APPLETON CITY

Located in Appleton Township
Appleton City has had a Post Office from 1871 to present.

Main Street, Appleton City, Missouri - May 2009. Submitted by Mary Zeiler.

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City Hall, Appleton City, Missouri - May 2009. Submitted by Mary Zeiler.

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Zink Motor Company, Appleton City, Missouri - May 2009. Submitted by Mary Zeiler.

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Missouri History Encyclopedia, 1901:
Appleton City, a city of the fourth class, in St. Clair County, on the Parson’s branch of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, twenty five miles northwest of Osceola, the county seat. It has a public school, including a high school, and is the seat of Appleton City Academy, a co-educational, non-sectarian school, with four teachers and 124 pupils, occupying property valued at $3,000. Newspapers are the “Journal”, Republican, and the “Herald”, Democratic. The churches are Baptist, Christian, Lutheran, Methodist Episcopal, Methodist South, and Presbyterian. There are an opera house, a public library, two banks, flour mill and an elevator. In 1899 the population was 1,800. The town was platted in 1868 by William M. Prior, under the name of Arlington. It developed but little until 1870, when it was replatted under its present name.

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History of St. Clair County, MO, 1883, page 1007:
Appleton City
Hodkins, King and R. S. Emmons were pioneers in the dry good business, Charlie Speddin in groceries. Dr. H. H. Taylor opened the first hotel in a building moved from Hudson. M.S. Davis and Luchsinger & Streiff in the hardware line. Mrs. Dunbar brought on the first stock of millinery. The railroad was completed October 19, 1870. The first newspaper was the Argus byMessrs. Stone & Meyers. First issue was September 7, 1871.

In 1871, businesses were:
Hodkins & King - dry goods
Emmons & Co - dry goods
David & Wyatt - groceries
G.R. Pickerell - groceries
Parks & Luchsinger - hardware
Davis & Bronson - hardware
Levy & Co - clothing
J. Dunbar - clothing
G. W. Chrisman - drugs
Mason & Ciminsky - drugs
J.L. Barret and Dr. Shirely - drugs
Prier Garth & Co - lumber
W.F.Cameron, J, D. Trousdale and R.S.Emmons -lumber
R.S.Emmons and J.F. Atkinson - insurance
A.B. Clifton - watches and jewelry

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Missouri State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1881:
Appleton City – This incorporated city of the fourth class was founded in 1871, and according to the census of 1880 has a population of 1,114. It is a station on the M.K. & T. Ry. (Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway), in Appleton City, St. Clair County, twenty-five north west of Osceola (county seat court house), sixty south west of Sedalia and 249 from St. Louis. A large business is carried on with the surrounding country, this being the shipping point for a large area, the chief products exported being corn, wheat, flax and castor beans. The noteworthy features here are, two public schools, employing six teachers, and having an attendance of 348 pupils, a public library of 1,600 volumes, an opera house seating 500, two weekly newspapers, a bank and five churches of the following denominations: Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist, Christian and Lutheran. Of hotels, the Prier House, Capt. J.E. James, propr. is the most prominent and is largely patronized by the traveling public. Improved land averages $20 per acre, unimproved $10, while farms can be rented at a fair rate. Daily stages to Butler and Osceola. Tel., W.U.; Ex., Adams. Mail, daily. H.W. Grantley, postmaster.
Allen, Elijah – general store
Anthony, L.N. & Sons – shoemakers
Appleton City Bank – F. Egger & Son, Proprs. Collections will receive prompt attention.
Ballagh, I.D. – restaurant
Barrett, Frank E. – painter
Baugh, J.M. – saloon
Biggs, James – blacksmith
Brown, Henry W. – restaurant
Byler, David L. – bakery
Calmes, Paul E. – physician
Cartwright, P.S. – grocer
Cash, Andrew T. – barber
Clark, Wm. D. – grocer
Cremer, Charles A. – restaurant
Cummings & Barnet – livery stable
Daniel & Dierfeld – harness makers
Davis, Morris S. – notary public
Downey & Raymond – wagon makers
Egger, F. & Son – Proprs., Appleton City Bank. Collections promptly attended to.
Ewin, Charles S. – grocer
Ferguson, A.M. & Co. – hardware
Forbes & Son – harness makers, hides and wool
Foreman, A.D. – dentist
Gardner, Nicholas S. – general store
Gilbreath & Ross – lawyers
Grantley, Harry W. – attorney at law
Griffith, Mrs. W. – dressmaker
Hedrick Bros. – general store
Herman, Wm. H. – saloon
Hodkins, James – Justice of the peace
Hopkins & Woodbury – druggists
House, J.W. & Co. – general store
Hughes, Samuel – barber
Hurley, R.J. & Co. – lumber
James, J.E. – Propr., Prier House, located opposite depot. The only 1st class hotel in the city (See Adv.)
Kellogg & Thorn – carpenters
King, Edward – books & notions
Klein Bros. – general store
Krom, E. – propr., Courier
Lindsey & Bro. – livery stable
Luchsinger, A. – grain
Mannon, Andrew J. – grocer
Markey, George – insurance
Mason, Edwin – drugs and boots
Moody, George – marble works (See Adv.)
Mason & Latsch – jewelers
Patrick, B.D. – druggist
Perry – physician
Pickerill, Mrs. J.R. – milliner
Prier House – Capt. J.E. James, Propr. Good sample rooms on first floor (See Adv.)
Prier, W.M. – city marshal
Rainwater, Terrel – photographer
Reid, Joseph – grocer
Rinear, C.H. & Co. – marble works
Rinear & Rainwater – marble workers
Robinson, Miss A.E. – milliner
Rood, John L. – hardware and furniture
Roseberry, James E. – grocer
Roten, Thompson – physician
Schempp, Jacob – grocery and dry goods
Schillinger, Frederick – carpenter
Shaw, Samuel B. – grocer
Shelton & Kincheloe – physicians
Shell, G.W. – lawyer
Shot, C. & Son – flour mill
Squiers, M.M. – meat market
Stanberry, Charles – restaurant
Stetier, Wm. – taylor
Stewart, Edward C. – grocer and produce
Streiff, Thomas – hardware and furniture
Sutmiller, Harmon – billiards hall
Sutmiller, Rudolph & Co. – hardware and furniture
Van Hall, Henry – custom boot and shoe maker. Good fits guaranteed.
Wells, D.G. – sewing machines
Wells, Eli – blacksmith
Whitaker, G.H. – propr., Appleton House
Williams, Mrs. L.A. – milliner
Wilson, A.M. & Co. – meat market
Witherby, W.T.B. – ex. and railroad agent
Wolverton, Wm. – shoemaker
Wyntt & Boyd – lumber
Wyckoff & McFarlane – grain dealers and agricultural implements. Studebaker wagons a specialty.

