Dade County, Missouri - Chapter 16, 1917 (part 5 of 6)

The Christian organization was effected in 1909. They have a good building and Rev. A. J. Bloomer is their present minister. Each of these churches have a flourishing Ladies' Auxiliary.

In 1910 a second bank was organized in Everton UTIder the name of "The Citizens' Bank." It was capitalized at $10,000, with Cyrus Yoakum as President, and Don Adamson as Cashier. It is comfortably located in its own brick building in the very heart of the city and is doing a good business.

The City of Everton was incorporated as a city of the fourth class in 1892, with AY. C. Holman as its first Mayor. At the present time John Adamson is Mayor; Don Adam-

Everton has no electric lighting system. There are two private systems being operated, one at the Raubinger Mill and one by Mr. Riddle. Several private residences are, however, brilliantly lighted with ascetylene lighting plants, among them being the residences of G. W. Wilson, L. E. Cantrell, J. F. Carlock, H. A. Carlock and perhaps others.

As a shipping point Everton compares favorably with any city of its size on the entire Frisco system. As an apple shipping point it holds the record for the entire Ozark region.

The publicity department of Everton has been represented by the Everton Journal, a local newspaper, independent of politics and owned by E. H. Carender and Howard Ragsdale.

This sketch is not a complete history of the growth and development of the city of Everton, nor does it make mention of all the prominent citizens who have contributed to its success. It is written from facts gathered from talking to various persons and then related in a haphazard sort of way, but taking all in all, Everton, past, present and future is just about as good a little city as one will find in a month's travel any place in the Ozark region.

Others who have contributed to the growth and general welfare of Everton are W. T. Hastings, who was a pioneer Justice of the Peace and Notary Public. Wash Hankins was also a J. P. as early as 1885. J. C. Tomson first became prominent as a J. P. about 1886, served as postmaster two terms, from 1888 to 1892, and from 1896 to 1900. S. II. Wheeler was another veteran J. P.

ticed in Everton, from 1910 to 1913. Dr. W. R. Riley was formerly Station Agent at Emmet, married there and came to Everton about 1896. In partnership with his son, he conducts an up-to-date pharmacy, ice cream stand and soda fountain.

Following W. C. Holman as first Mayor of the city, W. D. Brown held that office two terms; J. W. Stockwell, Howard Ragsdale, James A. Mason, and Taylor Hughes also officiated as Chief Executive of the city. John H. Estes was elected to the office, qualified and served four days, and then resigned.

Charioy Barker was the first City Marshal and served six years, he was succeeded by James Clark. John H. Estes held the office of Constable and City Marshal for a number of terms.

H. H. Sclnnickle, Produce and Groceries. J. C. Snoddy, Restaurant. G. A. Thorpe, Groceries and meat market. Zimmerman & Mallory. AV. R. Dye & Son, General Merchandise. o

In the year of our Lord, A. 1). 1840 there was a cabin of native hewed logs erected in the northeast corner of a little prairie called Crisp Prairie, in honor of one of the early pioneers of the county, John Crisp. The cabin was built by a man named Johnson, who occupied it for five long years before he had a neighbor. Then in 1845 Thomas A. Dale, a Tennesseean, settled here and built a frame house near Mr. Johnson's, beside the wagon road that had been trodden out by ox-teams. A Mr. Theodore Switzler, from Virginia, moved to Missouri and also stopped beside the road. Mr. Dale and Mr. Switzler formed a partnership and entered the mercantile business. A postoffi'.v was established and named Crisp Prairie, and Mr. Dale was appointed the first postmaster. A Doctor from Tennessee, about this time settled here by the name of Dr. Bender. He immediately engaged in the active practice of his profession, and his fame as a physician and surgeon went out over the land, and the sick and ailing from a distance flocked to him for treatment. A blacksmith shop was built and operated beside the wagon road by Mr. William Davidson along about 1855 or 1856. Feeling t!i*' necessity of a mill, Messrs Gaunt and Berry were induced to build and operate a grist and saw mill. Tin- po\ver used to make the wheels go 'round and 'round and the upright saw to go up and down was a yoke of oxen and ,ni endless-chain tread-wheel. The people came for miles to patronize and view in wonder the modern machinery of breadstuff and lumber. This history would not be complete unless we mentioned that Thomas A. Dale induced a young Doctor Hampton from Dale's native state and old home, to imigrate to this section of the country. The young doctor, after his arrival, engaged in teaching school, and soon afterward married Miss Sarah Carmack, a sister of J. W. Carmack, one of Dade County's prominent citizens. Dr. Hampton soon became a very noted character in the neighborhood. For some reason or another it became desirable to change the name of the postcfiice. Three prominent citizens were selected as a committee to decide upon an appropriate name. Dr. Bender, Dr. Hampton and Mr. Dale were chosen for this honorous duty. Three straws of different lengths were placed in a hat and drawn. Dr. Hampton drew the lucky straw and selected the name of "Melville," and Melville it remained until about ISO.j, when the Government discovered that the mail was being confused with Millville, another Missouri postoffice, so the name was changed to jJadeville, in honor of Colonel Dade of Mexican war fame.

As time passed on, other energetic, enthusiastic young men were attracted by the agricultural richness of the soil and the possibilities for mercantile success in Dadeville, so that the population increased to that of a village in a short time. Bob and Dave Long were among the first merchants. Robert A. Clark soon began selling goods rid continued throughout the Civil War and up till ; bout 1879, when he sold out to J. W. Withrow and >i oved to Springfield, Mo.

This thriving little town was supported by the sturdy settlers and pioneers from Kentucky and Tennessee who had found an ideal home on Crisp Prairie. The entire landscape was carpeted with blue-grass, with here and there along the branches dense copses of underbrush and splendid walnut timber. There was an abundance of water for their stock, that roamed at will over the prairie. West of Dadeville was heavy oak timber and numerous bubbling springs of as fine, clear, cool water as ever quenched the thirst of man.

Dadeville has an altitude of 1155 feet and the drainage is divided between Sac River, three miles south, and Little Sac River, six miles north.

The early pioneer, who was a sportsman as well as a farmer, was well supplied writh fish from these streams, while deer and wild turkey from the prairie and barren woods wero abundant.

Along in the early 50 's an academy consisting of two rooms was established by private capital, and Nathan Dinwiddie conducted the school for the benefit of the rising generation.

Following are the names of a few of the prominent families who were residents of Dadeville vicinity: Tarrants, Potters, Lindleys, Haileys, Mazes, Divines, Kirbys, Carmacks, Dunways, McMasters, Hembrees, McPeaks, Freezes, Smiths, Longs, Pylands, Pyles, Maxwells, Tunnells, Haywards, Hobbs, Oarlocks, Pembertons, Wheelers, Grishams, Morgans, Fisks, McGees, Berrys, Gaunts and Cowans.

At the breaking out of the Civil War most all of the inhabitants of Dadeville and vicinity were loyal to the United States Government. In 1860, however, there was but one Republican vote cast at this precinct, and that was a written ballot, since only democratic tickets were printed in the county. A few years ago, Allan McDowell, the grand lecturer of the Masonic fraternity for Missouri, visited his old birthplace, about four miles northeast from Dadeville. I had the pleasure as well as the honor of accompanying the distinguished gentleman while hunting for land-marks. He mentioned the fact that while his father lived here that their children were born in three comities, although all in the same house. The explanation was that Polk, Dade and Cedar counties had all formerly comprised territory which belonged to Barry County, and changes in the county boundaries had placed this house in three successive counties.

W. K. Pyle, the father of Sheridan B. Pyle, moved his family from Dadeville to Greenfield in 1848, as a County Official. In 18(51 at the breaking out of the Civil War, he enlisted in the Union army. On the 4th day of July, 1JSG1, there were 200 men from Dade, Cedar, Polk and Greene counties responded to the call at Dadeville, and

On the 14th of June, 1864, the Guerillas burned the town of Dadeville, leaving but a few houses standing, and killed a number of citizens. Among them were Lieutenant Jesse Kirby of Company A, Sixth Missouri cavalry; John Cantrell, Shed Berry, a blind negro. William Bradford, who was wounded, died shortly afterward. Sam Landers, now of Webb City, was also wounded. The town was soon rebuilt.

About the year 1892, Prof. George Melcher, one of the leading school men of the state, induced some of the enterprising citizens of the town and surrounding country to build an academy. The enterprise proved a success and for several years it was one of the leading High Schools of Southwest Missouri. Other neighboring towns being inspired by the success of Dadeville, began to improve their graded schools and to establish High Schools, so that much of the patronage was withdrawn and the Academy went down, but soon afterward eight school districts organized a consolidated school district. It is said to be one of the largest and wealthiest consolidated districts in the state. With just a little "kick" it is possible to establish at Dadeville one of the leading High Schools of the state.

Dadeville today is an incorporated city of 500 people. It has three churches, nine stores, two blacksmith shops, one shoe shop, garage, a fine flouring mill of fifty barrels daily capacity, and a flourishing bank.

