History of Clinton and Caldwell Counties, Missouri, Part 7

Author: Johnston, Carrie Polk, 1865-
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Topeka ; Indianapolis : Historical Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 924


USA > Missouri > Caldwell County > History of Clinton and Caldwell Counties, Missouri > Part 7
USA > Missouri > Clinton County > History of Clinton and Caldwell Counties, Missouri > Part 7


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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119


HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES


Chapman; 1882, William Penn; 1883, D. C. O'Howell; 1884, Robert White; 1889, T. H. Swearengen; 1891, H. C. Bolen; 1894, George J. Warren.


The present church building is the fourth building, and was erected at a cost of $10,000. It is a handsome structure of brick.


In 1904 W. T. Whitesides was pastor; 1905, I. T. Nash; 1906, H. C. McPherson, four years; 1907, A. C. Johnson, presiding elder; 1909, A. C. Browning, presiding elder; 1910, J. C. Handy, pastor ; 1911, G. A. Lenhoff, pastor; 1912, F. A. Henry, three years; 1913, S. W. Robinson, presiding elder ; 1917, B. D. Lipple, elder ; 1915, district name changed to Richmond ; 1915, M. F. Crowe; 1917, J. A. Medley, pastor ; 1919, M. H. Moore, pastor.


St. Ann's Catholic Church, Plattsburg .- "In 1866 Father Linnen- kamp of St. Joseph, Mo., came to Plattsburg at regular intervals and held services in private houses until in 1867, when a frame building on Fourth and Maple streets was built, south side of the street. It was 30x52 feet, and cost about $2,000. Father Abell, another priest from St. Joseph, took charge of the church and remained one year, till 1868, at which time he was succeeded by Father O'Riley, who continued his pastoral relations with the church until 1876, and then went to New York. Father Ahern succeeded Father O'Riley, remaining in charge for one year, when Father Hanley came, and under him, in 1881, the old church was enlarged and repainted." Father Hanley was succeeded by Rev. Father Dennis Keily in 1884.


The old frame building was used 21 years and was worn out and outgrown. Prosperity had attended most of the flock, almost every one light-hearted, industrious, of Irish extraction or native born, coming from the Old Sod, as many of the older ones had, directly to Clinton County. They soon adapted themselves to the agricultural opportunities of the county, acquired good homes, large tracts of land in many instances, and swung into the lines of American citizenship with patriotic spirit. The Downeys, Sheas, Brodericks, Brocks, O'Briens, Tobins, Moores, Goggins, Hurleys, Dunns, Floods, Mallens, are some of the names of the older families, and "their children call them blessed." These, and others rallied by Father Keily, then a young man, saw the need of a better and larger building, and in 1888 they built a very handsome brick church on Seventh and Maple streets, north side, facing Seventh street, at a cost of $6,000. Later they bought the whole block and established St. Brenden's school in 1896, and the Sisters' Home, as mentioned under private schools.


120


HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES


St. Ann's is the mother church of the one at Lathrop, established 1903; at Perrin, 1889, and at Frazier, 1913, and the pastor in charge states that the congregation maintains its usual numbers throughout the separation unto the other churches. Originally the church drew from St. Joseph, Weston and Easton, and from a large area of Clinton County.


Rev. Dennis Keily, the present pastor, has the longest record as actual regular pastor of one flock of any minister in the county. And not only for length of time does he receive honorable mention, but for his qualities of integrity, faithfulness to duty, and for espousing the things that make for the better conditions of all human life, expressed in public matters. For these he has won and holds the esteem, not only of his own parishoners, but of the whole community, and this is but small expression of that 40 years of general esteem.


Lathrop Christian Church .- By Mrs. T. J. Seaton .- On the second Sunday in June, 1870, the Christian Church of Lathrop was organized by Elder Joseph Waller, with the following members: Mr. and Mrs. James T. Gordon, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Harsel, Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Williamson, Mr. and Mrs. William Miller, Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Tapp, Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Chenoweth, Miss Maggie Blankenship, Mrs. Roxanna Smith, Miss Phoebe Porter, Misses Anna and Jennie Winn, James P. Brock, I. P. Norris, Taylor Hulen, Wallace Smith. Of this number only five are living. Mrs. J. H. Chenoweth and Miss Thalia Smith still are affiliated with the church at Lathrop, I. P. Norris lives in Minneapolis, Kas., and Wallace Smith in California. The others have passed to their heavenly home. This small congregation met in store buildings, halls, all of which have long since passed into oblivion. Quite frequently they used the Presby- terian and Congregational Churches for religious services. H. H. William- son and Anthony Harsel were selected as temporary deacons, J. H. Cheno- weth as clerk. During these years they had no regular pastor for any length of time, but enjoyed the words of the gospel from the preachers . who passed this way. In 1874 a permanent organization was effected, with several new members. Alex Newby, William Miller and J. H. Chenoweth were appointed elders. W. P. Brown, A. G. Rogers and D. W. Osborn were appointed deacons. Of this number, W. P. Brown and Mrs. A. L. Hulen still hold membership with the local church. A church home was built in the years 1873 and 1874, and the building at that time was con- sidered one of the largest and best in Lathrop. This structure was moved on the back of the present location in April, 1915, and was used for.worship


