USA > Missouri > Caldwell County > History of Clinton and Caldwell Counties, Missouri > Part 8
USA > Missouri > Clinton County > History of Clinton and Caldwell Counties, Missouri > Part 8
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HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES
During the war Professor Scott taught the school, and was succeeded by J. N. Thomas, then Capt. E. C. Thomas, Williamson, Brown, Mrs. Lizzie Foster, Linn and Riley, Rev. C. W. Price and others. The institution had a varied history until 1880. Debt gathered and the splendid property fell into the hands of the St. Joseph Building Company, and sold by them in 1879 to Thomas J. Porter, James M. Riley, E. W. Turner, N. T. Essig, John M. McMichael and George R. Riley, of Plattsburg.
In 1880 Prof. J. W. Ellis (afterwards Ph. D.) bought the property. He opened the school that fall and operated it for seventeen years. Mrs. Ellis was a member of the faculty, and in the later years their son, J. Breckenridge Ellis. There was music and art, and gymnastics, beside the regular course of studies. The first class graduated by them was in June, 1881, and was composed of Lucy Moore (Mrs. Madison Miller, of Liberty, Mo.), Margaret McPhetridge (Mrs. W. S. Herndon, Plattsburg, Mo.), Alma Valandingham (Mrs. M. J. Trimble, Plattsburg, Mo.), Lucinda Kelley (Mrs. Madison Toadvine, Haviland, Kas.), Carrie Craig (Mrs. Warner, Kentucky, deceased), Octavia ("Pet") Doherty (Mrs. J. L. Hall, Lathrop, Mo., died April 8, 1922, Ida McWilliams (Mrs. John Heisler, Plattsburg, Mo., Lulu Nesbitt (Mrs. William Gossard, Kansas City, Mo., (deceased).
The college, after the retirement of Dr. and Mrs. Ellis, was used for a sanatarium for a short time. Later the Brethren Church bought it and for awhile carried on a college under Dr. Sharpe. That was the last school ever held in the old building. Its further history is in connection with the Plattsburg Chautauqua Association since 1909.
During the years of Dr. Ellis's proprietorship it was not only a school for girls and boys, young women and young men, but was the scene of many social gatherings. Hospitality reigned supreme in spite of the fact that it was often at the expense of the strength of Mrs. Ellis, who was never strong. Many of the most distinguished men of the nation have been entertained within those walls, and have found congenial the minds and hearts of that home.
Plattsburg Public Schools .- It is hardly conceivable at this day that the advisability of public schools-"free schools"-was ever a debatable subject. Yet it is within the memory of men that such was the case.
The directors who championed the cause at Plattsburg are still within our memory, they were William L. Ferguson, William Wilkerson and Col. John Steel. They were fully convinced of the merits of the public school
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system especially as related to primary students, and they had a sufficient number of men in co-operation to bring about the establishment of a public school in 1856.
Plattsburg built her first public school building on Main street. It is described as of lumber, poorly lighted and poorly ventilated. A. K. Porter, of Kentucky, was the first teacher and was paid $45 a month. He had 50 pupils, but as the town grew, the favor of the school increased, the num- ber soon outgrew the old building.
Other teachers following were Sidney P. Cunningham, T. H. B. Turner, of Clay County, William H. Woodson, - Kellum, Miss Jennie Steel, A. J. Everly and others.
A four-room brick was built after the civil war. This was heated by big box stoves, surmounted with drums, fired with hickory wood, and the infrequent lighting was with kerosene lamps.
Principals were: 1874, James A. Lanius, still living the summer of 1922 at Palmyra, where he had lived for many years, and since then, in 1916, his son, Tudor Lanius, came to Lathrop as principal of the high schools ; 1875, John S. Stepp, principal ; 1876 and 1877, Maj. D. H. Lindsay, principal. Major Lindsay had only two children, R. H. Lindsay and Mary Lindsay (now Mrs. Frank Cochran of St. Louis). The son, Richard, was nationally eminent as a newspaper man, being on the personal staff of President William Howard Taft. Richard was a brilliant young man and was cut down in his prime, at about. 35 years of age. Mary Lindsay was remarkable in her musical career winning the gold medal in music at Plattsburg College, when only about 10 years of age. 1878 to 1881, L. E. Wolfe, principal, a native of Virginia and a successful teacher. The spirit of mischief among the rollicking boys of that time took advantage of the suggestion in the principal's name and wrote it Lamb Eater Wolfe, and it is humbly confessed by "one present" that the appellation was much in favor during his reign, though nothing in his personal characteristics would indorse it. In fact, a little more "lamb eating" might have dimi- nished the fun at his expense. Mr. Wolfe was afterwards state superin- tendent of public schools in Missouri. Many have followed since: Messrs Hendricks, Melvin, McNeeley, Keyser, Crafton, Alexander, Marr, Lee, Wat- son and the present superintendent is Mr. Godby. Mr. Crafton died in December, 1904, while on duty at the school building. Mr. A. R. Alex- ander still lives in Plattsburg; was for 15 years editor of the Plattsburg Leader, at present post master.