Sheridan Byron Pyle - Says of himself: That he was born Sepcember 21st, 1856, in Dado County, Missouri. His parents were W. K. and Artimissa Pyle. His mother died in 1861, leaving three children, Lisyra and Rosalia, his two sisters. His father enlisted in the Union army in 1862. Indulgent grandparents cared for the homeless children until 1866, when his father married Mollie Finley and made a home for them on a farm. Rosalia died when

17 years of age. S. B. attended the country schools, and had two years at Morrisville Academy in Polk County, working for his board and tuition. He married Matie Underwood March 31st, 1877. To them have been born four children, Lewis K. Thomas, Roscoe G. and Leslie C., only one still living, Roscoe G. Mrs. Pyle's father and mother, L. M. and N. J. Underwood, moved from Minnesota to Missouri soon after the war.

Sheridan B. Pyle engaged in the mercantile business in Dadeville in 1880. While not a very successful merchant, still continues to do business. He votes the Republican ticket, having but once departed from the faith of his fathers, being in 1912, when he voted for Theodore Roosevelt for President on the Progressive ticket. He was a candidate for Representative once but wras defeated by a good, round majority.

Editorial Note. - It will be seen by the above that Sherman B. Pyle is a man of extreme modesty, but I know from personal acquaintance that his attainments far outweigh those of men who are given to vain boasting. Mr. Pyle has for years been one of the leading citizens of Dadeville, identified with every public movement, given of his means freely to the support of church and schools, invested in speculative mining enterprises ''for the good of the community," always at the bat in every political campaign to help boost the other fellow into office, a man of wisdom, poise and discretion, being the soul of honor and a perfect Chesterfield in demeanor. Dadeville can well be proud of Sherman B. Pyle when" the entire community proclaims him as her First Citizen. A. J. Young.

A cloud of uncertainty rests over the first discovery of mineral at Corry. Tradition says that prior to the coming of the pioneer, the dusky red man dug lead from those native hills and smelted it in the crude furnaces along the banks of Sac River, but that is only tradition.

its value to the pioneer was unknown. About the year 1874 the mining industry in Dade county took a boom, and its activity spread over a large scope of territory, but finally settled in a camp at Corry. The diggings were for lead at first, but later on the silicate was also mined. Very little machinery was used. A pick, shovel, wheelbarrow, windlass and rope was considered a complete mining outfit. Wash places were erected along the spring branch east of the town and smelters were built for reduction of the lead ores.

On the 27th day of March, 1875, J. M. Blakemore, J. M. Alexander and Sylvinia Alexander, his wife, owners of the land upon which Corry is located, caused a plat to be made and the land surveyed into streets, alleys and town lots. No name as yet had ben selected for the new village. Tradition again says that the Alexanders had a daughter by the name of Cora, and suggested to the surveyor who made the plat that the town be called Cora. Either by reason of illiteracy or dullness of hearing the name "Coiry" was attached to the plat and so remains to this day. At this time from 500 to 1,000 people were camped at or in the vicinity of the mining camp. The place boasted of hotels, general stores, saloons, livery stables, restaurants and other business enterprises belonging to a booming mining camp.

On the 20th day of April, 1876, eighty-five citizens of the place presented to the County Court of Dade County a petition praying to be incorporated under the laws of the state of Missouri as a village. The petition was granted and W. M. Taggart, Z. Xorris, A. H. Snyder, W. K. Pyle, J. C. Babb and J. M. Stookey were appointed the first Board of Trustees. Most of the petitioners as well as the trustees are either dead or removed from the county. W. M. Taggart afterward located at Lockwood in the real estate and banking business, J. M. Stookey was at the time Judge of the Probate Court and AY. K. Pyle afterward filled the same office.

was difficult and expensive, the deep shafts proved a failure, and finally when silicate was quoted at $6 per ton f. o. b. the bubble collapsed. Levin W. Shafer had been the moving spirit of the town and through his efforts foreign capital was interested. .DeArmond, Shoemaker and others were associated with him in these ventures. F. D. W. Arnold, owner of the Pickwick Hotel at Lamar, was a prosperous liveryman of the boom days, while "Dad" Sullivan, "Dutch" Kimber, J. A. Thurman, Alex Foster and other residents of Greenfield each survived a severe attack of Corry fever.

Corry is now little more than a wide place in the road. A store or two, a blacksmith shop, a Holiness church, a dozen or more isolated dwellings, a few shallow diggings and a day-dream of former greatness is all that remains to mark the place of Dade County's "Deserted Village."

For a number of years after the pioneer from Tennessee had erected his cabin near the spring and cleared out a few acres of choice branch bottom for cultivation, in the wooded sections of Dade County, the deer roamed at will during the daytime and the coyote made night hideous on the broad rolling prairies of northern Dade.

On the 4th day of May, 1860, George W. White entered the northwest quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 2 -32-27, and sold the same to Isaac Killingsworth on the 3d day of April, 1861. On the 20th day of January, 1872, Cyrus C. Bean appeared upon the scene and for a consideration of $14.00 purchased two acres of land in the northwest corner of Section 2, upon which he erected a combined residence and store building and began selling Koods that spring. Application was made for a postoffice, which was granted, C. C. Bean appointed postmaster, and the location named "Arcola" in honor of the ancient city

Other parties had been engaged in business before the advent of the writer in 1876, but at that time Bean's store was running in full blast. Charles Rosenhauer conducted a booze drug store, and a man by the name of Anderson was the blacksmith. He was afterward succeeded by J. P. Cagle, who conducted a shop for many years. He in turn was succeeded by his son, W. B. Cagle. As late as 1876 prairie chickens were plentiful and were shipped by Mr. Bean in larger quantities than live poultry. Eggs and in fact all kinds of produce was plentiful in those days and very cheap. Many wagon loads were sent to market, usually Ash Grove or Springfield.

Arcola, however, was destined to be something more than a wide place in the road. It was a cross-roads point, and early .bad aspirations of becoming a city. On the 27th day of July, 1880, C. C. Bean platted four blocks in the northwest corner of Section 2, on the 13th day of December, 1880, E. E. and C. F. White laid out thirty-three lots in the southwest corner of Section 35, calling it White's Addition to Arcola. On the 14th day of December, 1883, J. M. Travis laid out six blocks in the southeast corner of Section 34, calling it Travis' Addition, and finally on the 21st day of March, 1884, S. H. Bales had surveyed and placed upon the market three blocks in the northeast corner of Section 3, which he called Bales' Addition. Arcola was now a city with streets, alleys, public parks and boulevards.

About the year 1877, D. Underwood engaged in the mercantile business and continued in it till his death, at which time the firm was Underwood & Son, being composed of Decatur Underwood and T. J. Underwood, the latter still being one of the leading merchants of the place. Mr. Bean finally sold his business to J. M. Travis and R. M. Crutcher, and they continued the business for seven years, when they sold out to Stewart & Hawkins, the junior member of the firm, P. H. Hawkins, having" clerked for Travis & Crutcher a number of years and being fully equipped for the business. After about six months J. M. Travis again became a member of the firm, in which he continued until the death of J. T. Stewart. Since then the firm has changed hands many times. C. F. White, Clyde C. White and J. R. Daugherty were early merchants of the place. The hardware business was started by S. H. Bales, who was succeeded by Porter & Harber, M. Pyle, M. Small, W. H. Watson, John 0. Mitchell and I. A. Young & Co., this last named firm being the present owners. It is today one of the leading hardware, implement and farm supply houses in Southwest Missouri. From time to time many other merchants have been engaged in business at Arcola, among them W. P. Murphy, C. A. Wilson, Win. Meek, Uel Murphy, Ben Appleby, Murphy, Russell & Whittaker, L. M. Duncan, 0. C. Whitley, L. Killingsworth, J. G. Sloan & Sons. At the present time H. W. Kitsmiller, W. T. Underwood & Bro., Achord Bros., J. W. Griffin, I. A. Young & Co., and possibly others whose names I do not recall are actively engaged in mercantile enterprises at this place. For a number of years C. F. White had a store in Arcola and his son, C. C. White, in company witli J. N. Preston and J. R. Daugherty, succeeded him. Dr. A. Higgins came to Arcola in 1904 and opened up a pharmacy, also entered the general practice of medicine, in which he has been successful.

For a number of years, Arcola suffered great inconvenience for want of proper banking facilities. Finally on the 17th day of October, 1910, The Bank of Arcola was organized with A. Higgins, President; C. W. Cassell, Vice President; W. D. Brickey, Cashier, and W. E. Petty, Assistant Cashier. It was* capitalized at $10,000. In 1912 W. E. Petty was made cashier and served till 1914, when lie was succeeded by J. W. Mayfield, who served six 7iionths, when on the 4th day of January, 1915, C. C. Dunran was elected to that position and is still serving. The Directors of this Bank are W. U. Brooks, C. W. Cassoll, S. P. Guinn, A. Higgins, C. A. Jordan, W. C. Noffsincrer and W. D. Brickey. It is one of the sound financial institutions of the county.

Arcola has always been proud of her schools and churches. Both the Methodist and Christian people have church buildings and consistent membership. Upon the adoption of the school law authorizing consolidated districts, Arcola immediately organized Consolidated District No. 1, composed of several country districts, and erected a modern, up-to-date High School building. The present management is: J. T. Wilkins, President; C. C. Duncan, Secretary; A. D. Hughes, Vice President; C. C. Duncan, Treasurer. W. II. Eiley, Principal; Miss Dobbs, Katie Brand, R. M. Owens, Cecil Old ham and F. L. Twaddell, teachers.

