A History of Madison County

Wednesday, June 27, 2018 | B1

PRIDE Edition ‘A History of MAdison County’

Supplement to the Democrat News

JuNe 27, 2018

00 1

MADISON COUNTY BICENTENNIAL

B2 | Wednesday, June 27, 2018

A HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY ‌As Madison County celebrates its bicentennial this year, the third and final section of the 2018 Madison County Pride edition is a tribute to the rich history of this county.

The 100, 75, 50, and 25-year-old memories inside this section were compiled by Democrat News reporter Tori Kemper. The introduction was submitted by Historic Madison County.

Many of the photos came from the pages of the Democrat News. Others were provided by Historic Madison County.

The History of Madison County PROVIDED BY HISTORIC MADISON COUNTY

‌A

county in the southeastern part of the State, bounded on the north by St. François; east by Perry and Bollinger; south

by Bollinger and Wayne, and west

by Iron County; area 316,000 acres.

Its topography is irregular, ranging from valleys to high hills and mountains. West of the St. Francis River the greatest elevation is reached, Rock Creek Mountain, the highest, being 575 feet. Elevations of other mountains are, Blue, 551 feet; Daguerre, 492; Block, 467, and Smith, 432.

There is little soil in the mountain district, which is covered with flinty rock and broken porphyry.

Generally the valleys in the elevated sections have a light covering of red clay, which in places produce good crops of wheat. In the northern part is a plateau, with soil based upon syenitic rock, which by careful cultivation bears fair crops, but is chiefly valuable for fruit-growing.

The county is drained by the Castor and St. Francis and their tributaries. The Castor flows in a southerly direction through the eastern part, having its source in the northeast, and from the east receives the waters of Dry and Ground’s Creeks, and from the west the feeders are Kelly’s and Mouser’s Creeks. The St. Francis flows through the western part and is fed by Brewer’s, Stout’s, Marble and Leathenvood Creeks from the west, and by Cedar, Turkey, Twelve Mile, Little St. Francis, Piney, Dry and Trace Creeks from the east. In the bottomless along these streams the soil is a sandy loam, and in places of great fertility. Only about thirty-five per cent of the land is under cultivation, the remainder consisting of barren mountains and timber which is plentiful, consisting mainly of oak, hickory, pine and ash. The minerals in the county are lead, zinc, iron, cobalt, nickel, some copper and silver, though the last two metals are not known to exist in paying qualities. Lumbering and mining are the chief industries besides stock-raising and agriculture.

In 1897, there were exported from the county 3,826 head of cattle; 8c. head of hogs; 1,080 head of sheep; 1,190,375 pounds of poultry; 257,775 dozens of eggs; 40,000 pounds of tallow; 52,564 pounds of hides; 750 bales of hay; 12,703 barrels of flour; 3,000 pounds of cheese; 5,517 pounds of furs; 1,864 pounds of feathers; 1,720 tons pig lead; 100 tons nickel ore; 34 cars stone; 4,330,000 feet of lumber; 11,040 railroad ties; 14 cars cooperage, and 23,871 pounds dried fruit.

Owing to many small mining towns the farmers find at home a market for the greater part of their product. The total assessed value of property in the county in 1897 was $1,003,822; full estimated value, $2,717,662.

In the county the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railway has twenty-three miles of track.

The first white men to make exploration in what now comprises Madison County were Renault and La Motte and their companions

about the years 1721-23. They discovered minerals, principally lead, but, owing to their finding no silver ore, no settlement was made at that time. According to the report of Moses Austin, made to Captain Stoddard in 1804, giving an account of the mines in what was then Missouri Territory, in 1723 Renault discovered mine La Motte.

About two years later “La Motte opened and wrought the mine” named after him. Between 1725 and 1800 the settlements in what is now Madison County were migratory. During a few months of the year, some of the settlers at Ste. Genevieve and New Bourbon would work at the mines, taking such ore as could be easily reduced by primitive processes.

The first person of whom there is any record of his settlement upon land in the county for agricultural purposes is John Callaway, a Kentuckian, who in 1799 was granted land on Saline Creek at the mouth of the Little St. Francis.

About the same time a number of sons of Nicholas Lachance settled upon land on Castor Creek.

Lachance, pere, was an early settler of Kaskaskia, and held land there under one of the first French grants. Later he moved with members of his family to New Bourbon.

He had nine sons, and from information contained in the American State papers, it is evident they were of a roving disposition, and some of them had frequently changed their places of residence.

In 1800 grants of 400 arpens of land each were made to thirteen people. The records show that these grants were located upon Big River. However, the recipients settled near the present site of Fredericktown, on the Little St. Francis, at the mouth of the Saline, and, as was the French custom, formed “a village which they called St. Michaels, and from it cultivated their land.

In this settlement were Antoine Lachance, Nicholas Lachance, Jr., Joseph, Francis and Michael Lachance. Testimony adduced before the land commissioners, some years later, tends to show that the place was not made the permanent home of the Lachances, excepting Nicholas, Jr., who, in his claim for 500 arpens, offered testimony to show that previous to 1803 he had built a cabin on Maple Creek and made maple sugar.

Pierre Chevalier, who also was a resident of Kaskaskia, located upon land near St. Michaels, as did also Paul, Baptiste and Andrew De Guire, Gabriel Nicolle, Peter Veriet and John Matis.

