Progress Notes

This week I wanted to bring together a number of articles located in different parts of the website which refer in some way to the history of the Miller County Historical Society. The present society is not the first one for our county; Gerard Schultz (photo 01), former professor at the Iberia Academy in the early 1930’s, and some others met regularly for a few years while Gerard was living here.

01 Gerard Schultz

However, this group did not continue to meet after Gerard left. The present society was organized in 1979. You can read the whole story at our website here.

However, for convenience I will copy it below:

History of The Miller County Historical Society

The Miller County Historical Society began with the dreams of a few people who had an overwhelming desire to preserve the heritage of our forefathers for future generations. Early on those involved included Dewey Kallenbach, Tuscumbia (photo 02); Dr. Ray Irwin, Brumley (photo 03); and Grace Faber, Iberia (photo 04); all who are deceased today.

02 Dewey Kallenbach

03 Dr. Ray Irwin - 1979

04 Grace Ferber

The above three and others interested in starting a Miller County historical society met at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Ray Irwin on February 18, 1979. These included Raymond Johnston, Evelyn Johnston, Grace Faber, Bert Faber, Joe Gass, Lorraine Gass, Dr. Ray Irwin, and Edna Irwin. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss rules and regulations of such a society and to see if there was enough interest to work toward getting one started. The group decided to contact as many people as possible and have another meeting in the near future.

Note: Here is a photo of some of the early organizers of the Society (photo 05):

05 L-R: Raymond Johnston, Evelyn Johnston, Grace Faber, Edna Irwin,
Bert Faber, Joe Gass, Dr. Ray Irwin and Lorraine Gass

A general meeting was called by these early organizers of the Society for March 25, 1979. Thirty-one persons attended and all expressed an interest in getting a historical society formed. The first meeting of the newly-formed organization was held on April 8, 1979 in Tuscumbia at the courthouse annex. A nominating committee was selected and assigned the task of choosing a slate of officers and board members for the next meeting. At the next meeting on May 6, 1979, the first officers and board members were presented and accepted by acclamation…the Miller County Historical Society was then a functioning, thriving organization and destined for success in the upcoming years.

The Society established a goal to discover, collect, and preserve any material which would help to establish or illustrate the history of the area. Its first major project was to establish a Miller County Historical Museum. A decision was made to acquire the former jailhouse at Tuscumbia where the first museum had its grand opening in June, 1980 (photo 06).

06 Old Tuscumbia Jail

When the Anchor Milling Company closed, the beautiful native rock building on Highway 52 in Tuscumbia was purchased from the Wright family and became the home of the Miller County Museum, with a grand opening on June 2, 1991 (photo 07).

07 Old Anchor Mill Hardware Store

As a result of continued growth and local interest, the need for larger, more appropriate quarters became evident. During the winter of 2006-2007 architectural plans were drawn for an addition to our present museum building. A donor stepped forward, generously underwriting the building program, as well as offering to match the public’s contributions, and a fund raising drive was launched in the spring of 2007.

The new addition was completed in the summer of 2008. Here is presented a collage of photos beginning with the ground breaking ceremony just before the initiation of construction; photos of the construction stages; and photos of the Grand Reopening Ceremony (photos 08 - 23):

Just click on any of the photo thumbnails to view a larger image. Before clicking on the thumbnail photo leave the cursor motionless for a few seconds and you will see the caption for each photo.

Note: Once you click on an image below, a new window will open. It would be best to maximize this new window by clicking on the middle box in the upper right-hand corner of the window. When you move your cursor over the image in this new window, the cursor may change to a magnifying glass depending on your screen resolution. If you see the magnifying glass, click on the image and it will show in a larger format for easier viewing.

The ‘icing on the cake’ came in the fall of 2009 when former Iberia natives, Waldo Sherril and Alice Faye Pemberton Steen (photo 24), assisted in establishing a separate entity, the MCHS Foundation, to hold designated contributions that will provide income on an annual basis to help with each year’s monthly expenses.

