Washington Township (part 3 of 3)

The Civil War left the town much the worse for its experience, but during the four years of strife and demoralization business was kept up and the ordinary municipal affairs received proper attention. The building of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad was an epoch of importance, giving an outlet by rail to the marts of the world and swift communication by mail and express with important commercial centers. Yet it is maintained by many that in another sense the building of the railroad injured Liberty more than it benefited it, as it gave facilities for going away from town to trade, and caused sundry small towns to be built, thus diverting business away from the county seat, and affecting its material prosperity considerably.

Liberty owns its water plant. Water is pumped from South Liberty four miles in the gTeatest abundance. Also is lighted, houses and streets, by electricity. The electric lights are furnished by a power house in Kansas City, Mo.

Liberty Lodge, No. 31, A. F. & A. M. - At Liberty, has been in existence for eighty j^ears. The dispensation was issued June 26, 1840, on petition of A. Lightburne, E. M. Spence, Josiah C. Parker, Lewis Scott, John M. McLain, Thos. M. Bacon, Henry. Coleman and Heniy C. Melone. The first master, under the dispensation, was Josiah C. Parker, who was installed July 18, 1840, by three past masters, Thos. C. Case, Henry C. Melone and E. M. Spence, and resigned August 29th following because of certain "unmasonic conduct." A. Lightburne was made senior warden August 15, 1840. The charter was not issued until October 9, 1840, the first principal officers being Josiah C. Parker, master, and A. Lightburne and H. C. Melone, wardens The officers under the dispensation were

Josiah C. Parker, master; A. Lightburne and H. C. Melone, wardens; Thos. M. Bason, secretary; Henry Coleman, treasurer; Andrew McLain and Edward M. Spence, deacons, and John Gordon, tyler. On the seventyfifth anniversai-y of the organization of the lodge a celebration of the event; speeches were made by Hon. D. C. Allen and Col. W. H. Woodson, the oldest living members who were made Master Masons in Liberty Lodge, No. 31, A. F. & A. M.

Liberty Chapter, No. 3, R. A. M., was first organized under a dispensation, issued April 18, 1842 ; the charter was not issued until September 13, 1844 Some of the fii'st members were: Alvin Lightburne, Fi-ederick Goi'lich and J. M. Hughes. The chapter meets in the Masonic Hall.

The charter members of Liberty Lodge No. 49, L O. 0. F., were Madison Miller, who was also one of the first members of Baltimore Lodge, No. 1, the first lodge in the United States, Larkin Bradford. T. K. Bradley, Geo. W. Morris, T. Leonard, 0. C. Stewart, Wm. Lamborn and J. W. Wetzel. The charter bears date March 5, 1851. The first officers were: Madison Miller, noble grand; Geo. W. IMorris, vice-grand: T. K. Bradley, secretai*y: John Neal, permanent secretary; Larkin Bi-adford, treasurer.

Christian Church. - Two small organizations formed in 18.^>7 fonned the Christian Church in Liberty. One of these societies was denominated the "Church of God," of whom were the following named persons ; Thomas Swetnam, Caroline Swetnam, Mason Summers, Marie Summers. Howard

Everett, James Everett, Anderson Everett, Polly Everett, John Reid, Sally W. Reid, Martitia Young, Jas. Hedges, Nancy Hedges, Walter Huffaker, W F. Grigsby, Thos. M. Chevis, Frank McCarty, John Thompson, Sally Thompson, A. H. F. Payne, Nancy Tunier, and others, making a total of about thirty-five members. The first officers were chosen on December 24, 1837. The deacons were John Thompson, Thomas M. Chevis and James Hedges. Bishops, T. T. Swetnam and Mason Summers. It is not known who the officers of the other organization were. In the month of May, 1839, the two organizations united, foiming the present Church of Liberty. The minutes of the "Church of God" of August 13, 1837, show the church selected Liberty for the pui^wse of building a meeting house, and Thomas M. Chevis, Jonathan Reed and James Hedges were chosen trustees, to superintend the erection of the building. The church building was completed about 1839. Adding to and remodeling of the building has produced one of the most commodious and elegant church buildings to be found anywhere. A few of the pastors are here mentioned: Revs. A. H. F. Payne, Moses E. Lard, W. J. Pettigrew, Allen B. Jones, Josiah Waller, R. C. Martin, William H. Blanks, Francis R. Palmer, R. C. Morton, J. A. Dearborn, R. Graham, Frank D. W. Moore. Among these names are the names of mighty men in the pulpit, second to no men of similar calling in zeal and ability.

Liberty M. E. Church South. - This church was organized in Liberty, in 1840. Among the first members were Peter B. Grant (cousin of Gen. U. S. Grant), J. B. Talbott, Dr. William B. Dougherty, and James Smithey. Their first church building was a brick, erected in 1842, and in 1857, a frame building was constructed at a cost of $1,800. At present their church building is a brick, modera in all respects, an ornament to the city. The present pastor (1920) is Dr. J. H. Jackson. Membership about two hundred.

St. James Roman Catholic Church. - This church was organized in 1847, and a brick church building erected the same year, and the next year, was consecrated by Archbishop Kendrick, of St. Louis. The original members were Graham L. Hughes, Cyrus Curtis, Phillip Clark, Patrick Hughes, Leonard Mahoney, Thomas Morrison, James Fraher, Philip Fraher, Michael Fraher, James Burns, Jos. Morton, Patrick Barry, Owen Shearin and Hugh McGowan. The pastors who served this church have been many, among them Revs. Bernard Donnelly, P. A. Ward, Jas. Mur- phy, Matthew Dillon, John J. Caffrey, Daniel Haley, Dennis Kennedy, Z. Ledwith, W. Lambert, James Foley, William F. Drohan, Fintan Mindwilier, Peter McMahan, Thomas Hanley, Michael Milay, Dennis J. Kiley, Joseph Beil, Peter J. Cullen and Edward Mallen. The present membership, including the missions through the county, is about 300. A new and elegant church building, with all modern conveniences, has been lately erected, which is an ornament to Liberty.

Presbyterian Church. - The first regular Presbyterian Church in our county was organized at Liberty, on the 29th day of August, 1829. A number of persons convened in a grove in the west part of Liberty (Northwest corner of Kansas Street and Moi'se Avenue), and after a sennon, notice having been previously given for that purpose, they presented themselves and were organized into a church as follows:

"Rev. Hiram Chamberlain, of the Presbytery of Missouri, presided, aided by Rev. N. B. Dodge of the Harmony Mission. Letters were received in testimony of the qualifications of the following, viz: Archibald McIIvaine and wife, Mrs. Hannah Mcllvaine, James McWilliams and Mary his wife, Walter Davis and Margaret his wife. William Modrel, Margaret Ward, Hannah Thompson, Isabella Moore and Jane P. Looney and her daughter, Polly W. Looney. The following persons were admitted on examination, they having been members of Presbyterian churches and removing without letters, viz: Robert Elliott and Sarah his wife, and Mrs. Mary Long. After these examinations were made, the following covenant was read to the members present and solemnly assented to by them : Having professed your sincere belief of the Holy Scruptures ; your firm faith in the adorable Trinity; your hopes of pardon through Christ, your Redeemer, you, and each of you, do now in the presence of God and before these witnesses, enter into solemn covenant with this church that you will submit yourselves to its government and ordinances; that you will pray for its peace and enlargement; that you will study to promote its edification; that you will make the Word of God your constant rule of faith and practice; that you will most earnestly endeaver to walk in all ways of the Lord blameless; and that by a pure conversation and by holy living you will seek to convince the world of the superior excellence of our holy religion and try to win them over to the service of Jesus Christ. Do you thus covenant and promise?

that they were authorized to elect their church officers, and after an address to the throne of grace, imploring Divine direction, the following persons were declared duly elected: Robert Elliott, James JVIcWilliams and William Modrel. Notice was given that the elders elect would be ordained on the morrow, and services were closed by singing and prayer. The church met on August 30th, and after sermon the elders-elect were set apart and ordained according to the form of government of the Presbyterian Church. Attest: H. Chamberlain, Moderator."

