the surrounding country.
A write-up. in the Democrat eight years ago among other things said : "Situated on the main line of the Bur- lington railroad, between Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City, two miles from the southern border of Shelby county, is Shelbina, the largest town in the county. It is the shipping and trading point of a rich farming country and draws its wealth from the agrienltural and stock raising country abont it. The city is lo- cated on gently rolling prairie land and has wide, well kept, level streets. Stran- gers who view the town for the first time remark upon the width of the business streets. Then they comment upon the number and beauty of the shade trees that line all the residence streets of the town. Beautiful and graceful elms have been planted in the grounds belonging to the railroad near the station, making two handsome, shady parks of what would otherwise have been a vacant tract.
"In Shelbina nearly every man sits under the shade of his own vine and his
169
HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
own fig tree. In other words, they own their homes. This produces a pride in the appearance of things that has caused Shelbina to be noted as the town of beautiful homes. No other town of its size in northeast Missouri has so many beautiful residences."
Then the write-up gives an account of the lights, the schools, the orders and clubs, and the beauty of scenery, and winds np with an enumeration of what the town has, thus :
"One furniture store.
"Two photographers.
"A telephone system.
"Two clothing stores.
"Three livery stables.
"One business college.
"A population of 1,800.
"One electric light plant.
"Twelve real estate offices.
"One cleaning and dyeing shop.
"Three hotels and five boarding houses.
"Four blacksmith and repair shops.
"Six grocery and six dry goods stores.
"Four millinery and five dressmaking shops.
"The best high school in northeast Missouri.
"One music and one undertaking es- tablishment.
"A 100-barrel-a-day flouring mill, and a bakery.
"Splendid railroad service, ten pas- senger trains every twenty-four hours.
"A splendid telephone exchange.
"The best fair in the county.
"Two cigar factories, three lumber yards, two book and notion stores, four barber shops, two meat markets, one marble shop, six drug stores, three den- tists, six churches, one laundry, one oe-
culist, six doctors and three banks." It did not say, as it should, fonr lawyers.
Shelbina is one of the few small cities that has made a substantial growth dur- ing the past ten years, and the popula- tion by the census of 1910 is 2,174.
It has long been known that there was some coal north of the city, and some years since an effort was made to or- ganize a company to sink a shaft about a mile north of the place, but it fell through. It was feared the vein was too thin to pay. But in the spring of 1910 it was found in paying quantities. Jacob Raby, who is one of the men who established the Brick & Tile Plant, bought a farm on Salt river, just east of the Shelby County railroad, and he im- mediately sank a shaft and found six or seven feet of good coal, about half bi- tuminous and half cannel coal. He also found great quantities of valuable white clay. Some of this has been shipped to Illinois and worked up. It makes a fine quality of porcelain for bath tubs, etc. J. E. Holman and F. E. Merrill have leased the coal mine and are now raising some twenty odd tons a day. This sup- ply of coal promises many advantages to Shelbina.
The Shelby County railroad, built by home capital, is a great convenience for the people of Shelbina, as well as those of Shelbyville and all this surrounding country. The Brick & Tile Plant is on the line of this road, and the coal mine also.
For twenty years past Shelbina has been blessed with an intelligent and moral class of citizens, who have done much to give the city an excellent name. Its members of the bar have not only heen learned and able, but men of the
-
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
highest character. It has also been blessed with skillful physicians, who have sustained the reputation of this great profession. In the line of mechan- ies, as well as in that of trade and mer- chandise. this beautiful little city has been highly favored.
Its two weekly newspapers, "The Democrat" and "The Torchlight," have always stood in the front rank of local journals and have contributed their full share towards building up the city mate- rially, intellectually and morally, and have contributed largely to its reputa- tion abroad.
HUNNEWELL.
On Angust 15, 1857, JJosiah Hunt, the land commissioner of the Hannibal & St. Joe railroad, platted the city of Hunne- well. It had been deeded in July of the same year by Richard Drane and wife to John Duff, of Dedham, Mass., for the sum of $1,200, and comprised a tract of sixty-two and one-half acres. The town was christened Hunnewell in honor of H. Hollis Hunnewell, of Boston, who was connected with the Hannibal & St. Joe railroad, as was Mr. Duff.
Early in 1857 Stephen Doyle built the first storehouse and was afterwards known as the Doyle, Kellogg & Co.
Soon after the town opened Richard Durbin built a frame building, a story and a half, into which his family moved -the first family living in this town.
A little later, Suider & Co. built the third honse for a storeroom. Snider & Co. stood for Jno. Snider, W. F. Black- burn, A. L. Yancey and JJno. Maddox. The first lot deed was made out to W. F. Blackburn.
.
In 1857, the railroad having been com-
pleted to the city limits, an excursion was run from Hunnewell to Monroe City on the 4th of July. In the fall of 1857 the first hotel was established by a Mr. Ball, who moved over from Old Clinton. John H. Snider was the first postmaster. The postoffice was established in 1857 in the store of Snider & Co. In 1859 a school house was erected. It was a frame build- ing located south of the track in the west- ern part of the city. The town now has a new brick building, erceted about 1895. and is located north of the track in the west part of the city. Hunnewell's first preacher was Rev. T. DeMoss, a Metho- dist. Services were held in the school house.
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