CHAPTER XIII.

LITERATURE AND INVENTION.

	The first production in booklet, or pamphlet’ form, from the pen of
a Clay County writer was issued from the press in the month of June,
1855, entitled “Water Baptism No Gospel Ordinance,” by William Ken-
nedy, who was both author and publisher. In this pamphlet of 64 pages
the writer proceeds to prove that the Scriptures, when properly under
stood and consistently interpreted, do not command water baptism, hence,
that it is not obligatory upon any one.
	Though not an educated man, the author was a close student of the
Bible, mentally well poised, argumentative, and of sterling qualities and
character. Though this booklet was sought and read and was in many
Clay county homes fifty years ago, but very few copies are now known
to be in preservation. Known only as a farmer and layman, after the
publication and circulation of his pamphlet the author was frequently
approached and asked at what institution he had been educated, to which
he uniformly replied, “At Plough-Tail College.” This’ venerable, patri-
archal pioneer of the county and of the church spent his last years at
Center Point with his children, where he was gathered to his fathers at
the ripe old age of near four score years.
	Winfield Scott Zenor, in 1887, invented and published the “Historical
Quiz Cards,” an aid to teaching and acquiring events and dates in United
States history. These cards, numbering fifty to the pack, were arranged
in books, or sets, and played very much as the popular game of “Authors.”
At this time Mr. Zenor resided at Greenfield, Missouri, and was school
commissioner (superintendent) of the public schools of Dade county, but
was born, educated and married in Clay county, and taught in the schools
of Washington, Jackson, Harrison and Van Buren townships a number
of years before going to the west. He married M. Violet Usher, a native
of this county, who taught with him in the schools of Missouri. Their
only daughter, Helen, is a graduate of the Missouri State Normal school,
and a teacher. Mr. Zenor died near St. Louis, some years ago, where the
surviving members of the family reside.
	In the year 1875, there was issued from the Times office, at Worth-.
ington, a duodecimo paper-bound volume of 100 pages entitled “Early
History of Greene County,” of which A. J. Baber was both author and
publisher. Baber was a native of Greene county, but came across the
line in his childhood and spent his life of more than threescore and ten
years in this county. At a time of residing temporarily in Greene county
he wrote this history. He was so familiarly known and so closely iden-
tified’ with the populace on both sides of the line as to be an “Uncle” to
both counties.
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