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The first graduating class of Plattsburg High School was N. J. Shea, N. F. Sell, Misses Mary Eaton and Lena Shepherd in May, 1892. P. H. Crafton, superintendent.
There are two teachers who, for length of time, quality of service, and local residence, have never been surpassed and the history of Plattsburg public schools is incomplete without them. These two are Miss Willie McWilliams and Miss Isadore Ward. Miss McWilliams, for years prin- cipal, gave 21 years of service altogether and resigned in 1922 to take a position to travel for a book publishing house. She is now also superin- tendent of the school at Dardenelle, Ark. She also served as county school commissioner. Miss Ward retired in 1919 after years as teacher in different grades, but with the longest record in the primary depart- ment. She resigned to care for her aged mother, Mrs. Anna Ward. Also, in connection with the public schools, the name of Mrs. Mary Ingles James has played a most important part in music and expression. Mrs. James, like Miss Ward and Miss McWilliams, was reared in Clinton County. She taught vocal music in Boston for 35 years, two seasons in London, and returned to her old home in Plattsburg, in 1909, to care for her aged parents, early settlers of Plattsburg, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Ingles. Mrs. James has a wide reputation in expression in restoration and cultivation of the voice. She is the author of "Scientific Tone Production," an inter- esting hand-book and useful text-book, used now in Kansas City schools.
The four-room building was torn down and rebuilt for a colored school north of the Santa Fe tracks. A larger building was erected on the same spot in 1899. This is now used for the grades.
A magnificent high school building was erected in 1916 and is the pride of the town, and in keeping with the general upward trend of modern educational ideals at a cost of $35,000.
An annual contest of much interest, and furnishing impetus in Eng- lish composition, is the Ellis Essay Contest. The subject is announced by John Breckenridge Ellis, local author, and the writers begin at once, and finish under school supervision. The best composition receives $10. R. A. Sharer offers are also contributors to second and third best essays.
Lathrop Schools .- (By Gordon Llewellyn Fitch, 16 years of age, Junior in Lathrop high school.)-Miss Thalia Grant Smith was the teacher of Lathrop's first school in 1868. Miss Smith now lives in Lathrop, much respected by her life-long friends. She has kindly prepared the follow- ing: "The first school in Lathrop was opened in a blacksmith shop, which
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was owned by Mr. Ben ogan, one of Lathrop's pioneer settlers. This im- provised school house was crude and inadequate, loose boards were thrown down for flooring. Nevertheless it was the best that could be secured and, above all, it was the beginning.
"About 20 pupils attended. They came from different schools and communities with no two books alike. Following are the names of a few of the pupils: Georgia Ann Tudor, deceased; May Chennoweth, now Mrs. McFarland ; Sue Chennoweth, now Mrs. W. B. Thompson ; Lida Shrewsbury, now Mrs. James Watt; Lou Stiles, now Mrs. G. Grant; Addie Stiles, Lathrop; Jennie Welsh, now Mrs. Will Thompson, Blanchard, Okla .; Alice Welsh, now Mrs. Aaron Holler, Tulsa, Okla .; Ellen Nicholson, now Mrs. James Walker, Holt, Mo .; Callie Nicholson, now Mrs. James M. Sullivan, Vacaville, Calif .; Cassius Gilchrist, deceased; Harvey Gilchrist, Califor- nia ; Hall Gilchrist and Will Shrewsbury, Lathrop.
"The school board then consisted of two members, James Chenoweth and Elijah Shrewsbury, and $20.00 a month was the enormous salary paid to teachers in that year of 1868."
After Miss Thalia Smith's school, Professor Van Natta, assisted by Miss Louisa Peck and Miss Eva Stiles, taught a private school. They were succeeded by Professor Hill, assisted by his daughter, Miss Eleanor, Pro- fessor Hammond, Mrs. Kinsey and Samuel Bay. A public school was afterwards instituted but had no fixed location until the building of the graded school in 1871. This was the first brick building put up in the town. It was erected at a cost, including lots, fences, etc., of $15,000, bonds being issued for the amount.