121


HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES


during the erection of the present structure. In November, 1915, the old church was purchased at auction by H. B. Duncan, who had it torn down and hauled away.


All the frame work of the old church was of native oak, hauled from the saw mill at old Gosneyville, owned and operated by William Miller, one of the charter members. These timbers were still in good state of preservation when the building was wrecked. The material was hauled through the country by the men of the congregation, who would leave very early in the morning and return late in the evening with their loads of lumber. J. A. Elledge, deceased (father of Joe Elledge), was one of the carpenters who assisted in its erection. The first record book was pre-' sented by Alex Mooney, of Haynesville, and this with all its precious his- tory was later burned when the home of D. W. Osborn was consumed.


The first Sunday school superintendent was A. G. Rogers, and he was said to have been a fine worker in this line. In passing we would not forget to mention the name of Mason Summers (father of J. T. Summers). It is said, while he was not a preacher, he did almost as much good in helping keep the church. In the days before musical instruments were used in religious worship, he was chief chorister and, being especially fond of children, he taught them to sing the sweet old songs of long ago.


The only public wedding held in the Christian Church was when Henry C. Benton and Miss Susie Hockaday were married.


Possibly no family contributed more to the success of the church during their residence among us than A. B. Jones and his family. One year Mr. Jones preached at the 11 o'clock hour each Sunday and the money was turned over to improvement of the church. Mr. Jones was leader of the first mission band. Charles P. Jones and Gordon Jones were superintendents of the Sunday school, the former being called to fairer . worlds while in the discharge of his duties.


The following men held pastorship with this church in the order named: Elders, Joseph Waller, Joseph Davis, Jacob Hugley, Alex Newby, John Tate, S. P. Johnson, Samuel Trice, W. C. Rogers, George W. Longan, Joseph Lowe, J. Dunn, seven years; A. B. Jones, at Liberty, Mo., four years ; W. R. McCrea, two year; E. W. Thornton, now of Cincinnati, Ohio, two years ; E. B. Redd, four years ; T. J. Thompson, now at Carthage, Ill., two years; W. T. Henson, Moberly, Mo., six years; J. G. Creason, two years ; B. F. Creason, three years, now at Oklahoma City.


122


HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES


Baxter Waters was pastor from Dec. 1, 1909, to April 1, 1917. During this pastorate the present building was erected. It is of Hytex gray brick, with tiled roof, steam heat, splendid lights and beautiful softly tinted art windows, fine pews with seating capacity of 300, space for chairs to seat 200 more. It was built at a cost of $20,000.


The building committee consisted of J. W. Evans, chairman; J. W. Douglass, B. H. Gearhart, Robert A. Chenoweth, R. Ross Chenoweth, Bedford Trice, John B. Scott, Baxter Waters, and S. C. Fagin, treasurer.


In 1917 W. Garnett Alcorn, a native Australian, was called to the pastorate, did a magnificent work for all the special war drives over the county, besides taking care of his flock. On account of the war calling younger men, Mr. Alcorn taught English in the high school. He was-called to Fulton, Mo., Jan. 1, 1919, where he still continues.


Roy H. Biser, fresh from camp at Louisville, Ky., where he served as chaplain, came next and was the Interchurch World movement pastor, doing fine work as county chairman along with his pastoral duties. He was called to Butler in the spring of 1920.


Ben E. Ogden, of Savannah, came July 4, 1920, the church opening his work with a large gathering at basket dinner, served in the basement. He returned to Savannah in 1921 upon call to be superintendent of the high school. In September, 1921, came Alva L. Ragsdale from Kansas City, Kas.