The records show that Peter Veriet in April, 1800, purchased from Nicholas Lachance and Judith, his wife, their claim to land near the Castor. Before the land commissioners, his title to this land was not affirmed.

Among other early settlers in the county were William Easum and James and Samuel Campbell, who settled prior to 1803 and built cabins near the St. Francis, and cultivated the land.

John Mathews in 1802 was granted 1,070 arpens on the St. Francis, and other early settlers were Christopher Anthony, who laid a foundation for a house in 1802; John L. Petitt, William

Early photo of the Madison County Court House. ford, Daniel Philips and Craw­ Thomas Crawford. With few exceptions the earliest settlers were from Kaskaskia, New Bourbon and Ste. Genevieve.

Tribes of Kickapoo, Chickasaw and Osage Indians lived near the St. Francis, and their depredations prevented a rapid settlement of this section. As early as 1763 Chickasaws killed one of the Valle family at Mine La Motte, and for some years so terrorized the people that the mine was left unworked. On account of these depredations and fears of attack the early settlers formed villages for protection, and no doubt this is one of the reasons why pioneers of Madison County cultivated land at other points than designated in their land grants. In 1806 Elijah O’Bannon, a Virginian, located two miles west of St. Michaels, and in 1818 burned the first brick and erected the first brick house in the county. About the time of O’Bannan’s arrival the Whiteners and Mousers settled upon the creeks which bear their names.

Madison County was organized by legislative act December 14, 1818, and was named in honor of President Madison. The county then extended to Black River, and was reduced to its present limits in 1857, when a portion of it was included in Iron County.

The first county court was held February 12, 1821, at the house of J. G. W. McCabe, the justices being William Dillon and Henry Whitener, with Nathaniel Cook, clerk.

Then the county was divided into Castor Township, eastern part; St. Michaels, western, and Liberty, northern part. Two new towns were added, German and Twelve Mile. St. Francis Township was organized in 1845, Arcadia in 1848 and Union in 1850. Arcadia and the greater parts of Union and Liberty were cut off by the organization of Iron County in 1857. The present townships are Polk, St. Michaels, Liberty, St. Francis, Castor, Twelve Mile and German.

The first county seat was St. Michaels, and in 1819 the commissioners appointed to locate a permanent seat of justice—Theodore F. Tong, John Burdett, John Bennett and Henry Whitener—selected Fredericktown, two and a half miles distant from that place.

Up to 1822, courts were held in private houses in St. Michaels. That year a brick courthouse was built at Fredericktown, and in Novem-

VE R E S O T D U PRO MADISON COUNTY!

FREDERICKTOWN OUTREACH CENTER Located on Madison County Road 517

ber was occupied by the court. The building, which stood in the center of the public square, was used until November, 1899, when it was torn down to make room for a new building.

November 5, 1899, by order of the county court, bonds for the building of a new courthouse were issued to the amount of $10,000 and bids for the construction of a fine building were advertised for. The county was free from debt and had more than $10,000 in its treasury. With this amount and from that derived from the sale of the bonds the building was completed in November, 1900, at a cost of about $22,000. It is one of the most substantial and handsome public buildings in southeast Missouri.

The first jail was built of logs.

This was burned by a prisoner named Farland.

At the November term, 1827, Conrad Cathner, on change of venue from Cape Girardeau, was tried for the murder of Charles Hinkle. He was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to one year’s imprisonment and $500 fine. Every alternate month of his sentence the court directed that he work in Elisha Bennett’s blacksmith shop in Fredericktown, chained to an anvil and be returned to the jail each night.

The first members of the bar to locate in Madison County were William M. Newberry, a native of Frankfort, Kentucky, where he was born in 1800. At the age of eighteen he located in Missouri and for a while taught school. As early as 1826 he practiced law.

Other lawyers who lived in the county previous to the Civil War were Samuel Caruthers, D. M. Fox, Samuel Collier and W. N. Nolle.

During the War of 1812 a company was organized in Ste. Genevieve, and many residing in that portion now comprising Madison County became members.

During the Civil War the county furnished soldiers to both Federal and Confederate sides.

On October 21, 1861, there was a battle at Fredericktown, the Federals under Colonel Plummer being victorious. The Confederate forces were under the command of Colonel Jeff Thompson. Until the close of the war there was some skirmishing in the county, but no other battle.

The pioneers of Madison County were mostly Catholics. Up

to 1820 services, at long intervals, were held in the houses of members. In 1820, in what was known as New Village (founded in 1814 after the overflow of St. Michaels by the Castor and St. Francis Rivers) a small log church was built.

In 1827 it was taken down and removed to Fredericktown, and a regular parish formed, with Father Francis Cellini, Pastor. Father Cellini in early life was a surgeon in the Italian Army. After locating in Fredericktown he manufactured a number of proprietary remedies, which were sold under his name. Besides attending to the spiritual wants of the settlers, he looked after their health as well and acquired a wide reputation as an excel­lent surgeon as well as that of a good priest. As a housekeeper he employed a Mrs. Smith, a benevolent woman of considerable wealth. She donated to the parish the site for the church at Fredericktown, also much of the means for the erection of the necessary buildings. She passed her later days at a convent in St. Louis, where she died. Father Cellini was Pastor at Fredericktown until 1842, and a year later was succeeded by Father Savelle, who in 1845 was transferred to another parish and the place was filled by Father Tucker, a native of Perry County, who remained pastor until his death, in December, 1880. Father Tucker lived a frugal life and at his death left considerable money, which was found concealed in different parts of his house, to the Little Sisters of the Poor and to the bishop.