24 Sherril and Alice Steen

The initial gift of their IRA, naming the MCHS Foundation as beneficiary and directing the annual required minimum distribution to the Miller County Historical Society, will hopefully be matched by others. The Society is an all-volunteer organization, but there are monthly and annual expenses to meet. After three years of back-breaking work, the Steen’s gift seemed almost miraculous.

Many individuals through the years have contributed much time to caring for the museum as well as attending to the business managing an organization. It would be difficult to select one or another of these past Miller County Historical Society members to extol over any one of a number of others. However, although I did not know him, I have been told several times that Dr. Ray Irwin early on was the driving force which caused the Society to come into being. Dr. Irwin has a very interesting personal biography, much of it preceding his return to his home here in Miller County after having spent his life as an academician. Therefore, I thought it important to present his story here from this link to our website (Note: this narrative was written more than twenty years ago so some of those named below have passed away):

Dr. Ray Watkins Irwin (photo 25)

25 Dr. Ray Irwin

By Wilma Lawson Link

William Stearns Irwin of Iberia, Missouri, married Lauretta Watkins Irwin. Four children were born and Dr. Ray W. Irwin, who was born on December 28, 1896, is the only one surviving. He is married to Edna Mary Williams (photo 26), and is today one of Miller County's oldest living citizens.

26 Edna (Williams) Irwin

His early school years were spent at the Allen School and the Iberia Academy. Having graduated from the Academy, he went on to further his education at Drury College, but World War I disrupted the work there. For two years he served in the Untied States Marine Corps, but by 1920 graduated from Drury with an A.B. in English.

The next year he returned to Iberia to teach one year at the Iberia Academy. Apparently, his ambition was not fulfilled here so he moved on to Chicago University where he received an A.M. Degree in History in 1922.

In the fall of 1925 an invitation was received from New York University to teach in that school. It was there that he completed his PhD in History in 1929. Then, step by step, he rose from Instructor to Assistant Professor, to Associate Professor, to Professor, and finally with retirement in 1962 became Emeritus Professor, a title which he still holds.

During these years many articles and books have been published by Dr. Irwin, which include:

“Diplomatic Relations of the U.S. With the Barbary Powers”
"A Columbian College Student in the Eighteenth Century"
“Daniel D. Thompkins, Governor of N.Y. and Vice-President of United States”
"Governor Tompkins and Embargo 1807-1809"
"The Mountain Meadows Massacre"
"The Stocking, Hood and Moccasin Society of N.Y. 1814-1815"

After retirement from New York University in 1962, the next 5 years were spent as Visiting Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas. At the present time (1981), Dr. Irwin and wife, Edna Mary, enjoy retirement on their farm just off Highway 42 in Miller County. One of their most recent projects was promoting the organization of the Miller County Historical Society and Museum at Tuscumbia.

NOTE: Ray Watkins Irwin died 6 Jan 1985 and his wife, Edna Williams Irwin, died 25 Nov. 1991. Both are buried in the Iberia Cemetery.

The article above was written by Wilma Lawson Link. Wilma died June 16, 2005 and her brother Winston died December 19, 1997. Both are buried in the Iberia Cemetery.

The following articles are a history of the Irwin family of Iberia, also written by Wilma Link in 1981, as a contribution to the book, 50th Anniversary of Bagnell Dam. They are included here because the Irwin family contributed so much to the Iberia community in the late 19th and much of the 20th centuries. The narratives may be of greatest interest to those whose roots are of the Iberia area, especially when one considers how many Iberia residents have an Irwin ancestor. Once again I remind you that since these biographies were written more than twenty years ago, quite a few of those mentioned below have passed away:

William Laird Irwin (photo 27)

27 William Laird Irwin

Many “get rich quick” stories were drifting from the western part of the country to the eastern states during the eighteen hundreds. Such stories as the discovery of gold, locating rich hunting grounds, and seeing fertile farming lands, created an air of excitement in people in many eastern states such as Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee and others. As a result, many families began moving west. They came any way available, such as oxen or horse pulled wagons, horseback, by river traffic and, possibly, by foot.