Soon after the Civil War the people of Dade County began to discuss the importance of bridging the streams. They were much in favor of building a bridge across Turnback, "out on the Springfield stage road," and another at the point where the Sac and Turnback rivers conjoin. Soon after the late Charles W. Griffith bought the old "Vidette" from Mason Talbutt and 0. H. Barker and changed the name to "Vedette," the first of the seventies, there appeared several bridge editorials, at intervals, and to show the spirit of the press at that time the following editorial, from the Vedette, dated March 21, 1871, gives a pretty good idea that the people of those early days were thinking along right lines of public improvement. It took a little over twenty years of this sort of agitation before the first bridge was built. It was built across Sac a little below the junction of the Sac and Turnback rivers, at the very point where the Vedette said it should lie built. This occurred about the year 1892, just about the time Mr. Griffith, the writer of this editorial, was stricken with his fatal illness. lie lived to know that the bridge was constructed, yet he never saw it. Here is the editorial:

"The frequency of high waters during winter, and the consequent detention of mails and delay of passengers and freight in transit from the railroad, together with several fatal accidents that have occurred very recently in this part of the State as a result of attempting to ford the swollen streams, have set the people thinking pretty seriously on the subject of bridges. Bridges are undoubtedly needed over the principal streams throughout the Southwest and ought to be built as soon as possible. In this con- nection we are happy to state that Mr. W. J. Hobson of the firm of 0. Raker & Co., patentees and builders of Baker's National Truss Bridge, St. Joseph, Mo., visited our town this week and exhibited to our citizens the model and plans of a cheap, substantial and durable bridge, a large number of which have been built by his company in this State within the last two years. This late improvement in the construction of bridges would seem to be a timely relief in these days of hard times and high taxes. This company warrants their bridge to be as good as the old standard 'Howe Truss,' and are prepared to furnish them at little more than half of Howe's.

''It will be admitted that this county is very much in want of at least two bridges - one over Turnback on the stage road to Springfield, and the other over Big Sac below the junction. And we believe the County Court would be fully sustained by the people, should they decide to take immediate steps in the direction of supplying the people with good, safe crossings at the points above indicated. It may be objected that the county will have sufficient taxes to raise in payment of the interest on her bonds voted in aid of the construction of the K. C. & M. railroad. It is true that, if the road is built, as we hope, the accruing interest will have to be paid on the bonds. But it does not appear probable that that work will be pushed so rapidly as that any bonds will be issued in time for the interest to fall clue within a year from this time. So that it seems the needed bridges might be built and paid for before any tax is assessed to pay the accrued interest on the railroad bonds. We think no reflecting mind will doubt that good bridges across the principal streams in this county would pay more than their cost every year, in the increased facilities they would afford to travel and trade. There is no reason why Dade County should be at all behind her neighbors in the building of necessary improvements. We learn that Jasper County has recently built several bridges, and Vernon County several, while Barton County is reported to have bridged nearly every stream within her borders.

"In conclusion we are happy to be able to say that we learn a petition is being circulated asking for the building of these bridges. We hope it will be numerously signed and meet with a favorable reception at the hands of the County Court."

The second bridge built in Bade County was constructed about one year after the first was completed. This bridge is across Turnback out on the Springfield way, at or near a point that was suggested by the Vedette some twenty years before its construction. At this late date, the time these bridges were constructed, there were many people who did not like the idea of giving up the old ford, thinking it good enough and also believing the bridge was too expensive. In order to please those who objected to the passing of the old ford, the court decreed that all fords could be left intact, thus giving the traveler an opportunity to water his horses as theretofore.

These two bridges seemed to encourage the progressive citizens, and they at once began the agitation of building other bridges and making public improvements of various kinds. It was about this time the people began to get interested in the good roads movement, and it took nearly twenty years of good roads agitation before there was any noticeable result.

Court House

The first court house in Bade County was built immediately after the site for the seat of justice was selected and laid out as a town, and named Greenfield. It was a temporary one-and-a-half-story frame building, with the court room below and office rooms above, and was built by R. S. Jacobs arid Joseph Griggs. It stood on lot 5 in block 5, in the town of Greenfield, and was used as a court house until about the year 1850, when a brick court house, about the same size as the present one, was erected on the public square where the one now in use stands. It had two halls on the first floor - one passing north and south, and the other east and west, through the center of the building.

There were four office rooms on the first floor, and the stairs to the second story at the west end of the east-andwest hall. The second story contained the court room, and some small rooms adjoining- it on the west side - the judges' seat being- on the east. The contractor who built this house was Dozier C. Gill.

During the Civil TVar the court house was used a portion of the time by the Union troops as a fortification, and was so occupied on the 6th day of October, 1863, when the town was captured by Confederate troops under Gen. Joe Shelby, on which occasion his soldiers carried the public records (except certain ones which some of the rebel soldiers wished to have destroyed) out of the court house, and deposited them with Judge Nelson McDowell, at his residence, and then set the building on fire and burned it down.

In July, 1867, the County Court, being in special session, appropriated $10,000 for the building of a court house and jail combined. Subsequently the contract for the erection of the building was awarded to Francis M. Wilson, who, according to the report of TV. L. Scroggs, superintendent of public buildings, dated December 21, 1868, had completed the building according to contract. It is a large and substantial two-story brick structure on a rock foundation, with a hall running east and west through the center of the lower story, on the north of which are three offices, and on the south three offices. The upper story contains the court and jury rooms.

Jail

The first jail in Dade County was built soon after the county was organized. It was made of hewn timbers eight inches square, the walls consisting of three thicknesses. The timbers of the middle wall stood in a perpendicular position, while the timbers of the outer and inner walls occupied a horizontal position. It was a two-story building, and was about sixteen feet square in size. The floors were also made of timbers, and the walls of the lower story were lined on the inside with oak lumber one inch in thick- ness, and into every square inch of surface a ten-penny nail was driven. For the keeping of prisoners, this jail was as safe as any of the modern iron-celled jails. This building was erected by Joseph Griggs, and cost the county about $700. It stood in the hollow on the east side of Greenfield, about a square in distance from the southeast corner of the public square, and was used as a jail until the war period. In 1862 or 1863 the officers of the Fourth Missouri State Militia, then stationed at Greenfield, concluded to use it as a guard house, and the first night after the order was issued to that effect it was set on fire and burned down.

During the year 1897 the County Court made an appropriation of several thousand dollars for the purpose of building a modern sheriff's resident and jail combined on the county lot one block east of the southeast corner of the square. This structure was of brick, two stories high, the sheriff's residence consisting of eight nicely furnished rooms, and the jail proper being an addition of brick on the north equipped with modern steel cells, corridors and other up-to-date appliances for the safe-keeping of prisoners. U. S. Keran was the first sheriff to occupy this building.

In keeping with the progress of the age, Dade County as early as 1890 abandoned the semi-barbarous custom of letting out the paupers of the county by public outcry to the lowest bidder, and adopted the more humane plan of a County Home. One hundred and twenty acres were purchased, located upon the Lockwood-Greenfield public road and about half way distant between the two cities. At the time of the purchase there was a two-story frame dwelling upon this land, but during the last ten years there has been added three additional structures of brick, with concrete floors and sanitary equipment, one for the women, one for the men, and the third a general dining hall. In addition to this there is the laundry, a water system, and other improvements, making it possible to care for these unfortunate people, giving them many of the comforts of a real home. The farm is well supplied with live stock, farm implements and garden accessories. The Superintendent is employed annually by the County Court and no expense is spared and no false economy practiced when the interest of the wards is at stake.

County Officers

County Court Justices and Judges - Nelson McDowell, 1841-45 ; William Penn and David Hunter, 1841-42 : Eshan A. Brown, 1842-44; P. T. Andrews, 1844-45; Isaac Routh and D. S. Clarkson, 1844. There are no records to show how long the latter two served, nor who were their immediate successors, but records do show that Peter Hoyle, Edward L. Matlock and Lemuel L. Carlock were serving in 1852, and continued to serve until 1854, after which the complete list, except for the war period, is as follows, viz: Newell Gates, Samuel N. King and C. F. Hardwick, 1854- 58 ; John C. Wetsel and Britian Finley, 1858 to war period ; Daniel W. Scott, 1858-60; James R. Witt, 1860 to war period. Mark A. Garrison, Joseph V. Grisham and Willis G. Dodson, serving at end of war period, held their last session in October, 1866 ; E. H. Travis, 1866-72 ; S. A. Harshbarger, 1866-68 ; J. T. Hembree, 1866-72 ; S. S. Butterneld, 1869-73; Robert Cowan, Samuel E. Shaw, Thomas J. Carson and A. D. Hudspeth, judges, representing, respectively, the First, Second, Third and Fourth Judicial Districts of the county, and R. A. Clark, presiding judge at large, from 1873 to 1875 ; J. M. Stookey, sole judge from 1875 to 1876 ; John N. Landers, sole judge from 1876 to 1878 ; Samuel E. Shaw, presiding justice, 1878-82; James McClelland and George AY. Whitesides, associate justices, 1878-80; T. W. Davenport and George W. Wells, associate judges, 1880-82 ; George W. Wells, presiding judge, 1882-86; E. C. Gillett, presiding judge, 1886, term expires 1890 ; T. T. Ellis and S. L. Collins, associate judges, 1882-84 ; T. T. Ellis and W. M. Brown, associate judges, 1884-86; S. H. Wheeler and Fred A. Pierson, associate judges, 1886-88 ; W. N. Poe and Fred Schnelle, associate judges, 1888 to 1890.

