Caldwell County MO Archives History .....HAMILTON'S FIRST BUILDING 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com August 28, 2008, 5:54 pm

HAMILTON'S FIRST BUILDING
	Narrator:  Joseph Davis, 77, of Hamilton and Others

     Mr. Davis is the first white child born in Hamilton, having been born 
June 13, 1856 in the first house erected in Hamilton.  This was the old Davis 
Hotel or Lone Star Hotel, built by his father Capt. Albert G. Davis in the 
summer 1855.  It was a two-story frame on lot 2 block 21 east side of Davis 
(Main).  It had a frontage of 22 feet, and the lot is the north half of the 
Chet Martin store site.
     For some months it was the only house between Richmond and Gallatin, and 
was a landmark to travelers along the pioneer road.  It was intended as a 
residence for the Davis family but became a hotel by necessity to accommodate 
transients who came by stage or horse to look around and stay all night.  The 
pine timber cost $70 per thousand feet, shipped from St. Louis up the Missouri 
river to Camden, Ray county and from there by ox teams to Hamilton.
     It was finished by October 1855, and probably gave meals to those 
attending the first sale of lots.  His family did not come up from Mirabile 
till April 1856.  His three youngest children were born there and two children 
died there.  The building cost $1000 when finished.  The only town well was on 
the premises.
     In 1858 Davis sold it on time to Joseph Elliott and he to Jacob Brosius 
and he to Perry Claypool, whose hotel Claypool House became well known.  While 
the Claypools were there Dr. Tuttle had a suite of rooms for a doctor's office 
on the second floor.  A.G. Davis seems to be the owner again by January 1876 
for in his rent books, he speaks of $3 a month rent from Mrs. Mattie White and 
$2.50 rent from Dr. G.W. Tuttle for rooms there.
     In 1875 E.H. Bishop had his drug laboratory in the building.  By 1878 the 
Grange (Farmers Store) was there under M.S. Kellogg until 1879.  Then A.J. 
Rhodus had it a few months as a general dry goods store, Dr. King being the 
owner.
     George Rogers was the next owner.  In the eighties Rogers and Wyatt had a 
real estate office above and a gallon store on the north room.  In May 1887, 
it caught fire while occupied in the south room by Rush McKenzie baker - the 
fire being put [out] with some damage.  In October 1891 it was burnt so badly 
that it was torn down.
     Then Mr. Roger sold the lot (22 feet) to C.A. Martin for $1300, when the 
Martin brick was built.  With the passing of time changes became so rapid in 
the building that Mr. Davis can not recall all who used the building for a 
place of business.


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