Mr. Chamberlain was the first pastor, and the church since has been served by the following ministers: John L. Yantis, William Dickson, J. M. Inskeep, R. H. Allen, J. C. Thornton, John G. Fackler, John Hancock, Robert Scott, David Coulter, John P. Foreman, J. L. Caldwell, Evander McNair, John N. McFarlane, Wm. Frost Bishop, J. J. Hill and H. P. McClintic.

The full roll of elders in addition to the three named above is as follows: Allen Denny, Joseph Clark, William T. Wood, William Inskeep, Thomas Sublette, Edward M. Samuel, Greenup Bird, C. C. Trabue, James T. Marsh, M. D., William Webb, John A. Denny, A. M. Chase, Lewis B. Dougherty, James Love, James Robb, Ambrose M. Griffith, John J. Gaw, A. C. Courtney, W. L. Trimple, Morton Marsh, Prof. John Staley, Prof. E. J. Scott, George W. Herbold, Irving Gilmer and John Laipple.

The early records of the church were destroyed in the burning of the Clay County Court House in 1857, and, as our people, then, as now, little I'ealized the importance of preserving historical data, no effort was made to rescue the fading facts in the history of the church. The second record-book embracing the period from 1857 to 1869, has gone into undiscoverable hiding, quite as disastrous to our present purpose, as was the fire.

kindly furnished us with personal reminiscences. These reminiscences, though not always reliable histoi"y, we have by careful comparison, found very valuable; and, as they have been mutually coiTective or coiToborative, we have succeeded in gaining an apparently authentic historical outline. We have received some little aid from casual notes and minutes of association found in the archives of the Missouri Baptist Historical Society.

In 1843 a few brethem and sisters, some of whom had previously been allied with the Primitive, or Anti-Mission Baptists, but who entertained beliefs with regard to Missions, Sunday Schools, and other aggressive Christian work, at variance with their religious beliefs, and others who had come to Liberty, Missouri, from nearby states where they had belonged to United or Missionary Baptist churches, desired to form a church of their own faith.

Rev. A. P. Williams, who was then the Pastor of the Baptist church at Lexington, Missouri, and who, as a good bishop, was accustomed to visit the brethren in fields remote from his own vineyard, assisted by the Rev. W. C. Ligon, Pastor of the Baptist Church at Cari-oUton, Missouri, aided them in doing so. Thus on the second day of May, 1843, a Missionary Baptist Church was organized in the towTi of Liberty, Clay County Missouri, with the following named brethren and sistei-s as constituent members :

Its first pastor was a man whose name is honored among the Baptists of the early history of Missouri. Rev. A. P. Williams, from 1843 to 1845, was the so-called pastor, but for a few months of that time, alternating with Rev. W. C. Ligon, so that between the two the church enjoyed the - at that time - somewhat rare privilege of having preaching twice a month.

the care of the church for a short period of time during a part of the year 1846-7 and resumed it again in 1848 and 1849, for when Professors Dulin and Lockett came to Liberty at the close of the year 1849. Elder Lockett writes in his reminiscences "Rev. A. P. Wilhams had resigned the pastoral care of the church but a few months before and they were then without a shepherd."

Professors Dulin and Lockett assumed charge under conditions mentioned above. This joint pastorate continued until the middle of the year 1851. when Professor Lockett withdrew and presumably left Professor Dulin in full charge, but under what conditions we have been unable to ascertain. Some of the reminiscences to which we have had access refer to Elder Dulin as Pastor till 1855, but other records which bear upon their front the conditions of greater reliability, state that he was frequently and casually called upon to serve the Chui'ch as occasion demanded during the time - three or four years - that he was principal of a Young Ladies' Seminaiy in Liberty.

In 1854 Rev. B. T. F. Cake assisted Elder Dulin in a meeting, and shortly thereafter was elected pastor. We have been able to learn none of the conditions or circumstances of this pastorate, but it appears to have terminated in about one year. During the next year we find frequent reference made to preaching done by Rev. W. C. Ligon, but whether this work was of a mere casual kind - serving the church while he was acting as financial agent for the college - we have been unable to learn, but from the frequency of mention and the character thereof, presume that for something like a year he gave a double service, that of financial agent to the college and of pastor to the church.

He was followed by Rev. Josiah Leake, and he in turn was succeeded by Rev. J. B. Link. As it is pleasant to place foot on solid earth after one has been floating about among nebulae for awhile, allow us to quote a few lines written by Rev. J. B. Link himself: "About the first of December, 1857, the writer became pastor. The church then had a good brick house of worship, very comfortably, but plainly finished. It was not enclosed till a few months later. At this time the church enjoyed a very good degree of prosperity."

In 1858-1860 Dr. Ed. I. Owen, Professor of Ancient Languages in the college, supplied the pulpit. He was a Welshman, and a learned man. The first title accounts in a measure for the sturdiness of his piety and the strength of his fealty to the Word, and the second, for his elegant diction, and for the cloister-like peculiarities of the old-time scholar and bookworm, that manifested themselves in his daily life. He resigned his charge in 1860, and was followed by Rev. William Thompson, President of the College a man of rare ability as scholar, orator and leader of men.

In 1865 Brother Ban-ett was called for a second year for one Sunday in the month with Rev. Asa N. Bird for one Sunday. This arrangement gave the church Sunday services twice a month. At the close of this year, June, 1866, Bro. Bari'ett resigned and Bro. Bird was elected to serve the church and preach tw'o Sundays in the month. Bro. Bird resigned at the close of the year, and in June, 1867, Rev. X. X. Buckner was elected. He sei-ved one year and was elected for the second, but could not serve and Rev. A. Machette accepted the call extended him.

Elder Machette was associated with the Rev. X. X. Buckner in conducting a school for young ladies, and his care of the church, like others who preceded him, could not have been pastoral in the strict sense of the word. He could simply preach and assist in the administration of the affairs of the church. Still nothing is said about the frequency of the Sabbath ministrations, but from the salaries offered - $1,000 - it is presumable that the organization had now (1868-9) grown into the stature of an "all-the-time" church. It is certain that succeeding pastors were pastors indeed, devoting their whole time and energy to the cause.

