Caldwell County MO Archives History .....AN EARLY BUILDING IN HAMILTON MISSOURI 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com September 4, 2008, 1:53 pm

AN EARLY BUILDING IN HAMILTON MISSOURI
	Narrator:  George Richardson, Hamilton

     Mr. Richardson is a son of an early pioneer of Hamilton, Squire Otis 
Richardson.
     One of the oldest landmarks and one of the oldest buildings in Hamilton 
was wiped out in the spring of 1896 when the old building on the right of way 
south west of the depot was torn down.  The building was built in the summer 
of 1858 for David Buster and Felix Bradley.  It was built by M.J. Bowers and 
James Russell.  It was occupied in the first floor by Dave Buster who ran a 
saloon for several years, possibly 10 or 15 years.  (See interview on Davy 
Buster.)
     In the early 60s, the second floor was occupied by the harness shop of 
Jas. McClelland, father of the millionaire Andrew McClelland of California.
     Many exciting scenes occurred there in the early history of the town.  
One of the windows was shot out in the 60s when the Caseys were killed north 
of the depot.  (This fight is described by Wm. Bristow in the first collection 
of narratives.)
     In the later days, it was used at times as a jewelry store, a dwelling, 
an office building by H. Shafer for his hard wood and railroad tie business 
just south of it, and some of the time it was vacant, save for tramps.  One of 
the last occupants whom old timers mention was one poor Furgeson family.
     It grew to be very disreputable looking, very old, very ugly.  It was lop 
sided, unpainted, siding falling out, and yet there remained some of the fancy 
work which the builders had put on its front.  At times, children used to fear 
to go by it at night, both on account of tramps and in fear of the ghosts of 
the past it being termed by some a "haunted house."  On account of its 
nearness to the depot, it gave a bad impression of the town to the stranger 
and people here often suggested that it be torn down long before it was.
     Mrs. Clara Prentice, sister of Mr. Richardson, once told the interviewer 
that a cheap grade of liquor used to be kept on hand by Mr. Buster for those 
patrons for whom the "slate was kept."
     The real slate was hung up in plain view with the reckoning of those who 
bought their whiskey on tick.  In consequence of this poor grade of whiskey, 
many a quarrel arose there but Uncle Dave always kept a smile.  She said that 
in war times, when fighting was at low ebb, this saloon was much frequented by 
the militiamen.
     Interview  1933.


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