In 1846, under his direction, a brick church was built, and later a parochial house.

In 1814 the Baptist association organized Providence Church in a small log house on the St. Francis River, not far from Fredericktown.

Later a church was built on Castor River. In 1814 John Farrar, a resident of the section now Madison County, was ordained a minister of the Baptist Church and resided in the county until 1825. The present Baptist Church at Fredericktown was organized January 18, 1870.

In 1838 the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized and a church built at Fredericktown on the site of the present church, which was erected in 1880.

The earliest schools were run on the subscription plan. The Catholics about 1828 established a school for girls, which was taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph, and about the same time a school for boys was started.

The public school system was not inaugurated in the county until 1880. The number of public schools in the county at present is 60; teachers, 75; pupils, 3,640; permanent school fund (1897), $3,173.03.

The first newspaper in the county was the “Espial,” published

by John Lindsay, established in 1847. It was the first Free Soil paper published in the State, and had a life of about two years.

The principal towns and villages in the county are Fredericktown, Mine La Motte, Marquand, Jewett, Cornwall and Saco.

The population in 1900 was 9,975. The population in 2000 was not much larger, near 11,000.

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MADISON COUNTY BICENTENNIAL

Wednesday, June 27, 2018 | B3

Perry Johnson Ford Agency, 1918

100 years ago

in 1918

Ford ad from 1918.

VICTORIA KEMPER

573-783-3366‌

‌In 1918, Mr. Sonderman purchased the Pierce Store from Andrew and William Pierce. The Pierce Store was then torn down and the present brick building was built in 1919. The Sonderman Store sold eggs, chickens, sheep wool and grains such as corn and wheat supplied by farmers. nnn

The first airplane was flown into Fredericktown in September 1918 by Carl L. Bess who had been training for several months at Scott Aviation Field. The town took on a holiday attitude according to an article in the Democrat News as rural areas were notified by telephone and everyone gathered in Cahoon’s pasture. Bess gave a great flying exhibition according to the article.

This ad appeared throughout the 1918 editions of the Democrat News promoting the use of flour alternatives.

nnn

Sonderman Furniture Store and Building A strike occurred at the Missouri Cobalt Company in March freezing up. wheat flour sold. Substitutes inwhen 60 carpenters and nearly nnn cluded hominy, corn grits, cornas many machine shop men and Consumers were required to meal, edible corn starch, barley other workmen employed at the buy equal weight of wheat flour flour, rolled oats, oatmeal, rice, plant refused to go to work. Work- substitutes with every pound of rice flour, buckwheat flour, potato ers were demanding to be paid for ten hours a day when only working eight hours. One of the workers stated they believed they have contributed the extra two hours a day of their time over the past eighteen months to get the company in operation.

flour, sweet potato flour, soy bean flour and feterita flour and meals.

Due to rationing for World War I people caught with excess flour had the product confiscated and sold with the money given to the Red Cross. Ads throughout 1918 often advertised that food would win the war. One read, “If each family used 4 cups of flour less per week, the saving would be 22 million pounds or 112,244 barrels every week. The greatest help housekeepers can give to win the war is to make this saving.”

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years

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A census taken March by various churches in the area showed the population of Fredericktown to be 3,200.

Joshua M. C. Young, one of the county’s oldest citizens at the age of 75, was said to to have the distinction of having the most descendants of any other man in this section of the state. The January 18 edition of the Democrat News states he had 17 children, 78 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren, most of whom resided in the county as prosperous and respected citizens.

The town experienced temperatures of 28 below zero and four to six foot snow drifts in January. “A storm of unparalleled bitterness was raging. Heavy snow was falling and by evening the drifts had almost stopped traffic. Near town several drifts of four to six feet were reported and doctors and others whose business required the use of the roads were about ready to quit,” an article from the Democrat News said. The storm and cold cut the town off from wood suppliers and fuel only getting by due to a prior delivery of coal. The article said All lines of work were suspended. The Cobalt Company made no attempt to hold any men who were not vitally necessary to keep their plant from County office holders ride through the court house square in the early 1900s.

45

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President Wilson, as a necessary conservation measure, issued a Proclamation prohibiting the manufacture of cereal beverages on and after Dec. 1, 1918, which Proclamation also made it necessary to discontinue the manufacture of Bevo, the Anheuser-Busch soft drink. Anheuser-Busch shut down production and adapted the facility to aid in the war.

nnn

Printer has the Flu, in 1918 one of the Democrat News publishers came down with the flu and was quarantined at home. The paper was reduced in size that week due to the circumstances. The paper stated, “The remainder of the Democrat News force has been exposed and if no paper comes to you next week, it will indicate nobody is left to publish one.” nnn

Please see 1918, Page B4

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19732018

MADISON COUNTY BICENTENNIAL

B4 | Wednesday, June 27, 2018

The Great Influenza of 1918

BY ANTHONY STARR (PROVIDED BY HISTORIC MADISON COUNTY)

