Page 1
The First Days Of Kidder
The Ream Family At Kidder - 1867
Kidder Near Centenarian
The Beginning Of Thayer College
Early Days At Kidder Institute
Barwick Chapel And The Plumbs
The Mckee Family In Lovely Ridge In The Seventies
Mrs. Helen L. Booth's Younger Days In Ohio And Caldwell County
To Lovely Ridge In A Covered Wagon
Farming In Lovely Ridge Lovely Ridge Neighbors

Page 2
The Martins At Lovely Ridge
Crawford Mirabile Mill - The Lovely Ridge School
The Streeters In Dodge District
Early Hamilton Schools
The Ford Family In The Dodge District In The Sixties And Seventies
The Streeter Family In Dodge District In 1855
Mrs. Frances Clarkson And The Dodge Family Of The Dodge District
Samuel Hill Pioneer In Caldwell County In 1833
Hamilton's First Building
The Hamilton Town Company

Page 3
Hamilton Business Men Before 1860
History Of The Post Office At Hamilton, Mo
James M. Kemper Hamilton Merchant In The Sixties
A Daughter Of A Hamilton Pioneer
Hamilton In 1860 And Later
Taylor Allee In Hamilton In 1865
The Harrah Family Of Hamilton In The Sixties And Seventies
Hamilton Merchants In 1868-69�
Hamilton Business Men In The 70's�
The Ogden Family At Hamilton In The 70's�

Page 4
The Rohrbough Family In Hamilton - 1867�
The Spratts Of Caldwell County, Missouri�
The Mcbrayer Livery Barn�
Frederick Graer - Early Hamilton Blacksmith�
The Pickells And Jordan Families In Hamilton In Seventies And Eighties�
The Gee Family In Hamilton In The Seventies�
A.G. Howard - An Early Druggist In Hamilton, Missouri
The Old Or Rohrbough Cemetery�
Early Baptist Church History In Hamilton�
William H. Gwynn - Blacksmith�

Page 5
Hamilton In The Middle And Late Sixties�
The Prough Family In Hamilton�
Wm. Wagenseller Hamilton Builder In Late Sixties�
Early Butcher Shop In Hamilton�
George Lamson - Early Station Agent And Banker At Hamilton
The Reed Family, Hamilton Merchants In 1869�
Strather M. Mitchell, Hamilton, Missouri�
Judge Junius Alonzo Holliday - Early Hamilton Lawyer
Some Newspaper History In Hamilton�
Professor David M. Ferguson�

Page 6
Dan Booth Veteran Hamilton Banker 1881-1924�
Cowgill History In Caldwell County�
Uncle Charley Dunn - Ex-Slave Of Hamilton�
The Weaver And Bowen Families In Gomer Township�
Mrs. Eliza Brown Of Van Note District�
The Harpster Family Of Gomer Township Caldwell And Daviess Counties�
The Dawson Family In The Seventies In Van Note District
The Gurley Family In Excelsior District�
The Murrells In Gomer Township In The Seventies�
The Watson Family In Gomer Township 1870�

Page 7
A German Family In Caldwell County�
Christian Schneiter, Swiss Settler In Caldwell County 1867
In "Grand River Country"�
The Estabrook Family In Breckenridge Township 1867
The Halstead Family In Breckenridge Township In 1837�
Dr. James Earl In Breckenridge Township 1937�
The Goins Family In Breckenridge Township - 1863�
The Terrill Family Of Breckenridge�
The Scanlon Family In Breckenridge Township - 1858�
The Trospers Of Breckenridge�

Page 8
The Mccubbin Family As Pioneers Near Breckenridge�
The Old Mirabile Tavern�
The Smith Family In Plum Creek District�
The Kempers Were Pioneers
Captain Edward D. Johnson Of Mirabile And Kingston
The John Orr Family In Mirabile Township
The Morris Family In Mirabile Township In The Sixties
The Harpolds, Pioneers In Mirabile Township 1845�
The Crawford Family At Kingston In 1867 And Hamilton In 1875
The Richey Family Of Richey Mill At Salem 1833�

Page 9
Elder R.C. Hill In Kingston Township 1854 And Hamilton 1968
The Mcclelland Kin In Caldwell County�
Billy Jones Family Of Kingston Township�
Wm. Mcclelland Family In Caldwell County 1845�
Hugh Chain, An Early Kingston Carpenter�
Caldwell County Poor Farm�
F.D. Clarkson Family At Kingston In Early Seventies�
Farm Life In Kingston Township In The Sixties And Seventies
The Jacob Wonsettler Family As Pioneers Near Kingston
Excitement At The County Seat Caldwell County�

Page 10
The Kern Family Of Kingston Township�
The James Houghton Family As Pioneers In New York Twp.
The Cox Family Life�
The Kautz Family In Caldwell County�
Andrew Baker - Pioneer Preacher Of New York Township 1860
Edwards Family In New York Settlement�
In New York Township In The Sixties�
The Filsons In New York Township�
The Puckett Family In New York Township In 1859�
The Waldo Family In Fairview Township - 1868�

Page 11
The Proctor Family Of Fairview Township 1856�
The Chapman Family Of Fairview Township�
The Cheshires, Early Pioneers In Caldwell County�
Farm Life In The Fifties In Davis Township�
Life In Davis Township Before The Civil War�
Early Days At Black Oak�
The Rogers And Mcdonald Families In Early Caldwell County
The Death Of E.G. Wallace�
The Killing Of Humphrey Weldon�
The Killing Of John C. Myers

Page 12
The Hanging Of Jimmy Silkwood�
Bristow - Casey Fight�
Killing Of Southern Sympathizer In Caldwell County�
He Voted For Lincoln - Civil War Stories�
The "Hanging" Of George Rogers�
The Mormon Temple At Far West�
Living By Haun's Mill�
Historic Mormon Sites�
Dr. William Earl Mclellan (Mcclellen) Early Mormon In Caldwell County�
Rag Carpets�

Page 13
Epidemics In Caldwell County�
Going To Town Before Automobiles Came�
Old Wells And Springs In Hamilton And Vicinity�
The 1874 Drought In Caldwell County�
Early Schooling Both In Caldwell And Ray Counties�
He Voted For Lincoln�
A Public Hanging�
Electing A President In The Late Seventies And Early Eighties
An Ex-Slave Speaks�
Before The Days Of Bank Checks�

Page 14
Burial Custom In The 70's�
Maddux Family In Livingston County - 1857�
The Jackson Family In Ray County In The Sixties And Seventies
The Borden Family In Caldwell And Daviess Counties�
Covered Wagon Trip To Daviess County - Cherokee Strip
The Mcclelland Family In Daviess Co. 1859 And Caldwell County 1863
The Mann Family In Daviess County�
In Daviess County In The Sixties And Seventies�
Old Style Wagons And Old Cemeteries Near Hamilton On The North
Life In Indian Reservation

Page 15
Home Steading In Kansas�
Kentucky Life In The Seventies�
The Mcqueens -- Pioneers In Iowa�
Pioneering In Kansas�
Irish Pioneers In Iowa And Oklahoma�
Pioneer Ozark Cabins In The Sixties�
Wash Day In Ozark Pioneer Days�
"Cave" Wilson Of Miller County�
The Claves, Grundy County Pioneers�
Billy Jones Family Of Kingston Township�

Page 16
Wm. Mcclelland Family In Caldwell County 1845�
Hugh Chain, An Early Kingston Carpenter�
Caldwell County Poor Farm�
F.D. Clarkson Family At Kingston In Early Seventies�
Farm Life In Kingston Township In The Sixties And Seventies
The Jacob Wonsettler Family As Pioneers Near Kingston
Excitement At The County Seat Caldwell County�

Historical Data in This Volume 

Compiled by Major Molly Chapter D.A.R. 1933-1934

Retyped and Indexed by
Karen Walker and Marilyn Williams
1995, Major Molly Chapter

Volume I

*****FOREWARD*****

This Collection of 150 interviews is the gift of Major Molly Chapter
D.A.R. of Hamilton, Missouri to the Missouri State D.A.R. The Chapter
is also making a duplicate gift of these interviews to the Historical
department of the Hamilton Library, which it is hoped, will be a
growing collection with new interviews to be added as found. In a few
cases, there will be found to be two interviews from the same narrator
under different divisions. In this way, subject matter has been more
easily codified. The total number of persons interviewed has been
145, the total number of interviews 150. To this work, the interviewer
has devoted months. Often a whole afternoon has been given to getting
an important interview; for the minds of the old can not be hurried
else mental confusion will result. In a few cases, important data
necessarily had to be given by the second generation. Most of the
collection is given to interviews concerning early Caldwell County
history; a few concern the early history of our citizens who pioneered
in other Missouri counties or other states. A group of three
interviews came from pioneers in Miller County, Missouri, where the
interviewer taught in the Ozarks. It has been a continuous aim to
reproduce the spirit and the words of narrators and to get true facts
as far as it lay in our power. Should errors have crept in despite
our care in inquiry, we shall welcome any correction. We wish to
acknowledge the assistance given to this project by the old timers
themselves who thus have aided in preserving unwritten history, by
fellow D.A.R. members who have suggested "prospects" or submitted
data, and to the interested outside friends who have helped by
suggestions, and by typewriting our manuscripts.
Submited by