This story concerns the William Laird Irwin family who came to Iberia, Richwood Township, in 1859. They came from Union County, Pennsylvania, and a small town named Mifflinburg. The likely water route they took to Missouri would probably be: Williamsport, down the Susquehanna River (wet branch); portage to the Allegheny River; to Pittsburgh, the Ohio River to the Mississippi River to St. Louis; up the Missouri River to the Osage to Tuscumbia, Missouri, where they unloaded their belongings; thus by wagon to Iberia, Missouri.

William Laird Irwin and wife, Sarah Livingston Irwin, arrived with their children, George, Mary, James, William, Laura, and John. Later, in Missouri, Sally, Holmes, Charles, and Alfred were born (photos 28 and 29).

28 Sarah (Livingston) Irwin

29 William Laird Irwin Family
Back Row: Charles T. Irwin, Sarah (Irwin) Johnston, R. Holmes Irwin
Front Row: John L. Irwin, Laura (Irwin) Farnham, William S. Irwin
Click image for larger view

According to the 1860 census, other Pennsylvania families came to Missouri. Some of these families include the Groffs, Ludwig, Brown, Benage, Tallman, Moor, Noyes and others.

Children of William Laird Irwin:

John, George, Mary, Sally, Holmes, James, Alfred and Irwin

George and Mary were the two oldest children of the William Laird Irwin family. They moved away so have no descendants here.

John Irwin married Nancy Ann Hopkins and their life time was spent in Iberia. Their four children were Myrtle, Earl, Jessie and Sedden.

Sedden, the youngest, passed away in 1978 and his wife, Clara Bort, in 1980. They had one son, Kenneth, who lives in Texas.

Earl and wife, Elva Casey, lived in Iberia. They had no children.

Myrtle married Professor John Tripp, who was superintendent of schools at Richland and Crocker for years. Their daughter, Helen Ball, lives in Michigan. She has recently completed a book on the William Laird Irwin family which should be of interest to the descendants of the family.

Jessie Irwin married Clay Perkins, who was part owner of the Irwin and Perkins Garage in Iberia owned originally by both Clay and Earl Irwin, Jessie’s brother. Jesse and Clay had one son, Robert, who is married to Norma Rehm, and lives in Iberia. Robert operates the former Irwin and Perkins Garage and farms. Norma is a teacher in the Iberia School System.

Note: you can read more about the Irwin Perkins and later Perkins Law Chevrolet dealership in Iberia at this previous Progress Notes.

Robert and Norma Perkins have four children, Dennis, Steven, Susan and Patricia.

Dennis and Steven live in Iberia and help in the operation of the family business. Both wives are employed by the Iberia School System, and both have on child each.

Patricia is teaching in another Missouri School system, but probably calls Iberia her home.

Susan is married and lives out of state.

James Irwin, one of the older children of William Laird Irwin, was born in Pennsylvania but died at an early age in Missouri. Another son, Alfred, passed away at an early age. Neither have descendants.

Sally or Sarah Irwin, daughter of William Laird Irwin, married Charles Farnham of Iberia. Their children were Laura, Frank, Maude, Holmes, Stanley, and Bertha.

Bertha married Walter Short; Maude married Otis Wright; and Laura married Fred Williams. It is doubtful if they have descendants living in Miller County.

Holmes married Ava Hendricks and Stanley married Lena West. Nether son had children.

Frank Farnham married Rosa Alma Adams. There were two girls, Evelyn and Edna.

Evelyn married Jessie Bond and they had one daughter, Geraldine, who now lives in Jefferson City, Missouri.

Edna married Emil Pemberton, who lives west of Iberia, Missouri. Their five children are: Kenneth, Robert, Alice, Charles, and Ronald. Only Charles remains in Miller County. He is married to Rosalee Thornsberry and they have three children.

Holmes Irwin married Ida Dickerson. Their children were Bealah Irwin Skaggs, Ralph, Bessie Irwin Bond, and Curtis. Curtis is the other surviving grandchild of William Laird Irwin, the other one being Dr. Ray W. Irwin.