Dr. Franklin R. DeHoney ‌ “worked 24 hours a day for 3 weeks” at Fort Benjamin Harrison during “our terrible epidemic of Spanish influenza that has been devastating the army camps of the country… I am in the very center of it.” He was the first physician from Madison County to volunteer for the Army Medical Corps during the Great War. 1 Lieutenant DeHoney left Fredericktown on 14 August 1918 for “Fort Ben,” nine miles northeast of downtown Indianapolis. He was ambivalent about the assignment—both eager to serve, and fearful that assignment to a post hospital might prevent his transfer to France. Over the fortnight before shipping out, he wound up his practice, asked patients to settle their bills, and sold his “nearly new Ford roadster” that he described as loaded with “all the extra equipments and attachments that are worth anything.” 2 Fourteen physicians lived in Madison County when the Medical Section of the County Council of Defense classified them for war work in September 1918. The local committee had been ordered “to classify the physicians of the County as to their fitness for Military Service and have the Classification published so that all may see where each physician is placed.” The Democrat-News published the list on its front page.

Franklin R. DeHoney and Charles U. Davis comprised Class No. 1, for those commissioned in the Army or Navy. Class No. 2 held those available for active service: Shelby C. Slaughter, John K. Smith, W. Harry Barron, Moses B. Barber, and Oscar Cohen. Class

No. 3 held those excused because of disability, age, public need, dependents, or sex: Oba Haley, George H. Greenwood, Caruthers A. Anthony, Lafayette Hull, and George M. Carr. Alone in Class No. 4 was George. L. Dines. This group included “aliens” and those deemed “morally or professionally deficient”—Dines was a citizen; his “deficiency” was probably the terminal tuberculosis that caused him to stop practice a few years earlier, to fail his army draft physical in September 1918, and that would kill him at age 44 in February 1919. William Nifong was excused from the process because of advanced age and his previous retirement from medicine. 3 By the time DeHoney arrived, Fort Benjamin Harrison had been converted into General Hospital No. 25, designated for wounded soldiers from Indiana, Kentucky, and southern Illinois. On 24 September, the first soldier with influenza was admitted, joining 202 patients that were suffering from other maladies. Two days later, the Indianapolis News reported that sixty men at Fort Ben had influenza, but that “an epidemic is not feared.” On 1 October, fifty soldiers training as engineers at the fort were assigned to supplement hospital nurses as flu cases rose to 650. By 6 October, flu had killed forty-one soldiers; 1,653 had been diagnosed with flu, of which 1,300 were hospitalized.

The whole hospital had 400 beds when the outbreak began. To accommodate the flood of sick men, barracks were cleared out and twenty-five tents were pitched for use as improvised flu wards. On 9 October, hospital patients numbered 1,709, of which 1,550 suffered from the flu. October 11 saw

forty-seven new cases and twenty-four deaths, indicating that the epidemic at the fort had peaked. A week later, new cases dropped to twelve and deaths to four. On October 30, Fort Ben’s medical staff reported no deaths in the previous twenty-four hours. 4 DeHoney wrote of his battle against the epidemic flu in a letter published by the Democrat-News on 24 October 1918: “[W]hen I came here I was placed in the surgical department, but the first day that the real epidemic of influenza struck us I was taken from the surgical department and put in charge of what they called the influenza ward. A ward containing fifty-six beds. They filled it up the first day. Then they began to turn patients out of other wards of the hospitals and use them for influenza wards. Turning them over to my care successively until I had one hundred and twenty patients occupying four wards under my care, having at this time only one assistant. No more doctors being available. When these four wards were full, (no more hospital room being available) they began to turn officers and soldiers out of their quarters and barracks into hospitals. After a few days pneumonia began to develop among them.

On the first day of pneumonia development they moved all of my influenza patients to other wards and made my wards into exclusive pneumonia wards. And in five days I had one hundred cases of pneumonia and my assistant had been taken away from me. Only desperate cases were put into my wards, so you can easily see how much time I had to loaf with one hundred desperate cases of pneumonia to treat all alone and short on nurses. I only worked 24 hours

a day for 3 weeks. This form of pneumonia is the most desperate form known and is what kills nearly all patients who die from influenza. Some of the patients coming to my wards died on the way while in the ambulance and a great many died in a few hours after arriving. … We have had 3,000 cases of influenza, 600 cases of pneumonia with 154 deaths up to this writing. … Many of the cases were such short duration that it was impossible for their people to get here in time to see them alive, even though they only lived a few hundred miles away. Some of the men were attacked by influenza in the afternoon, followed by pneumonia at night and died before daylight. Some even died before reaching the hospital.” 5 The influenza attacking DeHoney’s patients was different from the disease that he had known. The symptoms of normal flu were as well-known then as they are now: fever, chills, nasal congestion, cough, headache, nausea, loss of appetite, and muscle aches. When it killed, it took the very young and the old through a relatively-peaceful pneumonia—because of this, in the era before antibiotics, pneumonia was often called “the old man’s friend.” The flu at Fort Ben in 1918 struck down vigorous young men, turned them blue, made them spit blood and bleed from their noses, inflamed their kidneys, caused air to leak from lungs and settle beneath the skin, and consolidated their lungs into solid blocks of flesh and blood. It killed at unbelievably high rates.

When it killed, it did so quickly, violently, and dramatically.

For all its terrible novelty, this influenza shared a crucial char-

acteristic with its old and familiar form: it was highly contagious.