The church, during the greater part of the year was endeavoring to find a pastor that would meet the growing demands of the people. Having failed in this for the time, they induced Dr. Rambaut, president of the college, to assume the duties of pastor, in addition to his duties on the Hill and in the state. They thus secured a remai-kable preacher, but his health soon failed and he was compelled to resign in March, 1872. In June of the same year Bro. Wm. Ferguson, then a student in the college, aftenvards editor of the Central Baptist, was elected as supply pastor. This connection was maintained for a few months while the quest for a pastor was continued. Finally in the spring of 1873, at the church meeting of April, Rev. H. M. Richardson first presided as ex-officio moderator. Thus commenced a successful pastorate of eight years.

Dr. W. R. Rothwell was elected to act as moderator in all business meetings in the interim between the close of Dr. Richardson's pastorate and the coming of the new leader, to be elected.

The first year of Elder Tutt's pastorate seems from the church record to have been a prosperous one in the mission of soul-winning. Several who are now our most faithful members were received into the church during that year; and throughout the period of his incumbency the growth of the church, though moderate in numbers, was healthful and substantial.

The church soon afterwards extended a unanimous call to Reverend Sam Frank Taylor, then of Columbia, Missouri, to become its pastor, and in some time in January, 1891 exact date not given, a letter of acceptance from him was read to the Church.

After a successful pastorate of nearly three and one-half years, Rev. Sam Frank Taylor resigned to become president of Stephens College for Young Ladies at Columbia, Missouri.

Rev. T. P. Stafford, Th. D., fresh from an extended and successful course of study in the Seminary at Louisville, was chosen to supply the pulpit during the summer of 1894. The church were so well pleased with his ministrations that in September of the same year they called him to become their pastor, which call he accepted.

Dr. Stafford's pastorate closed in February, 1900, subsequent to his definite resignation tendered three months before - leaving the church in an harmonious condition and numbering 450 members.

The church had the sei*vices of its former pastor and others as supply during the time that they were in quest of a successor to Dr. Stafford, so that all the meetings were sustained and interest in the work was not allowed to flag. August 12, 1900, the Pulpit Committee reported in favor of calling Rev. F. W. Eberhardt, of Paris, Ky. The adopting of this re% port was deferred for one week that wide notice might be given of the meeting and its object, and to call forth as large an attendance as possible. At the time appointed, in a full meeting of the church, Brother Eberhardt was called unanimously to the charge of the church. In a short time his letter of acceptance was in the hands of the Pulpit Committee indicating that (D. V.) he would preach for the church on Sunday, September 9.

When he came to us he found us a somewhat sturdy band of 450, giving to missions and benevolent objects about $1.48 per member. When he left us were were a sturdier band, numbering 775, and giving $2.55 per member.

During the time that the flock was without an under shepherd it was well fed and kept in good working order by the supply pastors, Dr. J. P. Greene and Rev. C. M. Williams, but everyone rejoiced when at the end of a nine-months quest, the South sent us from Greenwood, South Carolina, one of her treasured sons to go in and out before us. Dr. H. A. Bagby, in October, 1908, commenced a pastorate with us that, from his intelligent appreciation of existing conditions, his sympathetic yet strong and tactful grasp on the helm, gives promise of a pastorate the equal of any that the church in its life of sixty-six years has enjoyed.

Liberty is widely known as a school tovm. The presence of William Jewell College makes it possible for boys to complete their education from the first grade to their college degree without going away from home. Unfortunately the burning of the Liberty Ladies' College has retarded the higher education of girls, but a movement is being made, which will take care of this in the near future.

Liberty High School is a first class high school, with an enrollment of 227 boys and girls. It is fully accredited so that the graduates may enter any institution of higher learning in the country. It not only takes care of the academic work in English, history, science, literature and languages, but has manual training, domestic science, teacher training and commercial departments. It is distinguished in that the teacher of agriculture is the county farm advisor.

The people believe in providing the best training for the boys and girls who are to be future citizens. Tangible evidence of this is found in the S. G. Sandusky building which was completed at a cost of $45,000, and which is one of the best arranged public school buildings in the country. This elementary school is unique in that it not only takes care thoroughly of the work in the traditional three "r's" but its program includes manual training, domestic science, picture and music appreciation, drawing, free play, caisthenics, nature study, hygiene and social civics. These activities are provided for in a special program which occupies one hour each day just before the close of school in the afternoon, and is organized on the "Gaiy Plan." The boys and gfrls get the benefit of these vitally interesting and useful functions at a time which in the ordinary school is wasted in idleness and mischief.

All of these advantages are secured with a low tax levy. Eighty cents on the hundred dollars in Liberty yields a fund which is more than equal to a one hundred-cent levy in most towns of same size.

Urban Lake, Liberty's play ground, is located about two miles west of Liberty, on the interurban at the station formerly called Urban Heights, and now Belleview.

The lake itself is a semi-natural body of water of about ten or twelve acres and the entire grounds comprise about twenty-five acres, which have been improved with bath houses, wells, beaches, boats, camping grounds, airdome, and other improvements that with the shade, blue grass and water go to make it a first class summer resort. The main part of the gi-ounds are lighted by electricity and the waters are kept well stocked with fish, and the place is kept clean and is fi'ee from the rowdyism usually found at such places.

This resort is necessarily a Liberty institution and a great many of the Liberty people take advantage of it for their recreation and go there for boating, bathing, fishing, picnicing and camping, but the reputation of the place has spread until it is attracting large numbers from' other places.

The Odd Fellows Home for aged indigent Odd Fellows, wives, widows and orphans of Odd Fellows, is located about one mile south of the Court House in Liberty, on what is known as the Liberty Landing road, which is a continuation of South Leonard Street.

State of Missouri, under the direct control of a Board of Trustees elected by the State Grand Lodge, and is comprised of six members of said Grand Lodge, and three lady members elected from the Rebekah Assembly, which is the ladies' auxiliary of the Order of Odd Fellows.

The plant comprises three main buildings whose actual cost totals $325,000.00, all of which has been fully paid. The Administration building on the south was built and dedicated in 1900, and houses the younger members of residents of the Home; here also is the laundiy and dairy and domestic science depai'tments. The building in the center is used for school purposes on the first floor. In the basement is the band room, where the Home band holds its practices. On the second floor is the Auditorium, which is equipped with a stage, and has a seating capacity of about three hundred persons. Simday School and church sei-vices are held here regularly every Sabbath. This building was erected in 1904.

The building on the north is the Old People's Home. It was built in 1906 and was remodeled in 1911, when there was added a first-class hospital fully equipped with all the modern conveniences. Here also are cozy parlors and sun porches for the enjoyment of the aged residents, whose declining years are made as pleasant as evei'y modern equipment make possible.

In 1913 and 1914 the heating and lighting plant was moved and enlarged, and an up-to-date refrigeration system installed, also a sanitary dairy barn and a building to cure and care for meats was erected and equipped for their individual uses.

The Home shelters and is educating at this time sixty-four boys and forty-eight girls whose ages I'ange from two years up to sixteen years, and the Old People's Building has under its sheltering roof forty-two aged and infirm brothers and thirty-four sisters, a total of 188 persons who are enjoying the privileges of one of the finest, if not the very finest Home of its kind in the United States.

The grounds which comprise the properties consist of 257 acres of fine and fertile land, which is cultivated for the use and benefit of the residents of the Home. The broad lawns in front of the buildings are nicely and tastefully aiTanged and tenaced. Fine shade and ornamental trees and shrubbei-y add much to the beauty and enjoyment of the happy and contented family that find in this Odd Fellows Home a real home in everything that makes such a place the dearest place on earth.