Circuit Court Clerks - Prior to the spring of 1861, the clerk of the county court was also clerk of the circuit court. D. C. Eastin, who was serving as clerk when the Civil War began, refused to take the oath of allegiance to the United States, as required by the State Convention, which met in February, 1861, to consider the question of secession, and thereby vacated the office, and after that - some time during the war period and also during a period for which the records have been destroyed - the office of the clerk of the county court and clerk of the circuit court were separated, and W. K. Lathim became clerk of the circuit court, and served until 1865, after which the list of circuit court clerks have been as follows, viz: Benjamin Appleby, 1856-66; Arch M. Long, 1866-74; D. G. Young, 1874-82; E. T. Kennedy, 1882-86; John A. Davis, 1886-90; W. C. Young, 1890-94 ;'j. M. Pidcock, 1894- 1902; C. A. Ketclmm, 1902-10; T. A. Scott, 1910-14; W. D. Brown, 1914.

Collectors. - Prior to 1872, the sheriff of the county was, by virtue of his office, collector of the revenues. The office of collector was established in 1872, and R. B. Stephenson was elected, as collector, and served until 1*74, after which the revenues were collected by township collectors, under the township organization system, until July, 1S77, when Alfred Kennedy was appointed county collector, 1o serve until the next general election in 1878, and since that date the collectors have been as follows, viz.: W. R. Carlock, 1878-80; E. R. Hughes, 1880-86; (). \l. Ilembree, l8*(j-SS; Edgar Clark, 1888-90; Edgar Clark, 1890-1X92; R. C. Pyle, 1S92-1896; W. F. Bryant, 1896- 1*9S; .1. F. Stockton, 1898-1902; T. A. Davis,' 1902-1904; A. F. Sandemeyer, 1904-1907.

Recorders. - Prior to January 1, 1883, the clerk of the circuit court had, from the organization of the county, been ex-officio recorder, and ,prior to the election of a circuit court clerk, separate from the office of clerk of the county court, the county clerk was clerk of both courts, and also recorder. Since a separate office has been established for the recorder, the officials have been O. S. Rag-land, from 1882 to 1886; W. E. Shaw, 1886-1890; J. T. Cantrell, 1890-1894; T. D. Kirby, 1894-1898; I. T. Sloan, 1898-1902; AV. Y. McLemore, 1902-1906; John R. Clopton, 1906-1910; H. H. Finley, 1910-1914; H. H. Finlcy, 1914 - .

Judicial And Official History

County Court. - The formation of this court has been mentioned in connection with the organization of the county. It was originally composed of three county justices, the first three being appointed by the governor of the state, and their successors elected by the people, and continued to be thus formed until 1873. In May, 1872, five petitions, containing in the aggregate the signatures of three hundred citizens of the county, were presented to the county court. The petitions read, in substance, as follows:

To the Honorable County Court of Dade County, Missouri: Your petitioners ask that your honorable body submit to the voters of Dade County, the question of organizing the county under the new law for township organization, by which the present county court shall be abolished and a new court organized under the law.

In compliance with the prayer of the petition, the court ordered ''that the question of township organization, under the act approved March 18, 1872, be submitted to the qualified voters at the general election in 1872, by ballot to be written or printed, 'For Township Organization,' or, 'Against Township Organization,' to be canvassed and returned in like manner as votes for state and county officers."

On awaiting the votes after the election, it was found that 886 votes were cast in favor of township organization, and 439 against it; the votes by municipal township being- :

In May, 1873, the county, court, under the provisions of the township organization law, divided the county into four districts, composed of the several townships, as follows:

District No. 1 to contain Morgan, Polk and Rock Prairie Townships; District No. 2 to contain Sac and Center townships; District No. 3 to contain North, Cedar and Marion Townships; District No. 4 to contain South, Smith and Grant Townships. An election was then ordered to be held on the 6th day of June following, for the purpose of electing, as provided by the new law, a county court judge in each district, and one for the county at large. The election being held, it was found that R. A. Clark was elected at large as presiding judge of the county, and that Robert Cowan, Samuel B. Shaw, Thomas J. Carson and A. D. Hudspeth were elected judges, respectively, of the First, Second, Third and Fourth districts. Thus the county court continued to be organized until 1875, when township organization was abolished, and the court, under a new law, was made to consist of one judge only, together with the other usual attendant officers, clerk and sheriff. J. M. Stookey was the first sole judge serving from 1875 to 1876. He was succeeded by John X. Landers, who served until 1876, when another change \vas made in the formation of the court, it going b;ick to the old system of three county court justices, under which it continued to be composed until it was reorganized under the new law of 1877. This law, enlit led, "An act to provide for a uniform system of county courts," approved April 27, 1887, provided that each county should be divided into two districts as nearly equal in population as possible without dividing municipal townships, and, at the general election in 1880, and every two years thereafter, there should be elected in each district an associate judge of the county court, and, at the general election in 1882, and every four years thereafter, a presiding judge of the court should be elected at large.

In compliance with this law, the county court divided the county into two districts - the Eastern to be composed of the municipal townships of South, Rock Prairie, Polk, Morgan and Sac, and the Western, of the municipal townships of Cedar, Marion, Grant, Smith, Center and North. In accordance with the law last recited, and the compliance with it, the county court has ever been, and still continues to be composed. Under the head of " County Officers," a list of all the county court justices and judges, as shown by the records, may be seen.

In December, 1856, the county court of Bade County, appointed Arch M. Long, as agent to select the swamp lands of the county, under the act of Congress donating these lands to the state. The lands were selected by Mr. Long, but the county failed to obtain a title thereto, hence the school fund of the county was never increased from the proceeds of the sale of any swamp lands.

Probate Court. - The county court exercised jurisdiction over all probate business until the probate court was established in 1845. This court held a special session at the house of William Penn, beginning, on the 15th day of March, 1841, for the transaction of the first probate business after the county was organized. The first administrator was William C. Campbell, who was appointed to administer on the estate of Robert Alexander, deceased. He filed a bond in the sum of $3,500, with Peter Tloyle as surety, conditioned for the faithful performance of his duties. Robert Graham and John Edsall were appointed witnesses to assist him in examining the books, papers and accounts of the decedent, and perfecting an invoice of the property. Redden Crisp, the second administrator, was appointed to administer on the estate of John Bostick, de- ceased. As such, he gave bond in the sum of $800, with William Lewis and Bartholomew Millholland as sureties. Zepheniah Lacy and William Lewis were appointed witnesses to assist him, etc. The first will probated in the county was that of Thomas Bowles, deceased. It was presented by Sarah Bowles, the executrix, and proved by John H. Praddy, Marietta Praddy and John P. W. Bowles, the three subscribing witnesses thereto. In November, 1841, James Ventioner was appointed guardian of George W. Bearden, infant heir of Lambert S. Bearden, deceased. These were the first guardian and ward in the county. The first public administrator was John C. Wetzel.

The first judge of the Probate court was Peter Hoyle, who received his commission as such from Gov. John C. Edwards, the instrument being dated August 15, 1845. Hoyle qualified as probate judge, August 26, 1845, and made his first entry of business on the record, February 9, 1846. A separate judge continued to be elected for the probate court until 1875, at which time the jurisdiction of this court was assumed, under the law, by the sole judge of the county court, and exercised by him until the office of a sole county court judge was abolished, after which separate judges were elected, and still continue to be elected, for the probate court. (See "County Officers.")

Circuit Court. - The first record of the proceedings of this court has been destroyed, consequently a few items, such as the first grand and petit juries, the first business transacted, and trials had, cannot be given. The first record of the circuit court preserved is that of the October term, 1845, when C. S. Yancey was judge. When the court house was burned, in 1863, a certain individual, against whom stood a record of criminal charges, cut out from one of the books the pages containing the record of proceedings from October 1860 to October, 1863. This court, as well as the others, was somewhat interrupted in holding its sessions during the war period.

Many of them have gained distinction, not only in the local courts but in the higher tribunals of the state. Others have gained a statewide reputation as public speakers and politicians. The Dade County Bar as it is now constituted is composed of the following local attorneys:

Mason Talbutt, S. A. Payne, A. J. Young, Ben M. Neale, Fred L. Shafer, R. D. Payne, Elmer E. Pyle, Edwin Frieze, Will R. Bowles, all of Greenfield and E. R. Hightower and S. A. McMillen of Lockwood.

Criminal Record. - The county of Dade has not been as extensively cursed with crime as many of the older counties of the state, though her record in that respect is sufficiently appalling. Only two executions for the crime of murder have taken place in the county, and only one of these for a murder committed within its limits. This one was the execution of Peter Douglas, a slave, who, about the year 1848, killed his wife and two or three of his children, and then attempted to kill himself. He was tried for the offense, found guilty, and, in accordance with the sentence of the court, was executed on the gallows in the town of Greenfield. During the war period, a number of murders were committed in the county, and at the close thereof a number of persons were indicted and arrested for the offense, but before trial, the cases against them were nolle prosequied under proclamation of the president.