1. Democrat-News (Fredericktown, Mo.) 49 (32), 24 October 1918, 1.

(This newspaper hereafter called “DN.”) D-N 49 (20), 1 August 1918, 1.

2. D-N 49 (22), 15 August 1918, 10.

D-N 49 (20), 1 August 1918, 1.

3. D-N 49 (26), 12 September 1918, 1. George Lee Dines Draft Registration Card, 12 September 1918; World War 1 Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918; M1509, 4,582 rolls; National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; ancestry.com. D-N 49 (50), 27 February 1919, 1. George Lee Dines Certificate of Death, 23 February 1919; Certificate 6544; Missouri Digital Heritage; Missouri Secretary of State; https://www. sos.mo.gov/images/archives/ deathcerts/1919/1919_00006827.

PDF (accessed 12 April 2018).

4. Stephen E. Bower, A History of Fort Benjamin Harrison, 1803-1982 (Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind.: Command History Office, US Army Soldier Support Center, 1984), 30. Jill Weiss, “War, Plague, and Courage: Spanish Influenza at Fort Benjamin Harrison & Indianapolis,” (11 July 2017), The Indiana History Blog, Indiana Historical Bureau, https://blog.history.in.gov/?p=3140 (accessed 18 May 2018). Report of the Surgeon General, U. S. Army, to the Secretary of War, 1919, 2 vols., (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1919), 1:779-780. [“statistics for the calendar year 1918…together with the financial statement for the year ending June 30, 1919.”]

5. D-N 49 (32), 24 October 1918, 1.

1918 From B3

G. H. Robinson of Route 2, near Castor came to town exhibiting a find of his which was said to have attracted the attention of the whole town. The Democrat News article said while spading up his garden he unearthed an old tin can containing a complete counterfeiting outfit with some of the spurious coins. Some of the old citizens believed it was part of the outfit used by counterfeiters who were arrested and sent to the penitentiary from the eastern part of this county around 1898. nnn

The Missouri Cobalt Co. increased wages for every employee of the plant at the rate of 3 cents per hour. The increase will generally mean 24 cents per day or more.

Mines located two miles east of Fredericktown. Circa 1910

East Main Street from the Court House in the 1900s.

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In May the Democrat News reported the biggest parade that Fredericktown had ever witnessed. The Liberty Parade consisted of at least 2,500 participants and was over a mile long.

The entire procession was lined with flags and banners and the crowd gathered around the court house to hear Rev. P. G. Thogmorton of the Methodist Church dedicate the county service flag. Also that day a war relic train arrived at the depot with an estimated 5000 people in attendance to see the contents. The Democrat News reported the contents included a flying machine, a six inch Howitzer, a torpedo, a 75 millimeter French gun, an American machine gun, a French machine gun

American Legion of Fredericktown’s carousel, 1916. been noted over Fredericktown for its size. The arrival of twins makes a total of nine youngsters. The Democrat News reand many minor displays. It was nnn reported that thousands of peoA little boy and little girl ar- ported that Mr. Kinder applied ple were kept from the event due rived at the home of T.S. Kinder for Liberty Bonds for each of his to flooding in the area. in November. The family has children but was turned down The Old Plank Road

on the grounds that Madison County should not be so heavily over subscribed. nnn

Madison County was awarded an honor flag for having subscribed its quota of Liberty Bonds.

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00 1

MADISON COUNTY BICENTENNIAL

Wednesday, June 27, 2018 | B5

1943 ad for Thal’s I.G.A. Store

75 years ago

in 1943 VICTORIA KEMPER

573-783-3366‌

‌In February 1943 the first of the Madison County Rural Fire Fighters were given arm bands and certificates of completion at the community program at Oak Grove. The program taught first aid and how to make a stretcher. At the time many believe sabotage and bombing would not occur in this section but if it came to it, these Rural Fire Fighters would have been prepared to take the lead in knowing what to do and getting it done. nnn

training class for the Fredericktown High School during the school year 1943-44. Heagerty, at the suggestion of County Supt.

Luther King and other school men of the county, approached the state department with the idea in the hopes of helping solve the teacher shortage in the rural schools of Madison County. The program lasted only during the war period and upon completion of the high school course and the teacher’s training class, a student was to be This ad promotes the movie “Star Spangled Rhythm” which played at the given a certificate which permitted Mercier Theatre for three days. May 30-31 and June 1, 1943 to include him or her to teach in rural schools. news and shorts. Matinee on Sunday cost 10 cents and 25 cents. Two shows each night, at 7 and 9 p.m., cost 10 cents and 30 cents. nnn

For the first time in the county’s history only women were selected The Democrat News offered as election judges. personalized stationary for $2.75. nnn This price included 100 sheets, The Defense Plant Corpora- 100 envelopes and your name and tion of the federal government address expertly printed on high decided to finance the St. Louis quality paper.