(Miss) Bertha Ellis Booth
Major Molley Chapter D.A.R.
Hamilton, Missouri

~~~~~


CALDWELL COUNTY, MISSOURI HISTORY Interviews
----------Volume I----------
by Dr. Bertha Booth of Major Molly Chapter, D.A.R.
___________

Table of Contents Page

First Days of Kidder - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
Ream Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2
Near Centenarian - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 4
Thayer College - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 5
Kidder Institute- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6
Barwick Chapel and the Plumbs - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 7
McKee Family - Lovely Ridge - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 9
Interview - Mrs. Helen L. Booth - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 10
To Lovely Ridge in Covered Wagon - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 12
Farming in Lovely Ridge, Lovely Ridge Neighbors

Dodge District
Cox Family - Half Way House - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16
Coach - Women's Styles in 70s - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 16
Hamilton Schools - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 17
Dodge District - Ford Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 18
Streeter Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 19
Dodge Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 21
Samuel Hill, Pioneer - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 22
Hamilton's First Building- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 24
Town Company- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 25
Business Men Before 1840- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26
Post Office - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 27
Merchant James Kemper - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 28
Daughter of Pioneer - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29
1860 and Later- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 31
Taylor Allee, 1865- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33
Harrah Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 35
Merchants - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 36
Business Men in 70s - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 38
Ogden Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 40
Rohrbough Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 41
The Spratts- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 42
McBrayer Livery Barn - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 44
Hamilton, Frederick Graer, Blacksmith - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 46
Pickells and Jordan Families- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 47
Gee Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 48
A.G. Howards- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 49
Old Rohrbough Cemetery- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 50
Baptist Church- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 51
William H. Gwynn, Blacksmith- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 52
Middle and Late 60s - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 53
Prough Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 54
Wm. Wagenseller - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 55
Butcher Shop- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 57
George Lamson, Agent- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 58
Reed Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 59
Mitchell Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 60
Holliday Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 61
Newspaper History - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 62
Prof. Ferguson- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 63
Dan Booth, Banker - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 65
The Cowgills- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 67
Hamilton, Charley Dunn, Ex-slave - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 69
Weaver and Bowen Families - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 70
Van Note District, Mrs. Elizabeth Brown- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 71
Harpister Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 72
Dawson Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 73
Gurley Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 74
Gomer Township - Murrell Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 75
Watson Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 76
German Family in County - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 77
Christian Schneiter, Swiss Settler- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 78
"Grand River Country" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 79
Breckenridge Township, Estabrook Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 80
Halsteads - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 82
Dr. James Earl- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 83
Goins Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 84
Terrill Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 85
Scanlon Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 86
Trosper Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 87
McCubbin Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 88
Old Mirabile Tavern - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 90
Plumb Creek District - Smith Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 91
Kempers, Pioneers- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 92
Mirabile and Kingston
Capt. Edward D. Johnson - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 93
Mirabile - John Orr Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 95
Morris Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 97
Harpolds Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 99
Kingston - Crawford Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 100
Salem, Richey Mill - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 101
Kingston Township, Elder R.C. Hill - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 102
McClelland and Kin - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 103
Kingston Township, Billy Jones - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 105
Old Salem Town, McClelland Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 106
Early Kingston Carpenter - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 107
Poor Farm- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 108
Kingston, Clarkson Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 109
Farm Life- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 110
Wonsettler Family near Kingston- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 111
Caldwell County Seat - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 112
Kern Family, Kingston- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 113
New York Township - Houghton Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 114
Cox Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 116
Kautz Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 117
Pioneer Preacher- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 118
Edwards Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 119
New York in the 60s - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 120
Filson Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 121
Puckett Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 122
Fairview Township
Waldo Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 123
Proctor Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 124
Chapman Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 125
Cheshire Family - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 126
Davis Township, Farm Life- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 128
Before Civil War- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 129
Black Oak, Early Days- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 130
Rogers and McDonald - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 131
"Death" of E.G. Wallace - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 132
Killing of Weldon - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 133
Killing of Myers- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 134
Hanging of Jimmy Silkwood - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 135
Bristow, Casey Fight- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 136
Killing of Southern Sympathizers- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 137
He Voted for Lincoln- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 138
"Hanging" of George Rogers- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 139
Mormon Temple - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 140
Living by Haun's Mill - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 141
Mormon Sites- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 142
Mormon Members- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 143
Rag Carpets - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 144
Epidemics - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 145
Before Day of Automobiles - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 147
Water Sources - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 148
1874 Drought- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 150
Schools - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 151
Voted for Lincoln - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 152
Public Hanging- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 153
Election- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 154
Ex-slaves - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 155
Before Bank Checks- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 156
Burial Custom in 70s- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 157


OUT OF COUNTY OR STATE

Livingston County, Missouri- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 158
Jacksons of Ray County, Missouri - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 159
Caldwell-Daviess Counties- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 160
By Covered Wagon to Daviess County, Missouri - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 161
McClellands to Daviess County, Missouri- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 163
Manns in Daviess County, Missouri- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 165
In 60s and 70s - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 166
Cemeteries - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 167
Indian Reservations- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 168
Homesteading in Kansas - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 169
Kentucky in 70s- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 170
Iowa McQueens- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 171
Kansas - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 173
Irish in Iowa-Oklahoma - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 174
Ozark Cabins in 60s- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 176
Ozark Wash Day - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 177
Wilsons of Miller County, Missouri - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 178
Grundy County, Missouri, Clave Family- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 179

~~~~~~~~~~

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This page was last updated September 24, 2006.