Curtis lives one mile east of Ieria on the Holmes Irwin farm. He married Charlotte (Lottie) Burks. He had a number of children, most of whom live out of county or state. One son, Ronald, lives near Iberia.

The story of the Irwin family is little different from many of the families who came to this area in the eighteen hundreds. They all had their hardships and rewards, and they, too, have made their contribution to Miller County’s population and prosperity.

William, Laura and Charles Irwin’s Descendants:

This story deals with the descendants of William, Laura, and Charles Irwin, children of William Laird Irwin.

William Stearns Irwin of Iberia, Missouri, married Lauretta Watkins Irwin. Four children were born and Dr. Ray W. Irwin is the only on surviving. He is married to Edna Mary Williams and lives in Miller County.

Ethel Irwin married Isaac L. Lawson. They had two children, Wilma Lawson Link and Winston Lawson. Winston resides in an adjoining county and Wilma Link resides part time in Miller County and Jefferson City.

Edith and George have families but they are not residents of this county.

Laura Jane Irwin married George Johnston and lived in Iberia for years. Their six children were: Zella, David,Williams, Victor, Sallie, and Anna. Of this family, two of the nearest descendants living in Miller County are Raymond Johnston and Bluford von Gremp.

Bluford is the son of Anna and Dr. William von Gremp, who was a doctor at Iberia for years. Bluford’s sister, Vivian, lives in Waynesville, and brother, James, lives in Camdenton.

Raymond Johnston, is the son of Victor and Anna Groff Johnston. Anna, at the present time, lives at the Miller County Nursing Home near Tuscumbia, and Raymond and wife, Evelyn Williams Johnston, live near Iberia.

Charles Irwin married Polly Pankey in 1889. the children in their family were: Esther, Roy, Stella, Mable, Otto, Opal, Donald and Blanche.

Mrs. Charles Irwin was fatally injured in a run away horse and buggy accident in 1916. Both she and a small daughter of I. Mitch Phillips of the Johnston neighborhood were killed.

Two family members remain in Miller County today; a daughter of Roy, Mrs. Lawrence Rehagan (Capitola) of St. Elizabeth, Missouri, and their daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Kliethermes of Eldon, Missouri.

Submitted by Wilma Lawson Link

From the above biographies written by Wilma, I notice she is the niece of Dr. Ray Irwin. Wilma was a very important part of the early history of the Miller County Historical Society.

The C.B. Wright entry for this week as usual contains a number of disparate items as is C.B.’s style which is a scattergun compilation of the previous week’s activities at the mill, on the river boats or community events in general (photo 30).

30 C.B. Wright Diary - November 1912
Click image for larger view

One thing that was interesting to me this week was the price of turkeys then paid to the farmers. Fifteen cents a bird is not very much money; that wouldn’t even buy a turkey today at fifteen cents a pound!

Another entry of C.B.’s was his mention of Frank Maylee (photo 31) who came to repair a leak in one of the steamboats.

31 Frank Maylee

The photograph of Frank has a very interesting reverse side indicating it was made in St. Louis (photo 32).

32 Back of Frank Maylee Photo
Click image for larger view

The Maylee family is one of the more interesting ones to have lived in Tuscumbia since they originally were from Czechoslovakia (as it was called then). Only a few remember Frank these days. My 93 year old Uncle David Bear remembers that he worked part time as a janitor at the Court house. However, his son, Bob B. Maylee was very well known. Bob was married to Gertrude Martin, daughter of Theodore and Cristina Bear Martin. Here is a photo of Bob and Gertrude (photo 33):

33 Bob and Gertrude (Martin) Maylee

And here are photos of Gertrude’s parents, Theodore and Cristina (photos 34 and 35):

34 Theodore Martin

35 Cristina (Bear) Martin

Bob was Circuit Clerk of Miller County for two terms. Later he was employed by Clark Brothers Implement Company of Eldon as a car and farm implement salesman. He was well known in the county throughout his life especially as associated with the car sales business. His son, also named Bob, passed away only a year ago.