Smelting and Refining Company nnn in the development in FrederickAccording to the Democrat town. Authorization for the ex- News the American Red Cross penditure of about $580,000 was War Fund was requesting every announced, and the sum was said citizen contribute a day’s pay to be expended in the construc- to the cause. Madison County’s tion of a mill and in the further quota was $3,000 and the national development of the deposits of budget called for $125,000,000. lead, nickel, copper and cobalt, nnn all of which were essential to war Madison County’s fighting airproduction. ship was named Pride of Madison, nnn it was determined by a committee In April, Morris Greenwood lost in June. The county was entitled a black screw top from his Sheaffer to name a pursuit ship after it had Lifetime fountain pen and he was raised $75,000 through the sale of offering a reward. bonds, to pay for it. nnn

According to the Democrat News, rain fell in the community every day for 14 days. On most of those days the fall was sufficient to register in the rain gauges. “The situation is, of course, critical,” the article said. “All farm work has been brought to a complete standstill. Much of the bottom land has overflowed.” Only a small acreage of corn was able to be planted and it was said only meadows and pastures were promising. nnn

Star Spangled Rhythm played at the Mercier Theatre for three days May 30, 31 and June 1 for prices as low as 10 cents. nnn

It was announced by Supt. Frank Heagerty that Lloyd Grimes, assistant State Superintendent of Schools, approved a teachers

Cooper’s Store, Henry Cooper (father) and Marvin Cooper, 1929-1943.

of the camp. “As we went about the camp, and we were among the very first visitors, there was the expected manifestation of curiosity by the prisoners,” the Democrat News reporter said.

“Everywhere we met courtesy and good humor. No sooner did we approach a building than the occupants sprang to attention.

They were apparently very proud of their quarters, and beamed with happiness as we took note of their efforts to beautify them.” nnn

pany planned to employ about 150 men and was estimated that about 100 men were to be required for the actual mining work. nnn

The Lion’s Club of Fredericktown presented the new E and J Resuscitator to the Fire Department. It was reported that the apparatus took most of the human element out of the resuscitation of person near death from lack of air.

The addition of this equipment of the Fredericktown Fire Department gave local rescue squads the best equipment of the time if they ever had to battle suffocation, asphyxiation, electrocution, etc. The resuscitator was said to automatically propel air into the lung of the victim and then withdraw it.

Drills started testing lead possibilities of the area a few miles east of Fredericktown in July. The first drill was said to be set up on lands belonging to James Jewell.

The Democrat News reported the nnn community welcomed the news of nnn Due to the unprecedented heavy a thorough test to be conducted on The Civil Aeronautics Board local and long distance telephone the lands they long looked upon as was petitioned by the Marion traffic now being experienced at promising.

Trucking Co. in August for certifthe local exchange, the Telephone nnn icates of convenience and necesCompany on July 10, 1943 disconSchool authorities became con- sity to operate post war air cargo tinued giving the time of day and siderably alarmed over the short- and air transport service over an discontinued giving information age of teachers looking towards area in the middle western states regarding the location of fires. Ac- the school year. School executives that includes Fredericktown. The cording to the Democrat News they made an intensive drive on mar- Democrat News reported this gave also requested citizens begin plac- ried women who, after marriage, some hint as to what the post war ing calls by number instead of call- had quit teaching, and only a lim- world of transportation would be ing by name. This was requested to ited number, were obtained from like. improve the telephone service and that source. nnn save wear and tear on equipment nnn Fredericktown High School bewhich could not be replaced.

The Madison County property came the proud possessor of the of the St. Louis Smelting and Re- B. T.-14 air plane. The plane was nnn Representatives from the Dem- fining Co. announced its goal to be sent to the local High School by ocrat News were invited to inspect in production by the first of Oc- the U.S. Army for use in the Prethe Italian internment camp built tober. According to the Democrat Flight Aeronautics classes. The in Weingarten, June 1943. Report- News the company expected to plane was not used for flying purers were not allowed to interview have three shafts completed and a poses. However, it was a complete the prisoners during their visit considerable amount of ore devel- plane weighing 4,728 pounds, and but were shown every corner oped and stock-piled. The com- was reported as being a piece of

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Promotion for the Annual Labor Day Picnic Sept. 6, 1943. equipment that added much to the curriculum. nnn

The carnival staged at the school Friday night was a distinct success financially. The various activities netted the school somewhat more than $320. Miss Carmelita Turner was named queen of the carnival in what was reported as a spirited contest. nnn

Dear Santa Claus, I am a little girl. I am nine years old. I would like for you to bring me a doll and some nuts, apples, oranges and candy. The most I wish for is everybody to buy War Bonds and Stamps to get this war over so we can have peace and each and everyone of our boys could come home for Christmas. There would be many happy homes. So don’t forget other little boys and girls Santa Claus. I’ll be looking for you.

Your friend, Betty Lou Minor nnn

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MADISON COUNTY BICENTENNIAL

B6 | Wednesday, June 27, 2018

50 years ago

in 1968 VICTORIA KEMPER

573-783-3366‌

‌Three funeral homes in Madison County discontinued ambulance services Dec. 1. The Democrat News reported all three funeral home owners stated because of government regulations they were forced to discontinue services or risk raising funeral prices. The county began considering several avenues in connection with providing a county ran ambulance service.

Fifth Annual Jaycee Rodeo in 1968.