In December, 1873, a colored man named Monroe Richardson was indicted for the murder of another colored man named William Miller. He was arrested, placed in jail, made his escape therefrom, ran away, and has never been re-arrested. At the October term, 1879, of the Dade Circuit Court, Thomas B. Hopper was tried on change of venue from Cedar County, for the murder in that county of Samuel C. Ham. He was found guilty of murder in the first degree and was sentenced to be hanged. He then took an appeal to the Supreme Court, where the sentence was confirmed, and, in accordance therewith, he was, on the 25th day of June, 1880, executed upon the gallows, at Greenfield.

Early in 1881, Donald McElrath, an officer, was killed in the town of Greenfield by Taylor Underwood, while attempting to arrest him on a charge of crime. Underwood was indicted for the murder of McElrath at the April term of the court in that year and, on being arrainged for trial, was granted a change of venue to Barton County, where he was afterwards tried and found guilty of murder in the first degree, and was sentenced to be hanged. He then took an appeal to the supreme court, where the judgment was reversed, and he remanded for new trial. On being arrainged for the second trial, he plead guilty to man-slaughter, and was sentenced to the penitentiary for life.

In 1885 there was considerable petty thieving carried on in and about the town of Everton, and George Burlis was suspected of being engaged in the business; whereupon a mob assembled and captured Burlis, took him out in the woods, and tried to make him confess. Failing in this, they told him to run, and when he ran, some one or more of them shot at and killed him. Afterward Jesse P. Small, Jacob Sample, S. IT. Wilson, Jr., and G. R. Garrison were severally indicted for the murder of Burlis. Small was tried for the offense at the April term of court in 1887, and acquitted; whereupon the case against the other defendants were nolle prosequied. Prior to the killing of Burlis, a man, in attempting to perpetrate a theft, had been wounded by a shot from a revolver or gun, and it was supposed Burlis was the man, but it was found, after he was killed, that his body had not received the wound. After the death of another individual in the place, his body was discovered to have been wounded, which led to the suspicion that he, instead of Burlis, was the guilty one.

In November, 1887, Daniel Pippinger was indicted for the murder of Ephriam Walker, and, upon entering a plea of guilty of manslaughter at the November term, 1888, he was sentenced to serve a term of two years in the penitentiary.

On the night of July 3, 1881, a band of disguised individuals went to the jail in Greenfield, and took William Underwood, James Butler, Jr., and Frank Craft, who were confined therein on a charge of horse stealing, and hanged them until they were dead, and left their bodies suspended from the limbs of the trees on the west side of the court house, where they were discovered the next morning by the citizens of the town. These unfortunate men were supposed to belong to a regularly organized gang of horsethieves. Though this was an unlawful and summary way of inflicting punishment, it is said that it had the effect of breaking up the horse stealing business in Dade county.

General Resources And Statistics

Mineral Resources. - The mineral deposits of the county consists of coal, iron, zinc and fire-clay. Coal has been discovered in several places in the northwestern part, and the McCluey Mines, owned by Robert McCluey; the McGarvey Mines, owned by Samuel McGarvey; the Star Banks, owned by W. L. Burnett, Jr.; the Seaton Banks, owned by J. R. Seaton, and many others, have been opened and operated by their respective owners. The eastern limits of the coal beds, so far as prospected, extend to Cedar Creek, and as far south as its head. There are three distinct strata, the first, or surface stratum, ranging from one and a half to three feet in thickness. Lower strata run from two to five feet in thickness. The upper or surface stratum crops out in many places along the valleys and streams. As far as prospected all the strata are soft bituminous coal. It usually sells at about $1.75 per ton at the banks. Estimated products for the winter months of 1886-87 were Robert McCluey Mines 60,000 bushels; twelve other mines, 135,000 bushels. Number of men employed, 75 to 90; distance from railroad, eight miles.

The iron deposits exist mostly in the northeastern portion of the county - in Morgan township. Solid masses of iron ore have been discovered on the surface in many localities. At an early date in the settlement of the county, a small forge was erected on Sac River, where the ore from this region was smelted and manufactured into iron. For the want of transportation the work was abandoned, and no further developments of the iron resources in that region have been made.

Zinc was discovered in Dade County in 1874, at Corry, ten miles northeast of Greenfield; at Pemberton, two inilcs further south on Sac river, and at the McGee diggings, a short distance farther up the river, and nearly due east of

Greenfield. These deposits consist of carbonites, silicate and blende, in almost unlimited and apparently inexhaustible bodies, from which, since 1784, thousands of tons of raw ores have been shipped annually to zinc furnaces at La Salle, Illinois; Cherokee, Kansas; Joplin, Missouri and other points. Lead mining, however, is the over-topping mining industry of Bade County. In the spring of 1875, some miners, while mining for zinc, about ten miles northeast of Greenfield, and east of Sac river about two miles, and near where the mining town of Corry is now situated, struck a boulder of lead weighing 50,000 pounds only a few feet below the surface. The excitement grew intense. Hundreds of miners, prospectors and capitalists flocked to the spot. Other rich discoveries of lead rapidly followed. The Dade County Mining and Smelting Company was organized by the citizens of Dade county. Furnaces were erected, and the town of Corry laid out. At the close of the year, 1875, over half a million pounds of lead had been mined and smelted.

This company still continues the business, and the amount of lead mined and smelted in the county since the ore was first discovered and the mines opened amounts to several million of pounds, while the amount of zinc that has been mined and shipped from the county reaches many thousands of tons. Large deposits of fire-clay of superior quality exists in the southeastern portion of the county - near Rock Prairie, about twelve miles southeast of Greenfield - on the line of the Kansas City & Memphis Railroad. A pottery has been established at this place, and a large quantity of earthenware and tiling has been manufactured.

Manufacturing. - Dade County contains all the elements which go to make up a good manufacturing center; coal, iron, zinc, lead, fire-clay, and the best building stone in the west. The stone for the United States building at Fort Smith was taken from the stone quarries in Dade county, which are said to be superior in quality to any building stone in this part of the country. Lime is also manufactured in this county. Some of the foregoing has been compiled or quoted from a carefully prepared article by a well-posted citizen of Dade County, the same being verified by existing facts.

Dade County is abundantly supplied with water power, and several flouring mills and saw-mills have been erected on her principal water-courses. On the Sac River are two flouring mills with the full roller process for the manufacture of flour; and there are several grist-mills on Turnback and Limestone Creeks. There are also a number of waterpower saw mills in the county.

Agriculture, Stock Raising and Horticulture. - Dade County is well adapted to general agricultural pursuits, and, on account of its mild climate and excellent supply of water, it is especially well suited to the raising of stock. The mild climate also renders the growing of fruits a profitable undertaking. Wheat growing has risen from an experimental branch of farming to one of the leading crops. The early settlers of the county, coming mostly from Kentucky and Tennessee, introduced the wooden mold-board and bull tongue, with which the farming was principally done prior to the Civil Wai. After the close of that struggle, with the coming of settlers from more northern portions of the United States came the modern implements of the country, as well as better methods of farming, and the result has been a very great improvement in farming, but yet the room for improvements has by no means been fully occupied.

Owing to the mild temperature, high altitude, and slight trouble from insects, fruit has always done well in Dade County. Before the county was connected by rail with Kansas, thousands of wagons came annually from that state to this part of Missouri for apples. Kansas is still supplied with fruit from this part of Missouri, but mostly now by rail instead of by wagons. Apples, peaches, pears, plums, especially wild plums, and all the smaller fruits common to this latitude, grow here in great abundance and mature to great perfection. Grapes, both cultivated and wild, produce abundantly. Great quantities of wine are made from the native grapes. Fruit raising for the market is still in its infancy, but farmers are planting extensive orchards and preparing for the future. The Ben Davis apple is the variety mostly cultivated for the market. A large orchard of trees loaded with this beautiful variety of apple is one of the most attractive natural scenes ever beheld.

Statistics. - To show agricultural and stock-raising resources of the county, the following statistics are taken from the U. S. census reports for 1880: Number of farms, 1756; improved lands, 98,290 acres; value of farms and improvements, $1,915,817; value of farm implements, $103,229; value of live stock, $702,328; estimated value of all farm productions for 1879, $554,972. The same report gives the amount of vegetable productions for the year 1879, as follows; buckwheat 465 bushels; Indian corn, 1,373,896 bushels; oats, 178,978 bushels; wheat, 110,157 bushels; rye, 1,905 bushels; hay, 2,602 tons; Irish potatoes, 16,860 bushels; sweet potatoes, 4,980 bushels; tobacco, 5,442 pounds. The reader should bear in mind that all these productions did not come from the whole area of the county, but only from the acres under cultivation of the 98,280 acres of improved lands, the latter being only about three-tenths of the whole area of the country.

The amount of live stock in the county, as shown by the report, was as follows: horses, 5,332; mules and asses, 1,368; meat cattle, 21,159; sheep, 12,019; swine, 31,432; pounds of wool, 46,354. To show the increase, or decrease in the number of head of live stock from 1880 to 1888, the following statement of the number of animals in the county as returned by the assessor for the purpose of taxation for the latter year, is given; horses, 7,928; mules and asses, 2,280; meat cattle, 26,244; sheep, 5,923; swine, 26,426. A comparison of these figures shows a large increase in the number of horses, mules and asses and meat cattle, and a large decrease in the number of sheep and hogs. The decrease in number of sheep for the eight years was 6,069, being more than half the number in the county in 1880. This rate of decrease if continued, will soon drive the industry of raising sheep from the county.

