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.