1968 Azalea Queen Miss Nyla Reagan

nnn

The Democrat-News was named the second best weekly in the state of Missouri in Class II in May. They were also named a Blue Ribbon weekly by the Missouri Press Association for the 15th time since 1948. nnn

The assessed valuation of Madison County jumped in 1968, after recording a gain in 1967. According to County Clerk Buell Matthews the assessed valuation this year is $10,304,268, an increase of $411,677. The assessed valuation in 1967 was $9,892,591 and $9,676,507 in 1966. nnn

Covered wagons rolled through Missouri more than 100 years ago heading west, but in August 1968 a covered wagon rolled through Fredericktown heading east. “Those Ellis Brothers” were seeking fame and fortune, and were heading east. The Democrat News reported that Ellis Brothers, Denny, Roger and Fred, country western entertainers from Denver were heading to Nashville to appear on the Grand Ole Opry before continuing east to perform for Johnny Carson on the Tonight Show. nnn

Madison Memorial Hospital began work on a federal grant in December to take over the ambulance services. The Democrat News reported the federal grant was said to pay half of the operating costs and the cost of the equipment. Personnel was beginning to be assembled and plans to purchase an ambulance from

Fredericktown Postmaster Earl A. Bollinger holds up the new six-cent stamp and one center. The local post office was almost stripped bare of both stamps in January 1968 after the increase in postage from five cents to six.

Wilson Funeral Home was in the works. nnn

Seniors Herschel Firebaugh and Karen Combs were crowned King and Queen of the annual Fredericktown High School Junior-Senior Prom.

1968 Fredericktown High School Prom King Herschel Firebaugh and Queen Karen Combs.

nnn

In December the flu reached epidemic proportions with vis- Project 68 moves forward with new shutters and fresh coat of paint to itations limited at Madison Me- buildings on East Main Street. morial Hospital to immediate family. Deaths from pneumonia and influenza had exceeded the normal expectations, according to the National Communicable Disease Center. nnn

Three city officials were busy in November helping to whip the new Jaycee City Park into shape for use by the public. Alderman John Minton, Alderman Bud Rollens and City Street Commissioner E. O. Slinkard cut grass, shaved the infield and made finishing touches to the field. The Democrat News reported the Junior Chamber of Commerce purchased the property and after making the final payment deeded the land to the Roger Ellis, one of “Those Ellis Brothers,” stands beside his covered wagon as city on the promise the area would they passed though Fredericktown in August 1968 on their way to Nashville. be used for a city park. nnn of operations with record sales crease of $47,624,792.

Brown Shoe Company reported and earnings. Net sales for the nnn the firm completed its 90th year year were $375,219,069 an inMadison County ranked high

in automobile ownership. The number of cars in use, locally, had reached a record high. According to the Democrat News the growth reflected the economic gains of the last few years and the resultant increase in car buying. According to a national survey, there were more cars in the local area, per 100 families, than generally throughout the country. The report lists a total of 4,220 passenger cars registered in Madison County at the beginning of 1968 or approximately 152 for every 100 families. nnn

In December Donald Griffith of College Park, Ga. landed his plane on a southbound strip of U.S. 67. It was reported Fredericktown had a Municipal Airport but Griffith had became lost while looking for the Farmington Airport to refuel on his way home from spending the holidays in Iowa. Griffith said he counted 25 cars pass beneath him Please see 1968, Page B7

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MADISON COUNTY BICENTENNIAL

Wednesday, June 27, 2018 | B7

1968 From B6

before he stuck his landing. nnn

Jaycee Ball Park under water during the flooding of 1993.

25 years ago

in 1993 VICTORIA KEMPER

573-783-3366‌

I‌n June Fredericktown opened an honest to goodness Farmers’ Market. The Missouri Department of Agriculture reported there were 55 farmers’ markets in Missouri in parks, church grounds, and shopping malls at the time. The site of the first farmer’s market is the Christian Church at 208 W. Main which made that number 56. Only three or four farmers were present the first few weeks.

One of the oldest structures in the county, the Rectory at St. Micheal’s Catholic Church, was torn down to make room for a new 10-room building.

The new building was said to cost in excess of $50,000 and would house living quarters, two offices and housekeeper’s accommoMadison Memorial Hospital Administrator, A. E. Seltenreich, dations. second from the left, was presented with an Eye Donor Kit, nnn In February, Senator Stu- March 1968 by Dr. Lanhuis, head of the Eye Bank at M.U. art Symington accepted an Medical Center. Flanking the pair are John Polete, District invite to participate in the Governor of 26-D and John Schmale, local Lion’s Club sixth annual Fredericktown President.

Azalea Festival. nnn

Area residents, despite bitter cold in January all but stripped the Fredericktown Post Office of the new six cent stamp and the old one-center. Postmaster Earl A. Bollinger said the post office sold approximately 18,000 one cent stamps and nearly 12,000 six-centers. By way of comparison Bollinger said during the entire Christmas season, the post office only sold about 20,000 five cent stamps. More six and one cent stamps had to be requisitioned. nnn

In January it was reported Fredericktown’s 160 parking meters in the downtown district collected an average of $3.23 per hour. This figure did not include an additional $960.34 collected in fines and penalties throughout the year.

nnn

nnn

Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems was expanded its cellular coverage in September on Highway 67 south through Fredericktown.

This was done with the activation of a cellular tower in Knob Lick. In addition to providing cellular service in Fredericktown, Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems included the local exchange “783” as part of its toll-free calling scope. By doing so customers stopped incurring a long-distance charge when dialing numbers with the “783” exchange.