Liberty is connected with Kansas City, fifteen miles distant, by a well constructed, high-speed electric line, which boasts of having electric automatic block signals protecting you all the way. The cars are built of steel and run hourly in each direction, being about 99 per cent, on time. An "express service at freight rates" is maintained, giving this town two complete daily deliveries.

Liberty is truly a good place in which to live. It is very attractive because of its natural beauty. She has much of the inspiring charm of mountains without their great height and inconvenience, and all the leveliness of the prairie without the monotony. Her lawns are covered with stately trees, the homes of songsters which fill the air with music. Her beautiful homes express the wealth and comfort of her people and the glad hand of welcome extended to visitors is an expression of her Southern hospitality for which she has long been famous. Her churches are active and progressive. Added to her natural beauty, and the charm of her homes and churches, the schools are her greatest asset. The presence of William Jewell College enables the boys, at least, to get the training from the primaiy grades to a college degree and there is hope that a like provision will soon be made for the girls. The public and high schools are teaching not only the "Three R's" as in the olden days, but are teaching the boys and girls to use the five senses and the ten fingers in the kitchen and in the can^enter shop, and in music and art, and nature, and science.

Liberty is nearer in actual minutes of travel to the business section of Kansas City than many residence sections of the city itself. She thus enjoys the advantages of the good things of the city without being compelled to endure the bad. Space will not permit mention of the many achievements of the Liberty Community Club which has been active in bringing about the paving of her streets, the establishing of an adequate water and light system, building of a hotel, entertaining of visitors, and finally helping materially in bringing about Clay County's greatest achievement, the voting of one and one-fourth million dollars to build two hundred miles of paved roads connecting Liberty with every hamlet and village in the county. This club is open to all who are for the upbuilding of the community because they believe that the man who lives five miles from the public square and is engaged in the production of something to feed and clothe the people is just as much a part of Liberty as is the man who lives only five blocks.

Chapter Xi

Fishing River township comprises the entire southeastern part of Clay County and consists of more than seventy-five square miles. Its boundary line begins at the Ray and Clay line, at the northeast corner of section 1-52-30, iiins thence south to the Missouri River, thence west to the dividing line between sections 2 and 3-50-31, thence north to the northwest comer of section 14-52-31, thence east to the range line between ranges 30 and 31, thence north to the township line between townships 52 and 53, thence east to the beginning.

With the exception of the bottom lands along the Missouri River, the land is rolling. No richer land can be found in Missouri or elsewhere. In many locations these bottom lands are two or more miles in width. Only in times of great flood are they submerged by overflow from the river. The uplands are very fertile and like all other upland in Clay County, are of loess fonnation. For many years a large lake known as "Cooley's Lake" was a resort for sportsmen, not only to catch fish, but shoot ducks and wild geese. The lake has been drained and the greater part heretofore covered with water is now producing wheat and corn fields.

In the first settlement of the county. Fishing River township was one of the first permanently settled townships of the county. Among these first settlers were David McElwee and family, Thomas Officer and family, James Woolard and family, Alexander Woolard and family, Elisha Camron and family, John Camron and family, William and Thomas Slaughter and families, Winfrey E. Price and family and Napoleon Price. John and David Lisles were bachelors. In the fall of 1821, the trouble with several Indians at David McElwee's house occurred, an account of which is elsewhere given. During this year three "Forts" or block houses were built; one on the farm of Elisha Camron, another was at Gilmoi'e's, on Rush creek, and another at old Martin Parmer's on the Camden road. These houses of "refuge" were never used for protection against the wily and murderous Indians.

The principal towns or cities in Fishing River townships are Excelsior Springs and Missouri City. The oi'igin of the latter place was the establishment at the mouth of Rose's branch, in 1834, at what was known as Williams' Landing, whei-e a ferry was kept by Williams. A stock of goods was brought to this place in 1849 by Eli Casey, who opened a store and had as clerks Linneus R. Sublette and Dr. Frank Cooley. Several buildings, residences and store houses were built and the place named Richfield. The high water of the river in 1844, on its receding, left a large sand-bar in front of Richfield, preventing the landing of steamboats and operation of a ferry. A joint stock company composed of Graham L. Hughes. John Keller, John Shouse and others laid out a town just below but mainly on the bluffs overlooking the river, giving it the name of St. Bernard. Below St. Bernard another town was laid out and called Atchison. The first store established on the hill was by Robert G. Gilmer, father of the editor and publisher of the Liberty Tribune and The Liberty Advance. The three towns of St. Bernard, Richfield and Atchison were incorporated by the Legislature as one and given the name of Missouri City, March 14, 1859.

Several tragedies have occurred in Missouri City. Wiley Hemdon, an old bachelor, who lived alone in his store, was murdered some time before the war between the states and although it was not known for a certainty, it was believed robbed of a considerable sum of money. It was never known who committed the dastardly deed.

One G. S. Elgin, in November, 1866, killed two men by the name of Titus. After the killing Elgin fled to the house of a relative near Weston in Platte County, where he was overtaken by John C. Titus, Noah Titus and John Bivens, relatives of the murdered men, taken out and killed.

All parties to the latter killing were indicted for murder in Platte County and as the jail in Platte County was deemed unsafe, they were brought to Liberty and incarcerated in the Clay County jail, from which place they escaped in 1867.

Missouii City M. E. Church South was organized in 1854 with the following as original members : 0. P. Gash and wife, Joseph A. Huff aker, wife and one sister, JVIr. and Mrs. Crasford and Mr. Bratten and wife and some five or six others whose names can not now be recalled. Rev. M. R. Jones, who organized this church, was the first preacher in charge. Next came Reverend Rich, followed successively by Revs. L. M. Lewis, Mayhew, McEwing, W. A. Tanvater, Samuel Huffaker, ^^Mlson, Wilburn Rush, Joseph Devlin, E. F. Bone, Babcock, W. C. Campbell, F. Shores, L. F. Linn, W. B. Johnson, W. E. Dockery and last J. F. Frazer. The frame church building in which services are held, was constructed at a cost of about $2,000, in the summer of 18r)7. In 1882-83 it was remodeled at an additional expense of about $1,500. The Sabbath school has been flourishing since 1867, at which time Joseph A. Huffaker was superintendent.

Missouri City Christian Church, as its name indicates, is located at Missouri City, where on Main street there was built in about 1859, at an expense of some $2,500, a good brick ediiice, in which the present membership of about 150 persons worship. As organized in about the year 1856, the members were E. D. Bell and wife, T. C. Reed and wife, Nancy Reed and two daughters, Richard Funk and wife, B. F. Melon and wife, George W. Bell and wife, Merritt Fisher and wife and Milton Hull. Rev. Richard Morton, who was prominent in this formation, was the first pastor, and he was succeeded by Revs. F. R. Palmer, J. W. Waller, Preston Akers, Bayard Waller, Henry Davis, Jacob Hugley, Revs. Perkins and Carter and others.