The Sunday school is one of the best organized in the state. Miss Imo Evans, of state recognition as a Young People's worker, has done faithful work in this department for several years, and also is counsellor of the Young People's Society.


Walnut Grove Church of the Brethren, known officially as Smith's Fork Church of the Brethren, tore down their old house and rebuilt. It is the best rural church building in the county. It has the basement for furnace, kitchen and dining room, a large auditorium and classrooms on first floor, with gallery of classrooms above. A well-kept cemetery is in the yard and it has always offered a free resting place to neighbors de- sirous of laying away their dead at this spot, whether members of the church or not. It is one and one-half miles northeast from Plattsburg.


Ebenezer Church, erected in 1871 or 1872 by Christian and Methodist congregations, was finally sold and each body built good buildings in Gray- son, the Methodists a brick, and the Christians a frame. The zenith of power and membership was probably around the early nineties, when


123


HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES


members began to scatter, many of the older ones retiring from active farm life and moving to larger towns nearby. A Sunday school is main- tained in common, but each has a separate minister.


Perrin, or Old Round Prairie Church .- Round Prairie Christian Church was torn down in 1882, hauled to Perrin, and rebuilt in the north- west corner of the town. The original congregation went with it, and others added, making it still a fine working body, with large Sunday school, and later fine C. E. Society. Preaching was once a month.


In 1905 it was remodeled and made more attractive, with art win- dows, dressing rooms and baptistry. It once had its share of large crowds, aisles full and standing room in demand upon certain occasions. Now the doors are seldom opened, many members have moved away, many have been laid away in the silent city nearby.


Ministers who were called to preach to this flock were the Reverends Preston Acre, G. R. Hand, A. M. Collins, J. W. Perkins and J. C. Creel, of Plattsburg; D. B. Seers, J. E. Davis, now of Denver; J. V. Stutzman, of Kansas City; W. D. McCulley, of Cameron; T. H. Capp, now of St. Joseph. Men who served as officers in the early days of its removal were Ewing C. Hale, William T. DuVall, H. C. Duncan, P. S. Duncan, Thomas T. Phelps, Beverly T. Slemmons and J. W. Glossip. Stephen Duncan was a charter member of the old church when organized at Edgewood schoolhouse, east of where Perrin now stands. H. C. Duncan still lives in Platte Township. P. S. Duncan died Nov. 18, 1922. Others were J. T. Wingate, J. H. Ander- son, J. O. Johnston, Robert Stanton, W. W. Lollar, T. Gray and James Stanton. Of this group, only J. H. Anderson remains near the church.


Bethany Christian Church .- The original church at Bethany, LaFay- ette Township, was built in 1870. It was torn down and a new one built in 1907, and dedicated in February, 1908, by Rev. John P. Jesse, now of Excelsior Springs. The present pastor is C. F. Ward of Plattsburg. Of- ficers are James Stanton, Ernest Ward, George Ball, George Everett, W. J. Delaney, and perhaps others. Mrs. A. C. Cook, living now in Platts- burg, past 80, was a charter member, and she and her husband and chil- dren devoted many years to the life of that church.


The name of Bethany brings to mind the names of many who gath- ered there in former times, but have either moved away or have joined the great majority. Lysias Sims, elder, is now the oldest member prob- ably, and age and infirmity have cut off his days of service given so unsparingly for many years. Others were A. C. Cook and wife, John Parr


124


HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES


and wife, Richard McDaniel and wife, Philip Hudson and wife, Richard Campbell and wife (Mrs. Campbell still lives), H. C. Berryman and wife, and many others of the older families. In later years D. B. Cook and wife were regarded as most helpful members, but have gone on to their reward. Mrs. M. D. Carey and family moved to Plattsburg after years of devoted service.


Methodist Episcopal Church, Plattsburg .- Rev. T. H. Haggerty, of St. Joseph, Mo., a representative of the M. E. Church, preached the first sermon in Plattsburg in November, 1863. On the 20th day of February, 1865, he organized the first society of that church in the town after the division of 1844. Between the date of his first sermon and the organiza- tion of the society, he and Rev. E. Brookman held occasional services, but no regular services were maintained until after the conference of 1865. The names of the first persons organized into the class were J. Y. Mc- Adams, L. P .; Mrs. McAdams; N. L. Osborn, class leader; Mrs. Osborn, George R. Shepherd, Letitia Shepherd, Samuel Shepherd, E. Shepherd, F. D. Phillips, Mary E. Phillips, Joe Funkhouser, Barbara Funkhouser, Harrison Funkhouser, Kate Funkhouser and Ann Funkhouser.