The fifth annual Jaycee Rodeo was held in Fredericktown. It was reported an addition was made to the five events on the regular program, a special

Plane makes an emergency landing on Hwy 67 in January 1968. wild cow race featuring sented an Eye Donor Kit to local personalities and the Madison Memorial Hosrodeo clown. pital. The Democrat News nnn reported Dr. Lanhuis exProject 68 continued to plained the donor eyes are move forward in Frederick- used for vital research and town. The East Main Street for restoration of sight by buildings housing Dicus corneal transplants.

Drugs and Schulte Home nnn Supply were seen sporting Fredericktown claimed new shutters and a fresh a state champion Red Macoat of paint in August. ple tree. The tree was reThe refurbishing of down- portedly located at 606 W. town Fredericktown was Main, on property owned reported as progressing at a by Mrs. Webster Riggs of steady pace and making the Memphis Tenn. The red business district one of the maple measured at 13 feet, nicest in the area.

10 inches in circumference, nnn and 70 feet high with a The Lion’s Club pre- spread of 60 feet.

Proud to serve the residents of Madison and surrounding counties

nnn

In January the Democrat News reported the Fredericktown City Council accepted a bid to lengthen the Fredericktown Regional Airport to 4,000 feet and add fencing. nnn

Please see 1993, Page B8

“High Pockets George,” the tall fellow pictured above is among man King Royal Brothers Circus attractions seen in 1993.

The Lion’s Clubs bi-annual Donkey Basketball exhibition was held at the Fredericktown Middle School in March 1993.

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B8 | Wednesday, June 27, 2018

MADISON COUNTY BICENTENNIAL

1993 From B7

Two men escaped from the Madison County Jail between midnight and 5 a.m., August 24. According to Sheriff Verlon Young, the escape was aided by someone who stopped a ventilation fan going to the cells.

Then a hacksaw blade was used to saw through a grill leading to the furnace room. In the furnace room, the blade was used to cut through a lock and then the prisoners escaped through some bars which were cut years ago, and never repaired. nnn

In December the Democrat News reported that at the request of Governor Mel Carnahan, President Clinton declared Madison County and 13 other Missouri counties national disaster areas.

The declaration stemmed from severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding which occurred in the county between November 13 and 19.

1993 Nursing Home Queen was chosen in June. Pictured left to right, first nnn runner up Lillian Edwards, 91, from ClaRu DeVille, Queen Murial (Dolly) King’s 66 closed after Owner Leigh, 81, from Gideon Care Center and second runner up Alma Skaggs, Jim King called it quits after 27 81, from Sells Rest Home. years in the service station business. King worked hard up until his last day. nnn

U.S. Navy Commander Keith Koon of Fredericktown was reported in July as being deployed to the Caribbean Sea island of Puerto Rico in support of the federal government’s extensive ongoing operations designed to prevent the smuggling of illegal drugs into the United States.

Koon was reported as the Executive Officer of the U.S. Navy Patrol Squadron TEN which consisted of 360 personnel and eight aircraft.

Kristina Dawn Bridges was crowned the 1993 Azalea Queen. She is flanked by first runner up Tosha Graham (right) and second runner up Mindi Hill.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Posse met for the first time in 1993. This group was made up of citizens from the community to be used for search parties and the like.

nnn

The Fredericktown Lions Club held its bi-annual Donkey Basketball event at Fredericktown Middle School in March. Groups such as the Lion’s Club, Fredericktown Police and Fire Departments, FFA and Madison Memorial Hospital U.S. Navy Commander Keith Koon participated. nnn February 5.

In November Flood waters rose nnn several feet in some areas, includLarry Fadler, 44, of Fredericking in front of West Market on town matched all five white balls North Mine La Motte. Madison drawn on June 30 Powerball drawCounty residents got a first hand ing making him $100,000 richer. look at what many Missourians nnn experienced earlier in 1993, as More than 400 members of the heavy rains resulted in flooding 1140th Engineer Battalion of the throughout the area. The total National Guard, including several was 9.1 inches of precipitation. from Fredericktown, served on The flooding claimed the lives of state emergency duty to battle the two men in Madison County. flood in Ste. Genevieve in August.

the City Landfill October 1. The Democrat News reported stronger regulations are what was causing landfills throughout the area to close. nnn

The first Fredericktown Civil War re-enactment was held and was reportedly scripted after the original Battle of Fredericktown in 1861. nnn

Jeremiah Adam Johnson, 4, was nnn nnn selected Prince and Chelsea BaThe Madison County Veterans Fredericktown City Coun- con, 5, was selected Princess of Memorial was erected, Friday, cil unanimously voted to close the 1993 Azalea Festival. Kristina

Dawn Bridges was crowned the The Madison County Sheriff’s 1993 Azalea Queen with Mindi Posse met for the first time. The Hill and Tosha Graham as run- group headed by Charles Anthony was made up of citizens nersup. nnn and was used for search parties The Fredericktown Area Op- and the like. There were 25 to 30 timist Club brought the circus applications reviewed, and Sherto town in April. Included was a iff Verlon Young said he and An19-month old baby giraffe along thony would be accepting more with over 100 other rare and ex- applications with the hope to otic animals. King Royal Bros have 50.

Circus performed two shows on nnn the Fredericktown High School The King and Queen of the 1993 grounds under an old fashioned Fredericktown High School Prom were Robert Dunn and Kathy Arbig top tent. ment. nnn

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