Advertisement:
Appleton City Marble Works
Geo. Moody, Proprietor
Appleton City, St. Clair County, Missouri
I furnish only First-Class material and work, and Guarantee Prices Lower than any other Yard in the Southwest.

Advertisement:
Opposite Railroad Depot. Splendid Sample Rooms on First Floor.
Prier House
Capt. J.E. James, Proprietor
Appleton City, Missouri
The only First-Class Hotel in the City,
And Is
Headquarters for Commercial Men.

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Encyclopedia of the History of Missouri, Conrad, Volume 1:
The town of Appleton City was platted in 1868 by William M. Prior under the name of Arlington. It developed but little until 1870 when it was replatted under its present name. (See the town of Arlington for further information.)

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History of St. Clair County, Missouri, 1883:
Appleton City dates its birth but a short time in advance of the iron horse, or what is known as the Tebo and Neosho R.R., now the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad. The town was not so first named. In 1868, William M. Prier (also Prior), purchased the ground that is now embraced within the city limits of Appleton and platted a portion for a town. He failed to realize it at that time. In 1870, the only building on the site where now stands the city of Appleton City was a small frame house belonging to William Prier. Appleton City, in Appleton Township, was incorporated December 5, 1870. A flouring mill was owned by Messrs. Rycroft and Moore, and was called the Taberville Mill. It was bought by Messrs. Shoe & Son. The first building placed upon the new town site was brought from near Rockville, by Charles Speddin, and placed upon Lot 14, block 15, and occupied as a store.

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Our Storehouse of Missouri Name Places, Ramsay:
Appleton City was named for David S. Appleton of New York City (1824-1890), head of Appleton Publishing Co., in 1872. It is located at sections 5 & 6, Township 39 N, Range 28 W, on Highways 52 & P.

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St. Clair County, MO History, 1883, page 1011:
APPLETON CITY MILLS - C. Shoe & Son, proprietors is situated near the
business portion of the town, west of the depot. The building is a two and a half story frame with a basement and is forty feet front by fifty feet deep with a two story addition twenty by fifty.
There are four runs of French burrs with a grinding capacity of 75 barrels per day. The engine is thirty horsepower, of good workmanship and the quality of flour unexcelled.
Messrs Shoe & Son bought this mill at Taberville and moved it here four years ago.

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From St. Clair Co., MO History, 1883, page 1012:
APPLETON CITY PLANING MILL
The Appleton City Planing Mill, owned by Moore Brothers, turns out sashes, doors, blinds, moldings, brackets and all kinds of work usually done at a first class planing mill.

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It All Started With a Tornado, Wilbur A. Zink:
Statistics on Appleton City – Appleton City contains 760 acres of land, 18 miles of streets, approximately 14 miles of water lines and approximately 11 miles of sewer lines. In the 1880s the local W.H. Appleton Library contained 1600 books. Good land was selling for $200 an acre, and 1,800 people lived in Appleton City. There was a daily stage to Osceola and one to Butler, with stage stops along the way, and one at Skyline Station. There was a stream there to water the horses.
The Main Street of Appleton City was originally 100 feet wide, and the other streets in the city are 80 feet. The city was well planned, as most small cities do not have these wide streets. The M.K&T Railroad began in October 1870.
Appleton City was originally in the Monegaw Township, but became the Appleton Township in 1880. Appleton was founded in September 1870 and incorporated in 1881 with a capital of $16,000. Charles Speddin brought the first building from Rockville. The main street of Appleton was paved with cement in 1929 at a cost of $50,000. In 1880 the Appleton Cheese Plant run by O.C. Beach sold and shipped 18,210 pounds of cheese. In 1880 there were 705 train carloads of livestock and farm products shipped out of Appleton by the railroad.
The water well in the southwest corner of the property was the highest point. It was known for many years as a well that never went dry, and people came from all around to get water when other wells went dry. A flour mill in Appleton City was operated by C. Shoe and Son, and its production for one year was 1,400,000 pounds of flour and 350,000 pounds of bran.

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History of St. Clair County, 1883:

The first postmaster of Appleton City was J.R. Pickerill, in 1871.
H.W. Grantley, postmaster, was appointed and took possession of the office February 20, 1880, having succeeded
C.F. Meyers.

 

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