Bob B. Maylee’s father, Frank, was a brother to Hattie Maylee, who was married first to John R. Thompson and later to John Edward (Ed) Kallenbach. Peggy Hake wrote a summary of Hattie’s life and family:

MAYLEE-THOMPSON-KALLENBACH

Hattie J. Maylee (photo 35a) was born 18 October 1865 near Prague, Czechoslovakia.

35a Hattie (Maylee) Kallenbach

Her parents (names not found) came to America when Hattie was an infant. They first settled in Chicago, ILL; moved later to Hannibal, MO and finally came to Miller County in the late 1870s.

In the census of 1880, Hattie and her 2 brothers, John and Franklin, were living in Tuscumbia and each were in a different home as servants

John Maly/Maylee (b. c/1855) lived with the Henry Barnhart family;
Franklin/Frank (1868-1931) lived with the Ira T. Johnson family and
Hattie, age 17, was a servant in the home of Theodore Robinson.

I believe there was a 4th Maylee child....Barbara Mahly/Maylee who married John Kalofa in Miller County 10 February 1880. On November 20, 1881 Hattie married John Robert Thompson, a son of Page & Mary Thompson. Their marriage was performed by Luke E. Melton, a minister of the gospel. John Thompson was born 9 March 186l and died at the age of 25 years on November 15, 1886.

Before his death, he and Hattie became parents of three children:

1. Ida Thompson 1882-1965, m. Hugh M. Atwell 1908
2. Frank L. Thompson 1884-1946, m. Stella Blackburn 1911
3. Chas. C. Thompson 1884- m.______________________

(Chas. & Frank were twins--Chas. lived in Portland, Oregon when his mother died in 1934)

On October 28, 1894 Hattie married her second husband, John Edward Kallenbach, son of Valentine & Mary M. Kallenbach, natives of Saxony, Germany. Rev. Edmund Wilkes performed the marriage of John Kallenbach & Hattie Maylee-Thompson. They were the first couple married in the new Tuscumbia Christian Church (in 1894). In the 1900 census of Miller County, Hattie and John Edward Kallenbach were living in the village of Tuscumbia. In their home were 6 children (3 were Thompson children and 3 were Kallenbach children). The neighbors of the Kallenbachs in 1900 were Walter Goodrich, James P. Wright, James Tomson, Samuel Adcock, Dr. James McGee, Dr.Kouns, and Arthur Small.

Hattie and John Kallenbach had six children:

1. Leonard E. Kallenbach
2. Dewey Edward Kallenbach
3. Joseph E. Kallenbach
4. Halley Kallenbach (died in infancy)
5. Hattie Kallenbach (Mrs. C. E. Fendorf)
6. Alma Kallenbach (Mrs. Asa Mayfield)

Hattie J. Maylee-Thompson-Kallenbach died at the age of 69 years on April 30, 1934. She was survived by her husband, John Edward Kallenbach; 8 children; 9 grandchildren; l great grandchild and a half-brother, John Maylee. Her brother, Frank Maylee, preceded her in death in 1931. She was a charter member of the Tuscumbia Christian Church where her funeral service was held, conducted by Rev. S. A. Crouch. She was buried at Tuscumbia Cemetery.

Hattie’s two marriages resulted in an interesting lineage of well known Tuscumbia natives. For example, Frank Thompson, her son by John Robert Thompson, ran a garage in Tuscumbia many years ago. It was located next to the Woodman’s Hall, John Sweaney building. However, both these buildings are gone now. Frank married Icy Stella Blackburn and their daughter, Francis, was the wife of the well known attorney, Leroy Snodgrass.

Her children by John Edward Kallenbach (photo 35b), commonly known as “Ed,” also were very well known in the local area.

35b Ed Kallenbach

Since she and Ed named one of their daughters Hattie some confusion may arise when discussing the family lineage. Hattie the daughter married Ernest Fendorf and their daughter, Katherine, married Dr. Stanley Humphreys, whom many will remember as practicing for quite a few years in Tuscumbia with his brother Dr. Marshall Humphreys.