The cause for it must be the decrease in the price of wool, and what caused the decrease in the price of wool cannot be discussed here. The decrease in the number of hogs, as shown for the same time, amounts to 5,006, but this can be accounted for by the fact that the census report shows the number of hogs raised during the preceeding year, including those sold and slaughtered, while the assessor's report shows only the number on hand at a certain time - when taxes accrue. This, to a very limited extent, is also true with reference to the sheep, but only so, as sheep are raised almostly entirely for the wool product, only a few being sold or slaughtered. In all probability, the number of hogs now raised in the county is much greater than in 1880. Stock raising, with the exception of sheep, is very profitable in Dade county, and the farmers have introduced the best and finest kinds of animals.

Population. - The population of Dade County was, in 1850, 4,246; in 1860, 7,072; in 1870, 8,683; in 1880, 12,- 557. The colored poulation, including the foregoing, was in 1860, 351; in 1870, 204; in 1880, 248. Nearly all the colored people enumerated in 1860 were slaves, that being before the abolition of the institution of slavery. The census of 1890 will show a marked increase in the entire population of the county, as it is increasing considerably by immigration. The population of the e.ounty in 1880, by municipal townships, was as follows; Cedar, 1,161; Center, including Greenfield, 1,968; Grant, 628, Marion, 594; Morgan, 1,679; North, 1,200; Polk, 1,117; Rock Prairie, 1,097; Sac, 1,200; Smith, 741; South, 1143.

Taxable Wealth and Taxation. - As a matter of course, the taxable wealth of the county at its organization was but meagre, consisting only of the limited amount of property owned by the few pioneer settlers. The following table shows the amount of taxable wealth accumulated from the settlement of the territory composing the county, u p to the year, 1880, and increase thereon from that time up to 1888:

Surplus Shipments, Dade County, 1912

The folowing table gives the commodities shipped from the county in 1912, as supplied by the railroad and express agents on whose accuracy and care it depends how complete they are. Nothing sold and consumed locally is included: Live Stock - Farm Crops -

Forest Products - Walnut logs, feet . . . Fence and mine posts Cord wood, cords . . . Farmyard Products - Poultry, live, Ibs. . . .634,792 Poultry, dressed, Ibs. 19,153

Our Public School System

In this chapter we shall discuss the conditions of the schools of Dade county under three divisions, viz.: The Teaching Force, The Buildings and Equipment and The Community Spirit:

The Teaching Force. - During the year 1915-16 there were employed in all of the schools of the county 117 teachers, 32 of whom were male, and 85 female. Of this number 74 were teaching in one-room country schools, eight in two-room country schools; 21 were grade teachers in town, or village schools and 14 were teachers in high schools.

Certification. - Twenty-five of the teachers of this county during the year just past hold state certificates; nine, life; one 5-year; ten high school teachers training certificates; four normal rural: and one special. Fifteen hold certificates granted by the normal schools, nine of which are diplomas of life tenure, and six elementary. Seventy-seven are county certificates classified as follows: first grade, eleven; second grade, thirty-one; third grade, thirty-three; special, two.

Training. - All have had some normal, or high school, training. Eleven have had only one year of high school training-, twenty-four have had two years, eleven have had three years, and sixty-five have had a full four -year high school course. Seventy-nine have had eight weeks, or more, of normal school training, preparatory for teaching, twenty-three of whom have had two years, or more, of such training.

Salaries. - The lowest salary paid to country school teachers was $35 per month; the highest, $65; town grade teachers averaged a little more than $40; the highest annual salary paid in the county was $1350, for town school superintendency; the annual salary of 20 teachers was less than $300 each, while three received $1,000, or more. The average salary of teachers for the year was: Male, $62.40; female, $46.67; general average, $50.80.

There are some things that should be recorded about the present corps of Dade county teachers that statistics do not reach. They are as a class very progressive. Almost without exception the interest seems to be centered in improving the conditions. They solicit the criticism and co-operation of the superintendent, and they are constantly striving to reach the goal of the present standard school - the certificate of approval which is granted only to schools that attain an efficiency of 80% of the modern standard, which is based upon an adequate building with proper seating, heating, lighting, library, and other necessary equipment, and good professional standards, and community spirit. The general spirit of the teacher appears to be not, "How can I manage to get 'by' the inspection?" but, "How high is it possible for me to raise the standard of my school?" Cases of non-co-operation are so rare as to be a negligible quantity.

Building and Equipment. - A very conservative estimate places the value of our schood sites and buildings at $113,000, with equipment valued at $25,000. In buildings recently erected, attention has been given to proper lighting, heating and ventilating; the lighting being flush, on only one side, heating by jacketed stove, and ventilation by fresh air pipe and foul air outlet. The style of building has evolved from the uniform box-car type to the more artistic, home-like' structure, ordinarily with cloak rooms and neat porticos. The latest buildings approaching the modern idea are those of Lotus, Union Chapel, Stockton, Meek, Liberty and Pleasant Valley. The best model in the county, considered from every standpoint, is the new high school building Consolidated Dis- trict, No. 1, at Arcola. This building very closely approaches the ideal for a country school building. It is lighted by windows close together on the west side, seated with single desks, heated by basement furnace, ventilated by gravity draft pipes, has a beautiful frontage with halls and cloak-rooms, a work room, or laboratory, a stage and an assembly hall which is separated from the study hall by a rolling partition, making it easy to connect the two rooms for community meetings. Other districts, too numerous to mention, have broken away from the old unitype schoolhouse in one or more essential points, and schoolboards are getting the habit of investigating expert plans before remodelling or building.

Schools without good working libraries are becoming very scarce. Three-fourths of them report more than 100 board bound volumes each in their libraries. All have some sort of library, and practically all of the books are those recommended by the state superintendent for reference, or for supplementary use in class work in the schools. The total number of volumes in the school libraries of the county is about 15,000 or an average of three to each child enumerated.

Practically all schools have an adequate supply of maps; most of them possess a globe, charts, and other minor equipment; many have an organ, a sand table, an elegant teacher's desk, and sanitary drinking fountains.

Community Spirit. - By community spirit we mean the active inclination of the people to establish social centers at home as will lead to a fully developed, well rounded citizenship - an educational center, if you please to call it such, that will furnish an elevated type of entertainment and instruction for old as well as young, making the school house, or the community church, the center of attraction for the whole people.

activities thus far have been predominantly of an educational nature. Last year a lecture course including some of the best talent that was on the circuit in Southwest Missouri, was supported by these progressive people. In addition, several home talent entertainments were given by Prof. Roy Evans' high school pupils, assisted by the grades. A Homemakers' Club and a poultry association rounded out the course for the housewives and the farmers. The spirit of loyalty, harmony and progress that is manifest in this community is undoubtedly not surpassed by any other locality in the state of Missouri.

The organization for community work in Consolidated District No. 2, surrounding Dadeville, is apparently just beginning to be thoroughly effective. Prof. Homer Garland, principal of the high school, has enlisted the support of the teachers and patrons in a Parent-Teacher Association, which will meet at the different schoolhouses in the district - eight in number - for monthly sessions. One of the best meetings of this kind that I have ever attended in the county, was recently held at Dadeville. This community also has a wide-awake Homemakers' Club, and the progressive farmers of Northeastern Dade county always take an active interest in agricultural meetings. Wonderful opportunities await them.

Dade county's community school fairs which have been held in most of the townships for the past few years, have attracted statewide attention, as have also her annual education exhibits and various intellectual contests. She has never refused to fall into line in progressive movements that tend toward the improvement of educational conditions. Last year 500 of her boys and girls were enrolled in farm club work under the university extension service made possible by the passage of the Smith-Lever act by a recent congress.

Many other communities have made commendable progress in social center activities. Among them are: Blackberry Flat, a school taught for the past five years by Bert Shaffer, a model young man who grew up among the people he is serving, and who obtained his education in the country school at Davenport, Gloden City High School and Springfield Normal. The splendid citizens of this community wanted a really educational literary society. Mr. Shaffer was the logical leader, and with the co-operation of his people he has developed a weekly meeting of this kind that is a distinctive type - one founded upon lofty moral and educational principles; and it is needless to say that it is the center of attraction for miles around.

Crisp community has a Hoinemakers' Club that has exercised much good influence upon the community life. A ladies' club at Rock Dale has been an educational factor in that locality. Several other communities have promoted and are now promoting effective organizations for general advancement.

The general school spirit throughout the county is very encouraging, although I would not be understood as representing it as ideal. We still have many poorly constructed school buildings, poorly lighted and poorly heated. The source of water supply in too many instances is bad, grounds and outbuildings are not cared for in a large majority of the districts as they should be, and there are yet to be found in every district too large a percentage of patrons who give little attention to school progress, too many of whom are more interested in keeping the school tax rate down than they are in giving the children the best advantages of modern education. But compulsory education, though feebly enforced, is having a good effect; state aid for both rural and high school is lengthening the average school term and furnishing an incentive for more regular attendance1 and better school opportunities. Three schools of the county offer first class, four-year high school advantages, and three others offer approved work in a two-year high school course. Last year 347 students were enrolled in our high schools, not including many Dade county boys and girls who were enrolled in border high schools outside of Dade county and in other schools doing work of secondary rank. There were 63 high school grad-

The average length of the school term in the county is just 6.7 days short of eight months. Forty-two of our 72 districts had eight months or more of school last year.

