Chalk Level
Village of Chalk Level, located in Center Township
Chalk Level has had a Post Office from 1848-1863, and again in 1867-1914.
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History of St. Clair County, Missouri, 1883:
The village of Chalk Level, in Center Township, was first started in 1866. Mr.
Ab. Simmons built the first store and was its first merchant. Hackett & Casey
opened the first blacksmith shop; George Lyons, the first carpenter, and Dr.
E.H. French was its first physician. The first postmaster was probably Abraham
Simmons, as he had the first store. Between 1840 and 1850, a post office was
kept by William Browning at his residence on his farm. J. Truesdale was the
second postmaster,
Ab. Simmons the third, Mac. Wilson, the fourth, in 1874, Gabriel Waldron, in
1875, A.D. Johnson, in 1876, G.B.
Atkinson, in 1877, A.A. Cleveland, 1878, and the present postmaster is W.T.
Robinson.
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State of Missouri History, 1904:
Chalk Level village was located eight miles northwest of Osceola, in Center
Township, and eight miles southwest of Lowry City, Section 5, Township 39 N,
Range 26 W.
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Missouri State Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1881:
Chalk Level – A settlement of forty inhabitants in St. Clair County, seven miles
north west of Olathe (county seat court house), and sixteen south east of
Appleton City, its shipping point. Products, wheat, corn and stock. Improved
land, $10 to $20, unimproved, $4 to $10. Tri-weekly mail stages to the above
points; fares, 50 cents and 75 cents. A.A. Cleveland, postmaster.
Alton, H. – flour and saw mill
Barr, Rev. C.Y.
Brannan, Samuel – blacksmith
Cleveland, A.A. – general store
Cleveland, Wm. – livestock dealer
Collins, J. – wagon maker
Freeman, Rev. T.B.
French, E.H. – physician
Garnett, R.W. – physician
Hoover, J. – coal miner
Jones, G. – flour and saw mill
Merriman, Charles – coal miner
Payton, Philip – shoemaker
Rickman, James – blacksmith
Row, J. – teacher
Wells, Wm. T. – blacksmith
Wickell, Wm. – livestock dealer
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St. Clair County History, 1883, page 1027:
VILLAGE OF CHALK LEVEL - The village was first started in 1866 and Mr. Ab.
Simmons built the first store and was its first merchant.
Hackett and Casey opened the first blacksmith shop. George Lyons, the first
carpenter. Dr. E. H. French, first physician.
Between 1840 and 1850, a post office was kept by William Browning at his
residence on his farm. J. Truesdale was the second postmaster, Ab
Simmons, the third, Mac Wilson the fourth in 1874, Gabriel Waldron in 1875, A.D.
Johnson in 18176, G. B. Atkinson in 1877, A.A. Cleveland in 1878, and the
present postmaster is W. T. Robinson.
The oldest citizen now living in the township is S.C. Bruce, an honored citizen
of the county.
W.T. Robinson keeps a general store. Dr. John S. Wilson, a drug and grocery
store combined. Samuel Brundon has the only blacksmith shop
and Dr. E. H. French still occupies his position in the healing art he has so
long and so successfully held.
It is not a large town but for a country village has quite an extensive trade.
It has beautiful scenery north, east and west of it with many thriving farmers,
and the village has not by any means reached its growth, It will never be very
large, but it will be a great convenience to the people around who are likely to
sustain it, because it is a necessity.