One of Hattie’s and Ed’s sons, Joe Kallenbach PhD (photo 36), became a very well known professor of Political Science at the University of Michigan.

36 Joseph Kallenbach PhD, University of Michigan

You can read a couple of essays about Tuscumbia written by Dr. Kallenbach at these two URL’s:

http://www.millercountymuseum.org/archives/071224.html
http://www.millercountymuseum.org/archives/080317.html

Ed and Hattie lived in a large house still standing in Tuscumbia in what commonly was known as the “Crackerneck” part of town (photo 37).

37 Ed Kallenbach Home

The origin of the name “Crackerneck” isn’t known for sure. However, I have most often heard it was derived from the frequent fights among those who had too much to drink early on in Tuscumbia’s history. In those days the drinking establishments were all located along the Osage River bank close to the ferry landing. Another story I have heard is that the name “Crackerneck” originated due to the several sleigh riding injuries which occurred from the long hillside coming down from where the old courthouse now is located to the bottom opposite the old Frank Fendorf home (photos 38 and 39).

38 Sliding Hill in Crackerneck

39 Frank Fendorf Home

The obituary of Hattie offers additional interesting information:

Obituary: Unknown Publication, 1934

Tuscumbia was cast into gloom Monday afternoon when the announcement came that Mrs. J. E. Kallenbach had passed away at 2:00 o’clock. Her death had been momentarily expected for several hours, since her condition gradually grew worse following a stroke of paralysis she suffered a few days previously.

Hattie Maylee Thompson Kallenbach was born on October 18, 1865, near Prague, Czechoslovakia. As an infant she came to America with her parents who, after residing in Chicago and later in Hannibal, Missouri, for short periods, settled in this county. She grew to womanhood in this community and resided here until her death on April 30, 1934. In 1881 she was united in marriage to John R. Thompson, of Tuscumbia, who preceded her in death on June 9, 1886. To this union were born three children, all now living—Mrs. H.M. (Ida) Atwell, of Eldon, Mo.; Frank L. Thompson, of this place; and Chas. C. Thompson, of Portland, Oregon.

On October 28, 1894, she was united in marriage to John Edward Kallenbach, of Tuscumbia. The wedding was solemnized by Rev. Edmund Wilkes, at Eldon, and they were the first couple to be married in the Christian Church which is still in use. To this union were born six children, of whom five survive her—Leonard E., Dewey E., Joseph E., and Mrs. C.E. (Hattie) Fendorf of this place, and Mrs. Asa (Alma) Mayfield, of Tipton, Oklahoma. A sixth child, Halley, died in infancy.

She leaves to mourn her passing, her husband, eight children, nine grandchildren, and one great-grandchild; and also a half brother, John. A brother, Frank, was taken by death in 1931.

While still a young woman she became one of the charter members of the Tuscumbia Christian Church. Her work and her home were the constant inspirations I her truly Christian life. In her death the husband loses a faithful companion, the children a kind and devoted mother, and the community a good neighbor and friend.

Arrangements are being made to hold services at the Tuscumbia Christian Church Wednesday afternoon at 2:30. Services will be conducted by Rev. S.A. Crouch, the pastor, and burial arrangements are in charge of the Phillips Funeral Home.

Finally, for those who want to learn more about the interesting Maylee history, Nancy Thompson, museum director, has researched the genealogy of the Maylee family of Czechoslovakia, one of the few to come to Miller County from this European country. I have placed it here as an attachment to the narrative (photo 40).

40 Frank Maylee Genealogy
Click image to view full document in PDF format

This week we are sending out the quarterly society newspaper by mail to members and other subscribers. However, you can read it here by clicking on the image below (photo 41):

41 March 2010 Newsletter
Click image to view full document in PDF format

That’s all for this week.

Joe Pryor

Previous article links are in a dropdown menu at the top of all of the pages.