Elementary agriculture is taught in each of the common schools of the county, without a single exception, and an advanced course in the subject is offered in each high school. In practically every school the official state course of study is followed very closely.

The total expenses of conducting the schools of Dade county last year were $66,428.24. About $50,000 of this was paid for teachers' salaries, the remainder being spent for repairs, equipment, and the ordinary incidentals. The balance on hand in teachers' incidental and building funds, is $15,656.06. The permanent funds of the county now amount to a little more than $40,000, the interest from which is used for the maintenance of our schools. The average levy for all purposes last year was 73 cents on the one hundred dollars assessed valuation.

The first name given is that of the Clerk; the second, President of the Board; the first address given is that of all the Officers preceding where no address is given :

Boggy Springs, No. 54. - E. 0. Collier, A. A. Collier, C. C. McGee, Greenfield; L. C. Kellar, Lockwood. Minnie Mitchell, teacher, Greenfield, R2.

Following is a list of pupils completing the work of the common schools in Dade County, Missouri, as determined by the final examinations of 1917:

Lockwood. - Iva Spain, Lula Spain, Elbert Spain, Henry Wehrman, Eva Parker, Ruth Snadon, and Bessie Hodgson, Lockwood. Chalk Level - Winnie Hodson and Golden Little, Lockwood.

Rate Of Taxation, Dade County, 1913-1914

generally, from one-half to one-fifth of its actual worth, depending upon the extent of the returns made; the character of the property; its location and whether the holding is bringing in an income, and the amount of the same:

All nature seems to vie in common consent, to make one month of the year the most lovely and beautiful in all the Dade county territory - it is the month of October. All other months have their charm yet it remains for the tenth month of the year to assemble these charms and present them in one lovely panarama.

The choicest colorings are found in every nature picture. They can be found by every roadside, in every woodland and on every hill top and hill slope. The sumac and the maple trees give the most charming color while vine and tangled wildwood afford beauty that cannot be portrayed either by tongue or pen. Then, there are many of the wild flowers that continue to bloom throughout the autumn months, flowers as rich and pleasing as the flowers of spring and they are used by many in the fall decorations, of fraternal, home and church functions. These flowers when assembled with clumps of painted leaves, painted by the unseen artists, form a decoration fitted for the nuptial of kings, or the entertainment of potentate.

These autumn flowers possess as rich colorings as do the flowers of June and they retain their comliness until freezing weather. The golden rod seems to have selected Dade County for its permanent home, the same as the wild rose has taken up its habitation for the month of June. Many of the cultivated flowers of the garden first bloomed in the byways and valleys. The streams seem to enter the classic circle during the month of October. They seem to sing sweeter and they talk louder when excellent beauty meets them at every curve. The willow twigs seem to quaver with more grace in their bosom, in October than they do in June. This may be on account of October being the harvest month, the month of gather- ing, storing, getting ready for the hibernal months when there will be snows, sleets and rains. Yes, October is a rich month and its annual return cheers the husbandmen of Dade County as much now as it did the primitive fathers. This is doubly true to the husbandman who seeks to understand nature and can read from its pages at least a portion of the great truths they possess.

Lewis Kenfro states that when he was a boy out on Pennsylvania prairie, there were but few trees in all that country consisting of several oak trees scattered over the prairie. After the prairie fires were abandoned the acorns were given a chance to grow and it was but a few years until the country along the streams and a part of the uplands were dotted with young timber.

Mr. Renfro relates that in an early day his father used to shoot deer from the veranda roof and that he would get on his horse and go after the deer and bring him to the home.

Mason Talbutt also says that when he was a boy the most of the timber land around Greenfield was then prairie. There were several oak trees here and there that soon planted the acorn and when the prairie fires were abandoned it did not take many years for the young timber to get a start. This seems almost incredible yet there is no question as to the truth of the statement.

From An Old Timer

In answer to Brother States' request three weeks ago, to hear from the older born citizens of Dade county, and seeing no reply as yet, thinking that one was waiting for another to give their history, I thought I would start the pleasing task. I am nearly as old as Dade county. The county was organized in 1841, and I was born out on the Pennsylvania Prairie, March 16th, 1843 - making me 72 years old next month.

1 have lived continually in Dade county all these years, save the four years I was in the Civil war. I cast my lot with the South and during the four years I lived in a tent home on the fields of battle mv heart was still with my old home. In fact, Bade county had been my home all the days of my life. When the war was over I came back and was indeed glad to find my old home waiting for me. It is my intention to live here and enjoy the companionship of my life long friends until I am called hence. I have travelled over many states, but I can sincerely say there is no country that appeals to me as does the county in which I live, arid in my opinion there is no better country.

I received my education at Honey Creek schoolhouse, near where the new schoolhouse now stands; but it was quite a differently constructed schoolhouse. I believe it will be interesting to many to give a description of that building: It was built in 1837 or 1838 of round logs with the bark on them; was 18 feet square and the walls were 7 feet high. In place of rafters it was ribbed over with the same kind of material the walls were made of and the ribs were far enough apart to suit the clab boards that were used to cover it. These clab boards were three feet long and were manufactured out of large timbers. The roof was weighed down with poles; there were no nails. The end rib, the one the roof was started on, was a little longer and a hole was bored in it to hold the first rib and a pole was laid lengthwise to hold the first course of boards and the pole that weighed down the first course answered for the second course and so on until the top was reached, and there were two poles lashed together that answered for the saddle boards. The sleepers were round logs straightened on the top and puncheons with the top made smooth, made the floor. The seats were made of the same material with legs made of small sapplings, and I remember some of the seats were very twisting and uncomfortable. There was a log cut out on either side about 10 feet and these places answered for the windows. When it was cold a strip of cloth was placed over these primitive windows to keep out the cold and to emit a little light. The fireplace covered the most of the north end. The writing desks were made by boring holes up in the walls the desired distance, with pegs in the holes, and a clab board

There were pieces of timber split wedge fashion and drove between the cracks in the logs and then plastered over with mud. There was neither joist or loft in the building, and when it snowed, the snow was about as deep on the inside of the building as it was out of doors. Notwithstanding the rude structure, it turned out some teachers - both men and women - and, by the way some preachers, and at some future time I may have something to say about the teachers and students that congregated in this rude structure. The text books and the method of teaching will make mighty interesting reading to many of the present day youngsters. Then many can see what progress has been made along educational lines and all other lines during the years of the mighty past. In conclusion I will say I would be pleased to hear from others on the same subject.

Lewis Renfro Historical

In my article of two weeks ago I promised to have something about the teachers, the pupils and the text books used in the old Honey Creek school house, also the method of teaching. I will now attempt to redeem that promise. In those days there were no silent schools, everyone studied aloud and some would get very loud and the teacher would have to call them dt>wn. We spelled every evening for head marks and when the teacher would announce the spelling lesson, which he always did a few minutes before time to spell, you could hardly hear it thunder for everyone would try to make louder noise than the other. We would spell for head marks and the one that was head at the close of-the spelling contest would go to the foot the next day and at the close of the term the one that got the most head marks would be remembered with a prize, generally a book of some kind that would not amount to very much now but was much appreciated then, books, magazines and newspapers were scarce then, they came so crowded at times that some of the larger scholars were allowed to go out-of-doors to study in order to give room for the smaller ones.

The length of the term was generally three months and they were all subscription schools. There was not an organized school district in the county - Greenfield probably excepted. There was none such in all the county. There were only three school houses in what was then known as South township which covered a great deal more territory then than now for it has been sub-divided many times. The youngsters wonld come from several miles around to attend school and all went afoot for it was considered a small job to walk four and five miles to attend school or church. I will try and give you the text books that were used. First we had Webster's elementary spelling book, I have one in my possession now, it commences with A. B. C. and generally becomes a little harder as the scholar advances, and, to my mind they have never made any improvements of the spellers from that day to this. The next highest study was McGuffey's readers, then came United States history. I cannot call to mind the history used. Old Dad Kirkham furnished the grammar. Our first arithmetic was Pike's but later we used Ray and we thought it an excellent improvement. No higher mathematics was used in the school. I never heard of algebra during my school days. These books, along with Webster's unabridged dictionary, constituted the text books of those good old days.

I will now give the names of the patrons of this school up to the war: The Snadons, the Scotts, Rutledges, Bowles, Hopkins, two families of Millers, two families of Sailings, Bogart, Edington, Bicknell, Clouts, Oldham, Sater, Renfro, Rooks, Chappel, Rutledge, McGuire and Holder. There are many others I have forgotten. We used quill pens and we made our own ink out of oak bark and coperas and sometimes log wood and polk berries. We had no lead pencils and we made our slate pencils out of slate. I can still make a pen out of a goose quill and can still write with it. I believe I could give the names of the scholars who attended this school but space forbids. When I get to writing along this line there are so many things that crowd my mind I hardly know when to stop, but I will try and give a more completed account in my next letter which will be the last. We had some rude scholars at that school as well as now and I have known teachers to make board paddles with a handle at the bottom and paste A. B. C. on them and make those boys learn their letters from their paddles. Of course they were all boys and girls in those days, like the girls of today, they were not very rude. They raised large families then, all the way from six to twelve children. I believe my parents had the largest family, it consisted of eight boys and four girls. The children of these families were all educated at this school. My father boarded the teachers of this school gratis though he received enough of benefit to more than compensate him for his trouble, for we often studied until a late hour and I often thought we received more instruction at night than we did during the day. Tuition was from one dollar to $1.25 a month and when board was charged it was about that much per week. In my next article I will have something to say about the teachers and students of this school.