The school was opened Jan. 8, 1872, with D. S. Brilhart as principal. Mr. Brilhart came from Pennsylvania. He was a very efficient and suc- cessful man and the "Lathrop Monitor," of that time, says that Mr. Bril- hart will doubtless be honored among his great grandchildren as the "Father of Lathrop Schools." He is the father of Glen Brilhart, of Cam- eron, and Mrs. Frank Porter, of Lathrop. Mr. Brilhart remained in charge of the school until 1876 when he was succeeded by John T. Buchanan.
Mr. Buchanan was one of the Most competent school men that Lathrop has ever had. When he died he was superintendent of schools in New York City.
Professor Buchanan was succeeded by Wm. McCarroll, who in turn was succeeded by Professors Tipton, Warner and A. B. Carroll. A. B. Carroll was a very capable man and was afterwards governor of Iowa.
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Succeeding Professor Carroll was Professor Mckinsey, who held the prin- cipalship for seven or eight years.
Here follows a period of years of which we know very little and the actions of the group of teachers therein are rather obscure. However, there are several important names among them. The most notable of which is that of Frank D. Hamilton. From the position of assistant he was promoted to that of principal or superintendent which he held for many years. He is now a resident of Liberty, Mo., and is the cashier of a bank there. Other outstanding figures of that time are H. C. Richmond, who is now in Kansas City, and Judge Armstrong, the present probate judge of Clinton County.
A list of the superintendents from about 1904 follows: C. W. Mar- tin, O. A. Harris, James Maconnel, E. J. Welsh, J. J. Oppenheimer, E. L. Lounsbury, H. B. Bruner, R. V. Shores, R. E. Stewart.
To R. E. Stewart, the present superintendent, belongs the credit of being the promoter of more direct benefits to the school than any other one man. In the two years that he has been connected with Lathrop high school the old, inadequate building has been modernized to a great extent and the library has been enlarged until it now contains over 2,500 volumes.
The school has been open from the first to the patronage of those living outside the district. The result of this friendly attitude was the annexation of the Binham and Waful districts in 1916.
Lathrop has always taken a prominent part in athletics and has turned out some noted athletes.
The Douglass school, for colored children, was organized in 1878 and was taught in 1881 by a Mrs. Scott. The Board of Education has always willingly co-operated with and helped the colored population on the mat- ters of education. They now have a new and well-equipped schoolhouse in the north part of town. Mrs. Carrie Tulley has taught seven years. It has eight grades.
The School Board in 1922 consisted of F. L. Porter, John B. Scott, A. C. Fagin, Harold Lueders, E. D. Rogers and Dr. E. E. Hufft.
The members of the first class (1881) to graduate were: Blanche (Lowe) Grove, Brownwood, Texas; Sue (Chenoweth) Thompson, Lathrop, Mo .; Belle (Peckover) Leake, Bertrand, Okla .; Anna (Welsh) Browne, Kansas City, Mo., and Lizzie (Turner) Leabo, deceased.
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The Gower High School of Gower, Mo., is one of the first-class high schools of Clinton County.
In 1915 the high school building was destroyed by fire. The present building was completed in 1916. During the erection of the present build- ing classes were held in the Presbyterian and Methodist Churches.
The Gower High School was consolidated in 1917. Since then the school has progressed rapidly. Courses in manual training and domestic science were added to the curriculum in 1920, and in 1922 courses in music, chorus, and glee club were added.
Missouri Wesleyan College was founded in 1883 as the Cameron In- stitute, by nine men, Silas H. Corn, Jarvis S. Rogers, Henry L. Freeman, Thompson E. Potter, Alonzo A. Goff, Charles I. Ford, Milton E. Moore, Solan Hyde and George C. Howenstien, who banded themselves together for the purpose of establishing "an institution of learning for educational and scientific purposes and for the promotion of intellectual, moral and physical culture in all their branches and departments."
In November, 1886, the present property was purchased, and in De- cember of the same year it was voted to offer same to the Methodist Episcopal Church. The Missouri Annual Conference, which met at Moberly, March 31, 1887, took favorable action in the matter, and during the same year a charter was secured. The first president elected was C. W. Proctor, who was succeeded by Dr. John W. Hustin in 1888. In 1891 Dr. Samuel L. Dick assumed the presidency and served until 1895, at which time Rev. Charles E. Spray was elected and served until 1898. He was succeeded by Dr. B. W. Baker, who continued at the head of the school for seven years. Dr. Walter D. Agnew was in charge of the school for four years, and in 1909 was succeeded by Dr. Harvey R. DeBra, who continued at the head of the school for eight years. In 1917 he was suc- ceeded by Dr. Cameron Harmon, who remained for more than five years, resigning in September, 1922. At this writing his successor has not been chosen.
