Caldwell County MO Archives History .....THREE CRITICAL YEARS IN THE GROWTH OF HAMILTON, MO. 1866-8 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mo/mofiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com September 4, 2008, 1:51 pm

THREE CRITICAL YEARS IN THE GROWTH OF HAMILTON, MO. 1866-8
	Narrator:  Mrs. Anna Brosius Korn, El Reno Okl.

     In 1866, there came the first definite signs of an immigration boom to 
Hamilton, prior to this, it was not as good a town as Kidder.  Mrs. Korn, a 
granddaughter of A.G. Davis, who founded the town, tells from her old records 
left by her grandfather the following data concerning the growth of these 
critical years when the town experienced its first boom.
     As a result of repeated advertising by the Hannibal and St. Joe railroad 
which passed through the town, in 1866 there came Wm. Atherton carpenter to 
help build new houses, also from Iowa came M.C. Martin another carpenter, and 
earlier had come his brother Sam Martin, also a carpenter (about 1865).
     Henry Partin, a carpenter had drifted in 1865, also Elijah Carpenter came 
1866.  The Jacob Brosius family came 1866 as hotel keepers (the old Hamilton 
house, facing the depot), the Wm. Ervin family came down from Daviess county 
the same year and he and Mr. Brosius were partners in the hotel, mentioned 
above.  Mr. Ervin sold out his share to Brosius in 1867.
     In 1867, Hamilton stepped out as a real town, something better than 
Kidder.  Just see the list of familiar town names which were added that year.  
William Wilmot (afterwards pastor of the new Congregational church), bought 
land south of town as a farmer, G.W. Perkins, also a pastor of the 
Congregational church who had been located at Kidder, Myron Reed, later a 
store keeper here, A.G. Howard came from Wisconsin as a farmer, later became a 
druggist, O.O. Brown started his little dry goods store, later a leading store 
of town, James Stone (whose daughter married Al Menefee) opened an implement 
store at the old iron clad building still standing at the north end of Main, 
C.C. Green, brother-in-law of Howard also came as a farmer and later became a 
butcher, H.C. Hughes restaurant, Phil Rogers and Jas. Lunn shoe shops, Henry 
Thornton, already a stage coach driver became a liveryman, Paxton brothers 
opened a livery barn on Main, Anthony Rohrbaugh opened a dry goods store on 
the Penney corner, John Minger was Hamilton's first baker, Lee Cosgrove 
painter, Jos. Allen and C.M. Morrow carpenters, Wm. Wagenseller plasterer, 
J.J. Hooker teamster, Otho Strahl teamster and his future son-on-law Henry 
Leeper hardware, W.J. Ervin, (son of the hotel man) started the second drug 
store, W.W. Orr, J.S. Orr, farmers.
     In 1868, according to Mr. Davis' records, the following men came into the 
town, and most of these names helped make Hamilton history.
     R.D. Dwight, stockman, Israel Gee farmer, his son-in-law B.F. Holmes, 
farmer and stockman, another son-in-law T.E. Tuthill who soon left to come 
back permanently 1880.  Wm. Partin (son-in-law of Rev. Eli Penney pioneer), 
early grocery man, Major Higgins who was the second lumber dealer, (Tooley 
site) and lived just across the street to the east of his yard.  Hiram Markham 
first had a shoe shop and later was insurance agent.  Dr. S.V. Stoller had 
office and home in the house directly south of present M.E. Parsonage.  George 
Hastings started a grocery store on south Broadway )site of Present Hemry 
produce), Mrs. Letitia Dodge started the first millinery shop (site of Hawk's 
filing station) and her husband had his blacksmith shop in site of present 
Walt Wheeler cafe.  (She later became Mrs. R.D. Dwight and still ran the 
store.)  Alma and Lou Clark, maiden ladies ran the second millinery store on 
the south west corner of the library lot.  John Spratt opened up a grocery 
store on the lot south of the elevator on south Main (present Streeter 
garage).  John C. Griffing, long time resident here, opened up a wagon shop 
and blacksmith shop.  (Old Jim Murrel location, present Leslie Clark shop 
site).
     In 1868, Charley Stevenson was the town marshal, the Masonic lodge was 
organized that year and the town was incorporated.  It was indeed a big year 
in the town history.
     Interview  1934.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mo/caldwell/history/other/threecri222gms.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mofiles/

File size: 4.6 Kb