Angrona Lodge No. 193, A. F. & A. M. - The dispensation of this lodge was issued in March, 1858, under which it worked until May 28, 1859, when a chai*ter was issued. The first members and officers were A. L. Chapman, master; Jno. W. Collins, senior warden; Newton Fields, junior warden; T. Everett, secretary; S. Elgin, treasurer; R. H. Moore, senior deacon; William Adams, iunior deacon; T. Y. Gill, stewart and tyler; J. M. Allcorn, John A. Prather, Joshua Vaughn, S. Charlston, J. Johnson, John Linn, J. M. Donovan, Victoi- W. Tooley, D. E. Yarbrough.

ized in about 1868. Its constituent members were L. T. Pettz, P. G. Smith, N. H. King", Richard King, Thomas W. Wilson, Nancy Wilson, John McCracken and Martin Price. The present membership is about eightyfive. The ministers who have served as pastors to this church are Revs. John Harmon, William Ferguson, S. H. Carter, T. H. Graves, Doctor Rothwell, Asa N. Bird and S. J. Norton. The present frame structure was erected in 1874, at a cost of $700.

Erin Chui'ch, in the southeast comer of the southwest quarter of section 24, in Fishing River township, was organized October 16, 1877, with Joseph Turner, James M. Hill, Simon Hutchings, Marion Harris, Nancy Hutchings, Sarah Thurney, Susan M. Harris, Nancy Lewis, Mary E. Wyatt and Sarah E. Summers as its original members. The names of the ministers who have served this church as pastors are Revs. Joseph Prather and Lafayette Munkers. The present frame church was erected in 1878 at a cost of $1,000.

Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. - In 1857, T. N. O'Bryan with four members, Jefferson Turner and wife, Elizabeth Free and Jane Quick organized the above named church. At first meetings were held in schoolhouse No. 1, and, in fact, until 1883, when a church building was erected in section 23, four and a half miles southeast of Liberty, the cost of which was about $600.

German M. E. Church, located on section 14, four miles southeast of Liberty, was constituted an organization in 1847, by Rev. Henry Hogrefe, with the following original members: William Unger and wife, George Elliott and wife, Peter Elliott, Jacob Weber and wife, Henry Free and wife, Rudolph Irniinger and wife, Samuel Weber and wife. In 1870, a church house, 22x32, was erected at an expenditure of $900. After Mr. Hogrefe, who was the first pastor, came the Revs. Elders Neidermeier, Rouse, William Shreck, Hblzbeierlein, Muehlenbrock, William Maye, Prege, Brunly, Brinkmeier, Steinmeier, Bower, Menger, Eichenberger, Koiphage, Buchholz, Koenig, and Rev. Kaltenbach.

Those who have served as pastors are Elders William H. Price, Henry Hill, William T. Brown and James Duvall. The present brick church building was erected in 1853, at a cost of about $1,500. This was the first brick church built in the county outside of Liberty. It is located on the northeast comer of the southeast quarter of section 30, township 52, range 30. James P. Withers and William Pi-ice are the only male members living that were members at the constitution, and Amanda Mosby and Mrs. T. P. Withers were the only female members.

Mount Pleasant Church was organized September 18, 1830. The original members were Joseph P. Moore, William B. Slaughter, Andrew B. Baldwin, Abram (a sei-vant of J. P. Moore), Jonah Moore. Elizabeth Slaughter, Jane Welton, Mary Stoi-z, Jane Posey. Mary Baldwin, Lucy (a servant of James P. Moore), and Catherine (a servant of William B. Slaughter). The present frame church was built in 1879, its cost being about $1,500. It is located on the southeast corner of the northwest quarter of section 15.

Woodland Christian Church was organized in about 1870 or 1872. Some of the first members were James M. Bohart, Richai-d P. Funk, Solomon Welton, J. W. Bradley and A. J. Roberts. The names of the ministers who have served this churcli ai-e Elders Josiah Waller, Baird Waller, William Stephens, John Perkins. J. Trader and Revs. Williamson and Akers. The church building is a frame and was erected in 1872, its cost being about $2,000. It is located on the east half of the northwest quarter of section 29, in township 52, range 30. Near this church is a cemetery.

Zoar German M. E. Church was organized in 1845 by Rev. Heinrich Nuelsen. The original membei-s were Rudolph Irminger, Susanna Irminger, John Irminger, Heinrich Irminger, Elizabeth Irminger, Anna Irminger. Samuel Weber, Henry \\'eber, Jacob Weber, Maria \\'eber and Margaret Frey. The pastors that have served this church have been the same as those of Bethel German M. E. Church, both churches being under the same charge. The church building is a frame and was erected in 1873 at a cost of $700.

Chapter Xii Excelsior Springs

DISCOVERY OF SPRINGS - J. V. B. KLACK - FIR.ST HOUSE - RAPID GROWTH - VIL.- LAGE INCORPORATED- FIR6T OFFICERS - A FAMOUS RESORT - HOTELSPARKS AND DRIVEWAY - MORE THAN TWENTY SPRINGS - MINERAL PROPERTIES OP WATER - REGENT SPRINGS - K J I-/JAM SPRINGS - BATHING - GOLF CLUB AND COURSE - AN UP-TO-DATE TOWN - PUBLIC UTILITIES AND PRIVATE ENTERRIHES - AMUSEMENTS AND RECREATIONS - PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Accordinjf to an historical and descriptive booklet issued by the tfjwn company of Excelsior Springs, Excelsior Springs was discovered in June, 1880, and was found by the merest accident to possess medicinal properties. Harvesters engaged in cutting wheat where the city now stands found a stream of clear cold water issuing from the bank of Fi.shing River and remarked that there was a mineral taste to it. A negro standing by, who was badly afflicted with scrofula, heard the ensuing discussion on the healing qualities of mineral spnng.s and resolved to try the water of this one on himself. A few weeks' use of the water effected a complete cure, to the great astonishment of all who knew the circumstances of his case.

It may be stated as an historical fact that long prior to 1880 the healing properties of the springs were known, but only to a limited number of persons who lived in that immediate section and who occasionally made use of the water for the cure of minor skin eruptions or disease. It was only when the Rev. J. V. B. Flack, a wide-awake, enterprising merchant, living at Missouri City, who having heard reports of the efficacy of the water in healing, determined to have the water tested to ascertain its common parts and having secured a sufficient quantity thereof, sent it to St. Louis for an analysis. A report from the chemists showed that the water was impregnated with such minerals that science always attributed the greatest curative value.

The owner of the land upon which was the chief or largest spring was A. W. Wyman. Mr. Flack induced Mr. Wyman to lay out a good part of his farm into town lots, which accordingly was done, under the supervision of Mr. Flack. When this was accomplished, the springs were publicly advertised, whereupon people flocked in large numbers from all parts of the country to avail themselves of the health-giving qualities of the spi'ings. There being no hotel or boarding house accommodations, invalids were encamped in the surrounding groves and provisions made among the farmei's for their care and attention. There was not a house near the springs when T. Benton Rogers, the county sui-veyor, surveyed the town in the early part of September, 1880. Had it not been for the interest, activity and enten^rise of J. V. B. Flack in making known to the world the almost marvelous curative properties of Excelsior Springs, in all pi'obability its wonderful reputation for the healing of the people would be to this day "unhonored and unsung".