At the conference of 1865, the Rev. Calvin Allen was sent to the Plattsburg circuit, which embraced Plattsburg, Stewartsville, Cameron, Mt. Moriah, and Pleasant Grove. Rev. Calvin Allen remained for two years, and was succeeded in 1867 by Revs. T. B. Bratton and H. L. Beards- ley, who were appointed to the circuit.


In 1868 Rev. W. W. Roberts took charge of the church, but during the same year he sought another field of labor in Illinois, and Rev. H. L. Beardsley occupied the remainder of his time.


In 1869 the M. E. Church building in Plattsburg was sold for $3,995, the trustees of the church purchasing it. In 1869-70 Rev. S. H. Powell served the congregation and was succeeded by Rev. J. G. Thompson, pre- siding elder, who served for six months, when Rev. S. Huffman was ap- pointed. In 1871 Rev. W. H. Turner succeeded him, and in 1872 the Rev. O. Williams. Then followed Robert Devlin, J. H. Cox, C. S. Cooper, W. F. Clayton pastor in 1881.


CHAPTER VIII.


SCHOOLS.


TEACHERS AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS OF CLINTON COUNTY IN 1922-EARLY RURAL SCHOOLS-SUBSCRIPTION SCHOOLS-FIRST TEACHERS-WOMEN TEACHERS- PLATTSBURG COLLEGE-PLATTSBURG PUBLIC SCHOOLS-LATHROP SCHOOLS -GOWER HIGH SCHOOL-MISSOURI WESLEYAN COLLEGE-ST. BRENDAN'S SCHOOL.


Teachers and School Districts of Clinton County in 1922.


Anna L. Sims, County, Superintendent.


School Districts. Teacher, Teacher's Address and Years


No. and Name. Enrollment. in District, Including This Year.


1-Park 18 Lelia Wells Cameron 1


2-High Prairie Anna Buck Cameron 1


3-Pleasant Hill 12 Elizabeth Moore Osborn 1


4-Harbor 9 Grace Moody Osborn 1


5-Grand Prairie 22 Ida Totzke Osborn 9


7-Long Branch


21


Anna M. Waller


Stewartsville


2


8-9-Ash Grove 21 Clarence Waller Stewartsville 1


10-Hemple 49 John Spencer Hemple 2


Marie Gregory Hemple


12-Pleasant Prairie 30 E. F. Allison Hemple 3


13-Prairie Lawn 19 Georgia Everett Hemple 1


14-Martin 26 Gladys Spalding Stewartsville 1


15-Platte Center 16 Ruby Sewell Plattsburg


1


16-Pleasant Ridge 26 Eunice Moore Osborn 3


17-Keystone 33 Kath. Bryant Cameron 2


18-Oak Grove 34 Margt. Younger Cameron


1


19-Fountain 35 Lucile Campbell Cameron 1


20-Deer Creek 26 Lois Bing Turney 2


1


1


1


126


HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES


School Districts. Teacher, Teacher's Address and Years


No. and Name.


Enrollment. in District, Including This Year.