In common with other educational institutions of similar character, there has been a constant struggle in order to properly equip and endow the college and gather upon her campus a student body sufficiently large to make up an ideal college. A faculty of unusual strength has been assem- bled and the student body of the present college year will total about 600, almost one-third of whom were summer students. Of this total enroll- ment, fully one-half are in the regular college department. The scientific
ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, KIDDER INSTITUTE
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MISSOURI WESLEYAN COLLEGE, CAMERON
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HISTORY OF CLINTON AND CALDWELL COUNTIES
departments have been thoroughly equipped with modern laboratory sup- plies and every department is doing most excellent work.
The school now maintains membership in the North Central Associa- tion, the Missouri College Union, the Methodist University Senate, and the American Association of Colleges, thus receiving the highest possible scho- lastic standing.
In athletics, under the leadership of Coach E. A. Davis, the school has established a record which in some respects is unexcelled in the history of the Missouri Collegiate Athletic Association.
The rapidly growing student body demands additional equipment and the endowment fund which has been well begun must soon be greatly en- larged. We believe this institution is destined to play well its part in the future development of North Missouri.
The preceding article is furnished by Dr. Cameron Harmon, president of Cameron Wesleyan College, and his resignation is universally regretted.
This college is the only one within the borders of Clinton County since the discontinuance of Plattsburg College, and the whole county feels much pride in its success.
Clinton County has breathed a college atmosphere for much of its history, and its people easily bear living testimony to the effect. In Platte County, at Weston, is the Missouri Christian College for Young Women, instituted in 1849, and at Parkville there is Parkville College (1875), owned by the Presbyterian Board, coeducational. In Clay County, William Jewell (1851) Baptist, at Liberty, coeducational since the destruction of Liberty Ladies' College by fire a few years ago. There have been other colleges at Stewartsville, Weston, Platte City and Camden Point, small of course, but nevertheless in their day they wielded a mighty force in the education of our people.
St. Brendan's School, Plattsburg .- Another private school is the Catholic school in Plattsburg. It was built in 1896, taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph for four years. After them the Sisters of the Precious Blood took charge and have been teaching ever since, grades, academic and occa- sionally collegiate courses. The building is a substantial brick structure in West Plattsburg, upon the block of Catholic property consisting of church, school and Sisters' Home, and surrounding park.
CHAPTER IX.
TRANSPORTATION.
OVERLAND STAGE COACH-PONY EXPRESS-ST. JOSEPH THE TERMINAL-THE FIRST TRAIN-OTHER STAGE ROUTES-CALIFORNIA TRAIL-RAILROADS --- MOTOR VEHICLES-AIRPLANES.
The Overland Stage first started from Independence, and later from St. Joseph. John M. Hockaday had the contract, getting $19,000 a year for carrying the weekly mail. He sold out to Russell, Majors, and Wad- dell. This firm started the famous Pony Express. The Central Overland California & Pike's Peak Express was formed, and in 60 days everything was in readiness, 60 riders, 100 station keepers, 420 horses. April 3, 1860, the first pony express left St. Joseph, and at the same time another left San Francisco. The dispatches were taken from St. Joseph at 5:30 p. m. and started West. This lasted for 17 months, closing when a telegraph line was completed between Omaha and Sacramento.
The great feat of the service of this pony express was the delivery of President Lincoln's inaugural address in 1861. Careful preparations were made, and the result is without parallel in history-185 hours for 1,950 miles, an average of 10.7 miles per hour.
The St. Joseph Gazette was established April 25, 1845, first news- paper in northwest Missouri. And the Gazette filled a part of the pouch, being printed daily in 1857, and the first issue contained James K. Polk's inaugural address.
St. Joseph was the western terminal of the old Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad, which came into being very much as the result of the agitation of Judge James H. Birch from 1848 until its completion in 1859, when the first passenger train brought a bottle of water from the Mississippi River to be poured into the great tributary, the majestic Missouri, at St. Joseph, an unread prophesy of the giving up of the water ways to the more rapid,
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more adjustable roads of steel, and marked the beginning of cessation of water trade in the West. St. Joseph was enterprising enough to establish a system of U. S. mail to be received two days each week from Gallatin. The schedule was Gallatin 6 a. m., by Maysville to St. Joseph 6 p. m. Thursday, 60 miles back by 6 p. m. Saturday. St. Joseph had great ware- houses along its wharfs and the principal products shipped down the river were hemp, hemp rope, hides, tallow, furs, whiskey and tobacco.