As I promised in my article to have something to say about the teachers and pupils of this school I will now proceed to do so. I cannot call to mind in rotation as they taught but can remember very well all the teachers I went to school to. So I will proceed to name them. About the first was Miss Amanda Scott now Mrs. Amanda Payne whom all tin? people know, she is now in her eighty-sixth year. Xo wonder her children were all teachers for they inherited it from their mother who was one of the most successful teachers in the county. The next teacher was (jfeorgo Foster who was killed accidently in the time of the war. He was an uncle to Mrs. Belle Mitchell of

Greenfield. The next as I remember was a Mrs. Perry, don't know what became of her. Then comes a man by the name of Davis and one by the name of Spillman, one by the name Gregg. I had two brothers who were teachers, T. F. Rcnfro and J. C. B. Renfro. Martha Bozart, Bridge Bozart, Alexander Rut ledge, Jesse Guinn, this was an old crusty bachelor and the puncheon floor made so much racket that he had them and the sleepers taken out and the trash removed. The ground was packed down with a maul. I was informed by Mrs. David Higgins who went there to school after the war that the sleepers and the floor were never put back. Her father, Xewell Cates, moved out there just after the war and she went one term at this school house to Leander McLemore.

There was one other who taught here, his name was Dollbier. He taught elocution, or pretended to. He would rave and bellow at the top of his voice and then lie would lower his voice until you could hardly hear him. He came hero from the east, I think Massachusetts. He thought that he was a stemwinder, and we thought so too for we had never been taught anything along this line. In those days they generally inflicted the punishment with switches. I remember a circumstance which occurred when I was quite small. One of our teachers, Mr. Gregg had a very weak way of inflicting punishment. He would have one to carry the other around on his hacK and every round he would lash, the one who was being carried and would tell each how many lashes lie was going to inflict. I had a brother, J. C. B. Renfro, who was very mischievous and he and Andrew Ragsdalo, an uncle of Hon. Howard Ragsdale, of Asli Grove. They had done something that they needed punishment for and my brother was to carry Andy first and just before lie got around where the teacher was he pretended to catch his toe uud^r a puncheon and fell and it created a terrible lauii'h. The same thing occurred the second time, the teacher seeing that it was done on purpose let them have it right and left there on tin- floor until his switch gave out. I don't remember that they ever tried it again.

There are only two teachers living who taught at this school, Aunt Amanda Payne, who is eighty-six and my brother, Thomas who lives in Downey, California, who was eighty-one the fifth of the present month. This school turned out four preachers - J. C. B. Renfro, S. H. Benfro, J. K. Speer and G. W. Oldham. J. C. B. Renfro died several years ago in Houston, Texas. S. H. Renfro is a district evangelist in northeast Texas. J. K. Speer belongs to the Springfield conference. The first three were southern Methodists, the latter, G. W. Oldham, was a missionary Baptist and is chaplain of the house of representatives of Oklahoma, so I am informed by his daughter, Mrs. William Greer. This is the second time he has filled this position which speaks well for one who was educated way back sixty years ago in a little log school house and, by the way, he was one of my schoolmates. There is but one other I know of who is living and that is J. N. Bowles of San Antonio, Texas. I will name the teachers who were educated at this school - W. R. Snadon, John Moore, Mary Moore, Martha Bozart, T. F. Renfro, J. C. B. Renfro, Amanda Scott, now Amanda Payne, Bridge Bozart, Julia Willis, Rufus Hudspeth and afterwards he taught at this school house. We had a writing school just prior to the war by X. R. Berry. This old historic school house was destroyed by fire in 1867 by some unknown cause. It was a rendezvous for campers and tramps and I think it caught fire in that way. It may be that some one wanted a more modern house. I am sure there are others that could do the subject justice better than I can. Sincerely,

Only

One of the most remarkable pioneers who ever lived in Dado County, and by reason of his wide experience, one of tlio most intelligent is W. J. Davis of Lockwood, whoso porsoiial sketch appears in another part of this history. Whon Mr. Davis sold his "Evergreen Stock Farm" and moved to Lockwood ho purchased oight acres of raw prairie land adjoining the city. He moved cedar and pine trees to this place from the farm and in six months from the time he bought this tract he had it photographed and the cut is idven herein. He had the same place again photographed two years later and that cut is also given.

Mr. Davis not only experimented with shrubs, plants and flowers, but also with livestock. Having read the ,'>0th chapter of Genesis and of Jacob's remarkable success in breeding ringstraked, speckled and spotted goats, he tried the experiment in breeding mules and found to his wonder and surprise that he was able to produce large, black, mealy nosed, big-boned mules from little gray jacks and maltose jennets. He also claims to have produced a spotted colt in like manner by the use of a spotted blanket as an object of attention to the dam.

Mr. Davis made specialty of surgical operations and while his theories were directly opposed by most surgeons, his common sense methods were eminently successful. In cases of rupture his plan was to bring the broken tissues together so that they might heal rather than to spread them apart with a truss. This plan, Mr. Davis says, will work a permanent cure on both man and beast, for the reason that he speaks from experience in both instances, and knows whereof he speaks. It is to be regretted that lack of space forbids lengthy mention of all of Mr. Davis' interesting experiments, but they are varied and remarkable to sav the least.

The Greenfield Cemetery

The nucleus around which the Greenfield Cemetery was formed was deeded in 1850 by Ezekiel M. Campbell, to James Allison, I). C. Gill and G. W. Oldham as Trustees of the United Baptist church of Jesus Christ of Greenfield. There was one acre in the tract shown on the map as the unplatted portion of the cemetery. The deed was made to the Trustees for a burial ground or whatever use said church may think proper. It is certain however that there were graves on the tract at the time the deed was made.

Eighteen years later it became apparent that this one acre tract would be inadequate and E. S. Jacobs, Arch M. Long and Wm. G. McDowell purchased two acres adjoining the original tract on the south and east for the use of the inhabitants of the town of Greenfield for a grave yard. These men to hold the title in trust until proper officers should be elected. In 1880 the town of Greenfield was incorporated as a city of the 4th class and the trustees conveyed the land to the city. Later the city, by its board of Aldermen purchased all the land between the then east line of the cemetery and the North and South Quarter Section Line of section 19. It was found that a large part of this was unsuitable on account of the shallow depth at which the solid limestone was encountered and all of this tract lying East of the present east line of the cemetery was sold. The first added tract comprises blocks one to thirty-six and the portion used of the second comprises blocks thirty-seven to sixty-three. In 1899 practically all of this ground was sold and there seemed to be no direction in which there could be expansion. The city bought 20 acres lying south of the city and began the improvement of it as Greenfield Cemetery. The ground was very unsatisfactory, was little used and in 1907 was sold. A tract of more than five acres having been bought adjoining the old cemetery on the north in 1906. This squared out the cemetery to its present size of more than ten acres. The last tract bought was platted as Association Addition to the Greenfield Cemetery. It comprises blocks 64 to 172. Recently when the whole cemetery was to be replatted some ground was discovered unplatted and unsold. This has been platted and appears on the map as tracts lettered with "A" and running to "U."

The first movement looking toward beautifying the cemetery was made in 1881. It then covered but 3 acres and was a veritable jungle. The Ladies Aid Societies (this was before the day of the Woman's Club) asked the men of the city to volunteer on a certain day to assist in the work of cleaning up the cemetery and announced that the workers would be provided with a picnic dinner. The male population of the city of every age, color and condition turned out with axes, hoes and scythes and cleared and cleaned up the cemetery in fairly good shape. Disultory attempts to keep it in condition were made along till 1903 when the work of beautifying the cemetery was begun in earnest by the Ladies Magazine Club and the Century Club which clubs took up the burden of raising money and improving the cemetery in a business like way. This movement crystalized into the Greenfield Cemetery Association which was incorporated in 1913. This Association has a growing list of members and enjoys a present endowment fund of $3,500. No part of this can be used till the fund reaches $4,500, at which time the income will be devoted to the care and maintenance of the cemetery. The Association now has 300 members who pay an annual dues of $1.00 and are pledged for five years. It is to the ladies of these clubs and to their treasurer under whose direction their funds have been expended that we owe it that the Greenfield Cemetery is one of the beauty spots of west Missouri.

Ben M. Neale, R. H. Merrill, S. A. Payne, F. C. Eastin, P. D. Stringfield, F. S. Van Osdell and P. S. Griffith. Ben M. Neale, president; F. G. Van Osdell, treasurer and manager.

Washington Lodge No. 87, A. F. & A. M.

Nestor of Southwest Missouri Lodges and Mother of Free Masonry in this section, was organized under charter October 12th, 1847 after working under dispensation for more than a year previous. James S. Clarkson was the Master under dispensation but before the organization under charter, he enlisted in the U. S. army and went to the front in the Mexican War, becoming- Master of a Military Lodge A. F. & A. M. conducted for the benefit of the soldiers.

In October, 1847 the organization of the lodge under charter was perfected with Win. H. Lathiin, W. M., Valentine Penzer, Sr., W. and Archibold M. Long, J. W.