As soon as the survey was completed, Jim Pearson, of Libert}', erected the first house on Broadway, a lot only intervening between his lot and the "old spring". This building, a small frame or box, he used principally as a restaurant. The second building was Flynn's grocery store. In the winter of 1880, Doctor Flack erected a store building and removed his stock of goods from Missouri City and occupied it. The first hotel was built by Mr. Riggs, on the west side of Broadway and Main in 1880. Near the "old spring" Wyman and Wert built the "Excelsior House", which for several years was a leading hotel and conducted by Mr. Wert. Doctor Flack preached the first sermon in the fall of 1880, in a grove near town. The first school was taught by Mrs. Robert Caldwell and Miss Susie Hyatt. During this year was the contest for Congi-ess between Hon. D. C. Allen and Col. John T. Crisp. Speeches were made by Colonel Crisp, Judge George W. Dunn and Doctor Flack. The post-office was established in March. 1881. and for about two years was officially known as Viginti. J. Brack Holton was the first postmaster.

1881. Although no census was taken, the increase must have reached to 2,000 inhabitants. The first church built was The Christian Union, of which Dr. J. V. B. Flack was pastor. The doors of this church were always ready to be opened for the accommodation of ministers of other denominations to hold religious services.- In the fall of 1884, the Baptists began the erection of their church building, which was completed the year following.

Excelsior Springs was incorporated as a village at the February tenn of the county court 1881, the site comprising all of the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 1, township 52, range 30-40 acres. The first ti'ustees were W. B. Smith, J. D. Graham, W. C. Corum and W. P. Garrett. The town was incorporated as a city of the fourth class, July 12, 1881. Mayor, E. Smith; clerk, J. C. Dickey; aldemien, first ward, N. L. Rico and J. C. Dickey; aldermen, second ward, Philip G. Holt and L. W. Garrett; attorney, John H. Dunn; marshal, J. I). Halferty. These were the first officers of the city of Excelsior Springs.

The following from a brochure issued by the enterprising Commercial Club of Excelsior Spiings is history worthy of record: For many years the friends of Excelsior Springs have claimed that nowhere'eise could be found so varied and valuable a group of mineral springs. This merited claim now has thirty-five years of good record behind it and Excelsior Springs has advanced to the foremost rank among our national resorts; its prosperous growth and the continued increase in the number of its visitors year by year is proof of the value of its waters. They have made the town; they guaiantee its future. The surroundings are inviting and fortunately its location is central both as to cliinate and population. These favoring conditions have lengthened the first short summer seasons - each month has brought its increasing number of patrons, until there is now only one long season and Excelsior Springs is distinctly an all-yearround resort.

Because of the all-year-i-ound guests the town has naturally made more substantial provision for their comfort and pleasure than most places which are under the necessity of reaping a quick profit during a brief summer or winter season. One readily recalls many of these well known resorts so alike as to be uninteresting; but the people of Excelsior Springs have, indeed, built a real town, a real health and pleasure resort.

The resident population of more than 5,000 comfortably fills the Yshaped valley of Fishing River with its active, up-to-date business district, spring parks, hotels and residences, then spreads upward along the picturesque timbered hills and beyond - to the rolling upland with its commandmg views of the most chamiing landscape to be found in the great Middle West.

The hotels, boarding and other houses have heretofore met the needs of visitors, and the recent demand for a higher type of accommodations has been met by the erection of the Elms and Snapp's and the rebuilding and enlargement of the Royal, representing an investment of ?800,000. A careful estimate shows that during the past four years more than $2,000,000.00 have been expended in improvements and public utilities that make for attractiveness and add to the comforts of residents and visitors.

The attractive environment has been from the start protected by the residents. As an instance, they acquired a tract of land for park purposes extending over a mile through the town along both banks of the stream. This was placed in the hands of George E. Kessler, the wellknown landscape architect, for development and the construction of the spring pavilions and Siloam Gardens. $100,000 has already been expended on this civic beauty plan in addition to the sums already spent by the city for concrete arch bridges and paved drives which fomi a pai*t of the extensive park and driveway system.

This park and driveway system now provides for the uninterrupted passage of pleasure traffic between the extreme eastem and western town limits without entering the business district - ^few cities can boast of a similar system with more pleasing points of view. Dunbar and Kimball avenues wind around the rim of the valley and by easy grades descend the face of the western hills ; the South Valley road, which in Siloam Park runs along the stream - an ideal shaded mile of luxuriant foliage - merges into Golf Hill Drive, ascends through a forest glen and around the brow of the eastem hills, a new vista at every turn, to the club house of the Excelsior Springs Golf Club.

These drives will connect with the 202 miles of oiled macadam roads, for the construction of which Clay County voted a bond issue of $1,250,000.00 in June, 1916. These roads radiate in every direction from the Springs, and its residents and visitors will have for their use one of the most extensive and attractive drivew^ay systems to be found anywhere.

The municipal developments are being sensibly worked out from carefully matured plans, and their scope has been greatly expanded by the friendly co-operation of various private interests. Much has been accomplished in a few years and on every hand are evidences of a continuance of the energy and well directed effort which has built a resort that for varied chai-m and true usefulness invites comparison with the famous watering places at home, or abroad.

Many invalid patrons of foreign watering places who were compelled by the war to seek a counteipart of their favorite spring nearer home, have been surprised to find at Excelsior Springs a group of springs with a range of curative value not to be found in any European resort.

This distinguished group of more than twenty springs includes four distinct types classified as follows : Iron-Manganese, Sulpho-Saline, Soda- Bicarbonate, Calcic-Bicarbonate.

The Siloam and Regent are two of the six well-known iron-manganese springs, and the only ones used commercially in the United States. The four others of this type are at Pyrmont and Schwalbach, GeiTnany ; Spa, Belgium and Mont St. Moritz, Switzerland.

The value of manganese, when associated with iron, lies in the fact that it renders the iron more digestible. Iron has been prescribed for more than a century for the pun^ose of increasing the red blood corpuscles, but until its association with manganese, was unsatisfactory, because its continued use deranged digestion. The combination, however, in perfect solution, as in the Siloam and Regent, is digestible in the most delicate stomach.

Therefore, the iron-manganese waters are invaluable in the treatment of the many ailments arising from impoverished and impure blood. They also stimulate the action of the kidneys and aid in the elimination of uric acid, hence are effective in cases of rheumatism, either inflammatory,

The discovery in 1888 of the Sulpho-Saline water at a depth of 1,460 feet, marked a most distinct advance in the city's claim for distinction as a watering place, and others of similar properties have since been found.

These waters relieve promptly ordinary attacks of indigestion, acid or gaseous conditions of the stomach; inflammatory and catarrhal conditions of the mucous tissue of the respiratory and digestive tracts; dyspepsia, biliousness, constipation, jaundice and the ailments caused by a torpid liver.

The Soda-Bicarbonate waters, of which there are several, are most useful in the treatment of derangements of digestion, dyspepsia, biliousness and intestinal troubles, and are largely prescribed by the local physicians.

The Calcic-Bicarbonate waters are prescribed where a uric acid condition exists ; for rheumatism, kidney and bladder troubles, and especially in many ailments' where the physician recognizes that in the patient's condition the use of the more "positive" waters is contra-indicated.