From April 1 to June 15, 1849, it is recorded that 27,000 people, in 4,193 wagons, with about 37,544 oxen and mules, crossed the Missouri River on their way to the great gold fields of California.
Railroads .- The first railroad through the county was the old Hanni- bal & St. Joseph, and a Plattsburg man, Judge James H. Birch, did much of the agitation from 1846 to 1859 for this, the first railroad across Mis- souri. It has since become a part of the Burlington System.
The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad runs from St. Joseph southeast to Lexington Junction. It was called the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific, and was completed in July, 1870.
Soon after the completion of this road came the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific, from Trenton to Leavenworth. When completed, in 1871, ex- cursionists from Leavenworth and Chicago met at Trenton; among them were Generals Grant and Beauregard and several members of the United States Senate and Congress; all were invited guests from four states.
The train was drawn by the locomotive that took the premium at the Paris Exposition, the affair closing with a grand reception and ball at Leavenworth.
In connection with the story of this road is that of Mr. G. H. Wag- goner, station agent at Plattsburg for 33 years. He retired in April, 1922.
The Burlington road is used by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific trains from Cameron to Kansas City. This road was once called the Kansas City branch of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad.
The Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City Railroad was completed about 1897. A great block of country from Plattsburg to Stewartsville and Osborn on the north were without any cross railroads, and the connection for all of them with Kansas City was very inconvenient before this road was built.
It came in with a great boom and flourish and big name, it was called the Port Arthur Route, and towns were duly laid off. Braley is one of them, with five houses, one store and station house, nine miles north of
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Plattsburg. But this road has served the people of north Clinton County well.
The old Parkville roadbed is still very discernable, going diagonally across the country from southwest to northeast in Clinton and the corner of Concord Township. The plan was to connect Parkville with Decatur, Iowa. It was chartered in 1857, but was never finished beyond grading. It was called Parkville & Grand River Railroad, as well as Parkville & Decatur, and the purpose was to pursue the general direction to Chicago.
Motor Vehicles in Clinton County .- In 1909 there were four automo- biles at the chautauqua. J. W. Winn owned one of them, but it was foreign, as he lived in Kansas. The others may have been owned by Wylie and Chappel of Stewartsville, A. J. Althouse of Cameron, J. E. Bohart, had one about that time. Bud Hoggett was an early owner, and so was C. R. Young. The rest of us used horses, and we, if not the horses, were in deadly terror if we thought one was within five miles of us when we were on the road. I well remember being frightened at fireflies in the road upon one night ride we were compelled to make. The first glint of the little bug was enough to assure us we were about to meet the dreaded auto face to face in the road. The men and women of the great majority fumed and stormed about the awful menace to public safety, wanting every owner prosecuted for the simple reason of being an owner. Suppression of the things was devoutly hoped for by some, and devoutly believed in by many. "They could not become popular, too expensive, too dangerous, it was just a fad of the hour," were some of the sage remarks.
We used to get out of bed, or leave the table, if we heard one, and . would telephone the news over the neighborhood, and the man who went to the city and got a ride in some little buggy with a motor attachment got his name in the paper, making two thrills in his lifetime. But now the horses-and much sentiment attached to these old faithful buggy and carriage horses-have long since retired and the years show their ranks greatly depleted. A certain newspaper shows a real touch of human interest in the paragraph which says that 20 years ago the merchant could look across at the public square and know by the horses and dogs just who was in town, but now all Fords look alike to him. The total registration of automobile for the county Oct. 1, 1922, is 2,305. The farmer who wearily drove his hogs to St. Joseph in the early days now loads them into a private owned auto truck and rushes them into market and is home by noon; it took him two days to go by the old method. In
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his own car he is able to touch all the four cities of our vicinity, Kansas City, St. Joseph, Leavenworth and Atchison, in one day.
The "prairie schooner," with its weary team and passengers, has within a few short years given place to the auto tourist, wise to his machine and to more territory than the most enthusiastic "mover" with his wagon ever hoped to be. The "scalped" trees of the forest way or the broken twigs have been carried forward in effect to the marked trails of today. Clinton County being intersected by the Cannonball, the Jeffer- son, Sulpho Saline, and other marked highways. Tourist parks are perma- nent arrangements, with furnaces, wells, tables, rustic benches, etc., in the towns along the way.
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