Barry County Genealogical and Historical Society
Members are Busy at Work
Preserving our History And Restoring the Bayless House.
Story and Photos by: Darla Marbut
She also said that as far as she knew the back wing was once where the kitchen on the main floor was located.
The door with the stained glass is an original door. They had it redone. She said that Max Fields did the stain glass work for us and we are very proud of it.
The back wing of the house is where we plan on the research room and library to be. As the money comes in more work can be done.
During a recent work day, a small group of volunteers worked scraping, cleaning and sanding woodwork on the interior of the home to prepare it for painting and further restoration.
Previously, the exterior and foundation of the historical Colonial revival-style homes had been restored.
A new metal front porch ceiling has been installed thanks to a donation from Dee McGruder, new columns on the porch were also erected and a new floor installed.
The brick wall and roof on the back side of the house have been redone.
The next big effort will be to install heating, air conditioning and plumbing.
When restoration of the home is complete, it will be filled with period furniture that was common during the early years of Barry County's history and will be used to store the society's books and historical records.
The more donations received the faster the completion will be of this wonderful old home.
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Ancestors Unlimited, is a quarterly, published by the Barry County Genealogical and Historical Society. The membership fee is only $10 per year.
Back issues are also available.
Donations for the Bayless project can be mailed to: Barry County Genealogical and Historical Society, PO Box 291, Cassville, MO 65625.
Checks should be made to the society and designated for the Bayless-Salyer House Restoration.
If you have questions about this non-profit project you can call Georgia Farwell at 417-271-3521.
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John M. Bayless Succumbed to Operation for Appendicitis
Died at Claremore, Indian Territory, Sunday, June 2, 1907 at 1:15p.m.
Mr. Bayless took sick Sunday and the attending physicians diagnosed the case as being appendicitis and said that an operation was necessary to save his live. The next Sunday night his condition was
critical and all his relatives and friends were notified by wire. His brother James M. Bayless and his son Bourke, who was visiting his Uncle James went there Saturday as did Mrs. Bayless' brothers,
Lock and Grant Stubblefield who arrived just a short time before his death. Mr. Bayless' entire family were present and did everything possible to save his life.
John M. Bayless was a son of the late D. D. and Sarah Bayless, who were natives of Greene County, TN, who came to Barry County in 1853 and located near Seligman. John M. was born in Greene County, TN
in 1851 and came with his parents to this county and grew to manhood on this farm.
Later he graduated from the Cane Creek Academy and Hiawassee College, Tennessee from the latter in 1875, with a degree of A. B. and returned to Barry Co. in 1876 with 40 cents in cash and his grip.
He taught school for 2 years and in 1878, was elected Collector of the Revenue and served for 2 years.
In May 1877 he was united in marriage to Miss Francis J. McCary, a daughter of the late Hon. Henry McCary. To this marriage was born one daughter, Miss Frances now Mrs. George D. Davis of Claremore,
I. T. Mrs. Bayless died one year after marriage.
In May 1879, he was married again to Miss Mary Stubblefield to whom were born Guy C., Earle G., Bland B., Ross, Bourke and Wayne Bayless, who all survive their father."
It continues and mentions some of the businesses he had in Cassville: A mercantile business in 1880, with some others organized the Barry County Bank in 1887, in 1896 he built the Cassville and
Western R. R. to Exeter.
When he moved to Claremore, I. T. (Oklahoma) he built a hotel, bank building, and Opera house. He also established the Bank of Claremore and was in banking at Tulsa and Sulpher, OK. He owned a large
amount of real estate.
John Bayless was born Dec 15, 1851 and died June 2, 1907 and was buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Claremore, OK.
When he left Cassville he sold the Bayless House to Rufus Garland Salyer on Feb. 21, 1907 (over 100 years ago).
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Cassville, Barry Co., MO, 1880 Federal Census
25-28. John M. Bayless, Self, M, Male, White, 28, TN, Revenue Collector, TN, TN
Mollie Bayless, Wife, M, Female, 23, TN, Keeping House, TN, IL
Fannie Bayless, Dau, S, Female, White, 2, MO, At Home, TN, MO
The Salyers moved to Cassville from Golden where he was successful merchant, farmer and stockman.
Rufus Salyer was born in Kentucky and was living in Salyerville, KY, prior to the Civil War where he served the Confederacy from that state in the famous Morgan Division. He was in some of the hardest campaigns of that great conflict. He was very young while serving as the Drummer boy. He attended many of the Old Soldiers Reunions all around the country, receiving medals from each for his banner.
Rufus had been married previously and had children by his first wife. (Martha Jane Perry md. Feb 4, 1869). Their children were: Emma S. (m. James Tucker, Richard's son), David Dudley Salyer, George Clay Salyer and Leony Salyer.
Under the will (Rufus'), Mary L. Salyer, the widow, is to have the home property consisting of the brick residence and about 20 acres of land extending from the home west to the J. B. Hessee land and up the C & E Railroad. At her death the property willed to Mrs. Salyer goes to her son, A.G. Salyer. (Arthur G. (probably Garland) Salyer)
Arthur G. Salyer, the son resided in the home for many more years, along with two children Ben and Genette. Arthur G. was the owner who built the front portion of the porch on that makes the house complete as it is today. The approximate date is 1928 and may be logged down in a record book somewhere? Arthur G. Salyer and P.E. Horine were in business together in Cassville. A distant cousin Glenn was a doctor living in Cassville.
There was a wood shed and a two story smoke house behind the house with a barn across the road. John M. Bayless kept mules there when the C & E Railroad was built." Ancestors Unlimited, page 58