21-Potter


29


Irene Wamsley


Turney 2


3


Beulah Binstead


Turney


3


1


23-Round Prairie 15 Kathleen Moody Turney


Plattsburg


1


25-Perrin


30


H. Swearengen


Perrin


1


26-Victory


26


Susan Downey


Plattsburg


9


27-Spring Hill 23


Ruth Perkins Plattsburg


2


28-Mt. Zion


13


Grace Brown Gower


1


29-Oakdale 38 Arney Simpson


Gower


1


30-Campbell 23 Chas. D. Kelley


Gower


1


34-Mt. Hope 29 Mary Essig


Plattsburg


3


35-Prairie Cottage 26 Willie Harrison


Plattsburg


2


36-Hazel Dell 22 Eva L. Young


Plattsburg


4


38-Walnut Grove 23 Essye Clouser


Lathrop


2


39-Forest Hill


10


Margaret Grady


Lathrop


1


40-Prairie Dell


27


Winnie Cook


Lathrop


2


42-Plain View 30 Mary Entriken


Turney


1


43-Brooking 37 Dorsey Walker


Lathrop


3


46-Lyon


25 Anna L. Clute Lathrop 1


Plattsburg


1


48-Hord


10 Augusta Fry Plattsburg


3


51-Winn


Eileene Elliott Trimble


1


52-Stony Point 25 Ethel Elliott Trimble


1


50-Beery


-Shady Grove (Col.) _ 27


Elmer Clark


Plattsburg 2


53-Oakland 27


Rosalie Reardon


Trimble


2


54-Duncan 35 Gladys Cook


Lathrop


1


55-Dale


22 Lois Wysong Lathrop


1


59-Rigg


22 Blondee Simpson Lawson


2


61-Huffaker 1


1 1


1 1 36 Zadie Reardon Lathrop 1


1


1


1


33-Mt. Carmel


25


Carl Allison


Gower


2


37-Log Church 12 Mabrye Taylor


Plattsburg


1


41-Pleasant Grove 16 Straussie Gall Turney


1


1


47- Jones


29 Elizabeth Smith


I


1


2


24-Fairview 16 Harriett Mohler


Turney


22-Turney


72


A. S. Brown


Chas. McCalmon Turney


I


1


1 1


127


HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES


School Districts. Teacher, Teacher's Address and Years


No. and Name. Enrollment. in District, Including This Year.


62-Sunny Grove 37 Kirk Kennedy Holt


1


Ethel Todd Holt


1


63-Lilly 24 Laura Rupe


Plattsburg 1


3


65-Trimble 40 Miss - Knight.


Trimble


1


Ruth Entriken


Trimble


2


66-Lott


Lola Cartmill


Trimble


1


Con. No. 1-Grayson 114


Harry Thomas


Grayson


3


Frances Hahn Grayson


2


Gladys Hahn


Grayson


1


Ruth Newman


Grayson


1


Marion Culver


Gower


2


Con. No. 3-Converse. 126 Frances Creamer


Converse


2


Harold Puckett Converse


2


Fern Freeman


Converse


1


Mary B. Swope


Elmira


2


Lowell Puckett


Converse


1


Everett Brown


Lawson


1


Con. No. 2-Gower 173


E. J. Welch


Gower


2


Daisy Miller


Gower


2


Edna Taul


Gower


2


Mr. Landis


Gower


2


Frances Weir Gower


2


Mildred Fallis Gower


1


Gertrude Smith


Gower


2


Willie B. Wright


Gower


2


Lathrop 306 R. E. Stewart Lathrop


3


Nan E. Wade Lathrop


3


Mary Klepper


Lathrop


6


May A. Everett.


Lathrop


1


Dick Bennett


Lathrop


2


Bertie Hubbard


Lathrop


3


Eva Jane Rogers Lathrop


2


Susan M. Wolfe Lathrop


4


A. Chadwick


Lathrop


3


Mary Chadwick


Lathrop


1


I


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


I


1


1


1


I


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


1


I


1


I


1


1


J


1


64-Prairie Point 37 Chas. R. Norris Trimble


128


HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES


School Districts. Teacher, Teachers' Address and Years


No. and Name.


Enrollment. in District, Including This Year.


Plattsburg .337 J. C. Godbey. Plattsburg 2


Chas. Wells


Plattsburg 2


Mr. Waller


Plattsburg 1


Mrs. Lankford


Plattsburg 7


2


Ruth Williams


Plattsburg 2


Emma Ordnung


Plattsburg


1


Miss McKercher Plattsburg


1


Lucy Ditmars


Plattsburg


1


Greta Harbison


Plattsburg


1


Pauline Reynolds Plattsburg 2


Georgia Shewey


Plattsburg


1


Katie Weakley


Plattsburg


3


Leah Allison


Plattsburg 2


5


Reba Tomlin


Cameron


2


Wilson Thomas


Cameron


3


Carl Gross


Cameron


3


Glen Oliver


Cameron


1


Roberta Barnett Cameron


Pearl Warner Cameron


Anna L. Piggott


Cameron


Margt. Cameron


Cameron


Irene Rausin


Cameron


Agnes Slemons Cameron


Anna Collett


Cameron


2


Hazel Miller


Cameron


Allene Willis


Cameron


Minnie Quigley


Cameron


Lois Hunter Cameron


Essie Bing


Cameron


Grace Hamer


Cameron


Nelle Ensign


Cameron


1


1


1


Muriel Hainline Cameron


2


Alice Marquis


Cameron


2


Eulalie Cook


Cameron


1


1


1


1


1 1


1 1


1


1


1


1


1


I


I


1


L


1


I


I


1


1


1


1 1


L


1


1


1


l


1


1 1


1


1


1


1


1


1


J


1


I


1


Cameron


930


A. C. Gwinn


Cameron


Ruth Shoemaker


Plattsburg


T


Building, Plattsburg,Mo.