To get the combined alternative, eliminative and tonic blood building effects of these waters one would, elsewhere, be compelled to visit two or more resorts. For example, the Carlsbad patient, if too much weakened by the eliminative action of the water and baths, is frequently urged to go to one or another of distant iron springs and there take a "buildingup" treatment. This means additional time and expense. Similar conditions obtain in the treatment of chronic ailments at other resorts.

In confirmation of the above statements, the analyses of world famous European Springs of the Iron-Manganese type have been tabulated for ready comparison with one typical Excelsior Springs water. Only the valuable and active mineral constituents are given, but in no instance has either a valuable or an objectionable constituent been omitted.

And Famous European Waters Of Similar Type

A comparison of the analyses of the several Sulpho-Sahne and Bicarbonate-Soda waters of Excelsior Springs with those of the famous European waters of similar type is no less impressive. Among the latter may be mentioned - Vichy, France; Ems and Nauheim, Germany; Karlsbad and Marienbad, Austria, and many others. And still more convincing is the testimony of scores of former patrons of foreign spas who have found relief in this home of many wonderful springs.

The highest type of analytical chemists obtainable have been employed by the city and individual owners of springs, and a protective system seldom found in other resorts is rigidly enforced. The municipal chemist tests the licensed springs every thirty days and submits a report to the city council. If a suspicious element appears the spring is at once closed. The license to sell or ship water from a spring is only granted when a satisfactory analysis of it is submitted by a chemist of known ability and this analysis must be posted in a conspicuous place in the spring pavilion for inspection by patrons.

A complete analysis of Siloam (Iron-Manganese) spiing owned by the city is of especial interest from the fact that it was the first of the group discovered and further, because it has remained first in the estimation of the public.

Siloam Spring

The importance of bathing as one of the most valuable of the many curative agents employed at the modem watering place has also been fully recognized. The invalid will find here that the mineral waters, especially those of the Sulpho-Saline type, whose external use are so beneficial in a wide range of ailments, are utilized in connection with a complete equipment of scientific appliances. The standard of treatment in the bath houses, large and small, is uniformly high; the treatments are given by trained attendants and many of the bath houses employ only gradute Swedish masseurs.

The Elms and Snapp's hotels have spacious and luxurious bathing establishments with elevator service from all floors. Each have separate departments for men and women. Without exception all of the many other bathing establishments are conveniently located within the hotel, boarding and apartment house district.

Invalids are advised to consult a resident physician as to the use of the water and baths suited to their individual requirements. Many of the waters contain medicinal properties that are definite in their action - not merely negative - and harmful results may follow their miscellaneous use.

The Club House is 200 feet above the Springs and overlooks, for many miles in every direction, a strikingly beautiful landscape. This beautiful envii-onment is protected by a restricted area of 500 acres owned by the Club.

The course - 6,450 yards in length, par 75, bogey 82 - covers 125 acres of natural golfing land - diversified, rolling, wooded upland - which has been covered with a heavy carpet of native blue grass for over 30 years. Well known as "The course with no artificial hazards", it calls for an interesting variety of true golf play. There are no holes that one recalls as dull, or as freakish; a good proportion stand favorable comparison with noted holes on other links and 2, 11 and 13 have a fame of their own as "The finest natural holes in the country".

Hosts of golfers now desert their home clubs, twice each year, to be out of doors in the ideal spring and autumn weather on Golf Hill. The Club is open the year round ; the perfect drainage and heavy tui-f permitting continuous play excepting during Januaiy and P^ebruary.

The Club House, which started in a log house (built in 1835), has been added to a number of times to meet requirements, now shelters locker-rooms, showers, and the many comforts usual to country clubs. Luncheon is served. There is a professional who gives lessons, makes clubs, and supplies all needed golfing accessories. Visitors cards for the day, week or month can be obtained at the Club House, entitling one to the Club and course privileges.

The many hotels, the scores of apartments and rooming houses, flats and furnished cottages, meet the strictest requirements of the very-rich as well as the very-modest in purse.

The large hotels are architecturally pleasing and of fire-proof consti'uction. They are complete with every convenience and luxury to be had in the highest type of hotels in the greater cities, but they carry an added appeal to those who are seeking pleasure, rest and health.

Some have an added attraction as evidenced by a notably beautiful park, a spacious sun-parlor, a breezy roof garden or a complete bathing establishment, and all have an unusual excess of living and lounging space in their lobbies, assembly and ball rooms and verandas. All have good orchestras, dancing and a variety of entertainments.

The smaller hotels and the boarding houses as well, are noted for the uniform excellence of table and room service and moderate charges. The apartments and flats offer a wide range of choice. One can have a suite of handsomely furnished rooms, including bath, dining room and kitchenette, or light housekeeping in a modest furnished cottage - the range of choice is almost unlimited.

It may be remarked here that the reasonable charges for all classes of accommodations, also prevail in all other lines of business. This condition will probably continue in marked contrast to the cost of living at other resorts, for there is here a steady flow of visitors all the year round.

Siloam Spring, ever since its discovery which led to the founding of Excelsior Springs in 1881, has been the center around which the visitors and residents have assembled - it remains the "hub" of the city. The fine woodland surrounding it and extending to the southern line of hills, together with a wide frontage on Broadway, the combined area occupying two-thirds of the entire valley, has been purchased for the main park entrance and the site of the park's most elaborate development.

The entrance is approached east and west by the Broadway "White Way". The same effective scheme of illumination has been extended to other streets and this together with the brilliantly lighted spring pavilions, places of amusement and shop vdndows, give the town at night a bright, inviting appearance. The stores and shops in great variety, with their smart window displays and up-to-date stocks, are in themselves an interesting feature. They satisfactorily meet the wide range of needs of a resort and home community.

The school system ranks among the best in the state. There are two primary schools, and the new High School, built at a cost of $65,000.00, includes manual training, domestic science, business and teacher training among its courses. Its graduation certificates are accepted by all western universities. There is a fine Carnegie Public Library. Nearly all leading denominations of churches are represented : Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist, Catholic, Christian, Christian Union and Christian Science.

The Home Telephone Company owns its own exchange building and operates the Bell long distance system. The leading hotels have telephone service in all sleeping rooms.

There are many garages and also auto repair shops. The only manufacturing industries of a commercial nature are the necessary public utilities plants, the bottling works, the pure milk company, and the ice and cold storage plant.

Broadway, as well as all the other streets in the business section of the town, is paved with asphalt. The alleys are paved with brick laid on a concrete foundation. The curbing and sidewalks are cement. A sanitary sewerage system serves every section of the city. The domestic water supply comes from deep wells, eight miles south of the town near the Missouri River and is pumped to the water tower and reservoir which feed the high and low levels. No city has a better supply of pure water.

With water and sewer connections enforced, the surface drainage provided for, and a monthly sanitary examination of the springs, the city has taken every practical and scientific precaution to prevent any possible contamination of its mineral waters and safeguard the health of its residents and visitors.

In the fullest meaning of the words, there are here all the comforts and conveniences of a prosperous sanitary city amid beautiful and restful rural surroundings.

Amusements indoor and out are plentiful, all one would expect to find at a national resort. The shaded roads and byways, leading in every direction through the picturesque surrounding country, offer every temptation for walking, horseback riding, driving and motoring. The high class saddle horses, for which the Springs is well knovra, come from this blue grass region of fine cattle and horses.

The Annual Fox Hunt over a preserve of nearly 2,000 acres some six miles distant has a more than local reputation and brings hundreds of hunters each fall to the camping ground in a forest nearby the scene of the meet.

A large three-story building, costing $80,000, is devoted entirely to in-door sports - on the first floor are ten bowling alleys - and there are many other places devoted to clean, healthful amusements.

Excelsior Springs is 30 miles northeast of Kansas City, "The Heart of America", and no other resort can be reached so comfortably and quickly, from all parts of the United States. More than 10,000,000 people are within a night's ride.

In the spring of 1880, the first school in Excelsior Springs began the work of preparing the children for a more efficient life and better citizenship. It was a private school with three months' term, taught by Mrs. Robert Caldwell at her present home, the Caldwell House. This first school mistress of Excelsior Springs taught forty-odd pupils, coming mostly from tents on the hillside, in rooms fitted with the furniture discarded from a country school house.

In the fall of the same year, the first district school was opened. A man started the term as teacher, but he imbibed too freely of something stronger than mineral water, and was promptly discharged by the school directors.

In the spring of '81, Mrs. Caldwell taught a three months' term in the old Snyder building on Broadway. It has burned down since but it stood where De Hoff's paint shop is now. That fall the directors rented three down stairs rooms in a combination store-house and residence on Broadway. Tom Wills was principal and Mrs. Caldwell and Miss Nancy Garrett, now the wife of Rev. H. A. Hunt, were teachers.

Mrs. Caldwell's last term of teaching was of eight months' in the fall of '83 and the spring of '84. She was principal and Miss Mattie Withers was the other teacher. The Baptist church had just been completed and school was held in it with a calico curtain dx'awn across to make two rooms.

Speaking of her experience in teaching, Mrs. Caldwell said, "None of the schools were graded, but we taught nearly everything except Latin. Classes began at eight o'clock, and, in the afternoon, they lasted until the work was finished which was often five o'clock. Among my old pupils were Jeff and Walter Craven, Sam Huey, Mrs. Callerman, the six Prather boys, Lee and Wes Brummitt, Charlie Coppinger and Reba Prather, now Mrs. Coppinger".

About that time, D. W. Henrie, then clerk of the Excelsior House, and, according to Mrs. Caldwell, "the best school director she ever saw", began working to interest people in a library for the schools. Mrs. Caldwell says she can remember yet how he looked bringing in a bushel basket of books that had been donated, and distributing them for the pupils to use".

In December, 1885, the Wyman school was completed. It has four rooms and was built on land donated by the Excelsior Springs Company, which owned most of the land in Excelsior Springs at that time. It took its name from Anson Wyman, the founder of the town - a brother of Jake Wyman. The first school in the building began in January, 1886, with Dr. J. J. Gaines as principal.

Doctor Gaines says of the school and the town at the time: "No railroad ran through the town and everyone had to come in wagons from Liberty. There were no water or lighting systems and we used kerosene lamps. I lived in the Cliff House where Frank Benson now lives, and looking down on the town on winter nights I could count all the lights on the fingers of one hand. There was not a graded school in the county. In the common school course wo taught some subjects more advanced than those now taught in the grammar schools. The pupils studied what they wanted and when they wanted to. While I was principal, the first class was graduated from the public schools. The members of the class were W. D. Flack, Fred Dice, Mel Weston and Mrs. Mollis McGlothlin, later Mrs. J. H. Samples, but now dead".

Prof. H. H. King was principal from 1888 to 1890. Under him the course of study was enlarged and for the first time was uniform with that of the rest of the county.

In 1890 the Isley school was built on ground donated by Jeiry Isley. Under Professor Iliggs, from 1890 to 1892, the High School was established. A full four years' course of study was not then offered, but one of the subjects offered was bookkeeping. The High School was brought up to the accredited standard under Prof. J. F. Kennedy, 1892-1900. Leslie Bates was superintendent the year following Professor Kennedy.

While B. F. Brown was superintendent, from 1901-1904, athletics were introduced in the schools. The High School commenced playing baseball and football with Liberty but. sad to say until recent years, was always defeated. In 1902 the Isley school burned. An effort was made to rebuild where the Crystal Lithia Spring now stands instead of on the old site. The proposition was submitted to the people and was defeated by seventeen votes. The school was rebuilt on the east hill in 1903, and an addition has since been added to it. Prof. A. C. Farley was superintendent from 1904 to 1908, and Miss Eva Packard from 1908 to 1910.

The development of the school has been especially great and rapid since 1910. Prof. G. W. Beswick was superintendent at that time and held the position for four years. During that period football and baseball were dropped and basketball and track work were substituted. At the beginning of Mr. Beswick's term, the schools were in a veiy crowded condition. The High School was jammed in with the grades in the Wyman school building. It had three rooms and an inadequate library, upstairs, with a laboratory so poorly lighted that work in it was difficult, downstairs. One set of pupils had to study in a room while another recited which made the study difficult and the work poor. The faculty consisted of but four members, and graduates on going to college found themselves handicapped by their poor high school training.

In 1912, the present High School building was completed ; manual training and domestic science were added to the High School cumculum. In 1913 the new heating plant was built with the manual training room over it. The manual training and domestic science courses were thrown open to the seventh and eighth grades. Mechanical drawing was put in the old manual training room on the first floor of the High School building. A music supervisor was employed and credits were given in music just as in the other subjects.

In 1914 the present superintendent, G. W. Deimer, was employed. During the seven years of his administration the growth and improvem.ent of the schools has been continuous. During 1915 the capacity of the High School building was doubled by the addition of the south half of the building. This addition not only pi-ovided needed rooms to take care of the growth of the High School but contained a large and splendidly equipped auditorium.

During 1915-1916 the Junior HSgh School was organized, the first school of its kind to be thus organized in the state of Missouri. This school has proved a great success and has been the means of stimulating greatly the interest in grades seven and eight. So great has been the increased interest in these grades, that the enrollment in grades seven

During 1915-1916, the Commercial and Teacher Training courses were added. Scores of graduates from the Commercial Department are holding responsible positions in the business world, while some of the best teachers in Clay and Ray Counties received their professional training in the Teacher Training Department of the E.xcelsior Springs High School.

The war stopped temporarily the development of the schools. The year following the close of the war, the schools again began to move forward. Vocational Agriculture and Vocational Home Economics were added to the Senior High School course of study and special teachers were employed to take care of these courses. A full time Librarian and Studyi Hall teacher was employed, and the Excelsior Springs High School now has one of the best libraries to be found in any high school in the state.

The Excelsior Springs High School has been repeatedly rated by the State Depai-tment of Education as one of best high schools in the state. The school is a member of the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges, the highest official rating that any high school can have.

In various school activities the schools, also, have an enviable record. In 1918-1919 the high school basket ball team won the northwest Missouri and all state championships. In 1919-1920, the debating team, also, won the northwest Missouri and state titles. During this same year the school won the point trophy in the literary contests at William -Jewell College.

The People of Excelsior Springs believe in education and have seen to it that progressive and able citizens are placed on the Board of Education. With men of unquestioned integrity in charge, the people of the community have given liberal financial support to the schools. As a result of this liberal financial policy, the schools are among the best equipped in the state. The Board has been able to pay attractive salaries in order to secure and hold competent teachers.