PUBLIC SCHOOL BUILDING, PLATTSBURG


LATHROP HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING


129


HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES


School Districts. Teacher, Teachers' Address and Years


No. and Name. Enrollment. in District, Including This Year.


Maude Hamer Cameron


Margt. E. Boyd


Cameron


Mary Nicholas


Cameron


Faye Iba Cameron


Lathrop (Col.) 51 Mrs. B. B. Tully


Lathrop


Plattsburg (Col.)


67 G. S. Abington


Plattsburg 3


Plattsburg (Col.)


Mattie Evans


Plattsburg


3


Cameron (Col.)


19 Mabel Roane Cameron


Shady Grove (Col.) 27 Elmer Clark


Plattsburg 2


1


1


Some of the very earliest rural teaching was done by subscription in the homes, the neighboring children gathering in, and as related by a daughter of one of the earliest settlers, these teachers were Miss Mary Peck, a deserter from the Mormons ; Miss Evaline Johnson, and Miss Mary Newhouse, a little crippled woman much loved and sheltered by these pioneer people. This must have been as early as 1835 to 1840.


The old history gives Richard R. Reese as the first public school teacher in Plattsburg. He was also first county court and circuit clerk, and first lawyer in Plattsburg. Four firsts to his record. The building in which he taught was somewhere near where Biggerstaff's grocery store now is, and was a small cabin. This was as early as 1834, and at a period when there were but few inhabitants, the county but one year organized. He left the town in 1840.


The next regular school kept (by subscription) in Plattsburg was in 1841, in a log house located east of the public square, on the bluff. The teacher was Dr. Cyrus Hubbard, a graduate of the University of Maine, and a brother of Governor Hubbard of that state. The third teacher was, probably, Moses H. Simonds, from Ohio, a graduate of Ohio Uni- versity. Then came John Cavenaugh, who was a graduate of Oxford Uni- versity, England, The next teacher was William H. Pritchard, who was a graduate of the University of Virginia. After teaching one or two years, he returned to Virginia. After Pritchard, William E. Emory, a graduate of the Ohio University, was employed as a teacher for several years. He returned, finally, to Ohio. George W. Osborn then taught several terms, was county surveyor for several years, and died near Cam- eron, Clinton County. Thomas D. W. Yonley taught a number of years (9)


130


HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES


and was afterward attorney general of Arkansas. He later went to Den- ver and practiced law. J. M. DeFrance also taught a private school in Plattsburg, later an attorney he lived in Kirksville. Lavinus Transu and Moses Shoemaker were early teachers. Mr. Shoemaker lived and died in Plattsburg, was clerk of both County and Circuit Courts.


Among the women teachers were Miss Anna Patton (later Mrs. N. M. Vance, Miss Cynthia Harris and Miss Frances Davis.


Among the last to open a private school in the town were Misses Aletha A. and Lucy Pepper, from Kentucky. They were highly educated and taught with great success.


Plattsburg College .- This was first an institution of the Methodist Conference, ordered in 1855, and called "The Plattsburg High School." It cost at the time $17,000, and was recognized as one of the finest struc- tures in this part of the state.


Being formed by the Methodist Conference, it was for many years under the auspices of that denomination.


It is a compact, oblong structure of two stories, with large, old- fashioned windows of many panes. Originally there was a portico and outside entrance at the front of the building. It is of red brick and is set well back in a block of bluegrass and shade trees. There had been a four-acre tract at first.


Rev. L. M. Lewis took charge of the college in 1856, continued until 1859, had about 150 pupils each year from Clinton and nearby counties. Was afterwards colonel and later brigadier general in the Southern army, then an educator after the war somewhere in the South. He was suc- ceeded by Rev. Jesse Bird, who remained two years. He was arrested and imprisoned by Federal authorities during the Civil War for preaching the gospel without taking the oath prescribed in the new constitution of Missouri. He was a member of the Methodist Conference for many years, and no one was more highly esteemed than he. Years afterward he often returned to Plattsburg and preached at the old Methodist Episcopal Church, South.


Rev. Bird was followed for a short time by his son, Benjamin Bird, the occupancy by the militia interfering with further discharge of his duty as principal.


The house and grounds were much despoiled of their beauty and fresh appearance while in the possession of soldiery.


131




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