Progress Notes

Work continues in our remodeling of the kitchen area of the museum which is located in the lower level of the original Anchor Mill building. This last week Jim Clark began placing the ceiling drywall which was difficult since the old building had been built at a time when “eye balling” mostly was used to place the large oak ceiling beams (photo 01).

01 Jim Clark

We were very grateful for the help of Jack Brumley this week who himself is quite skilled in carpentry work (photo 02).

02 Jack Brumley

Jack is a retired educator having been superintendent locally at Russellville for many years as well as having served as a consultant to the Missouri State Department of Education. He and his wife, Joyce, own and operate a large beef cattle operation south of the river. Jack is an alumnus of Tuscumbia High School.

Jim was the son of a skilled carpenter, Arthur Clark, who also was a champion “tie whacker” (photo 03).

03 Arthur Clark receiving award from Earl Brown

The Clarks lived near Capps and this is where Jim was raised. In 1973 Arthur bought the George Nichols home in Tuscumbia, which is located on the street now known as Versailles Avenue, although locally, especially in years past, the street was called “Possum Trot.” The home originally had been built by L.N. Musser, Tuscumbia attorney, in the late 1800’s. George Nichols bought the home in 1915 according to a short item in the Autogram:

Miller County Autogram
March 11, 1915

Mr. and Mrs. George T. Nichols moved to the L. N. Musser place in the west part of town last week, which Mr. Nichols recently purchased, and George says that he has gotten to be somewhat of a hayseeder. Mr. and Mrs. R.L. Wright, who occupied the Musser property, moved into the W.D. Dickson residence.

I’m not sure exactly what George was meaning referring to himself as a “hayseeder.” Possibly, since at that time the Musser home was the last one on the street going west (beyond the home were only fields and woods) maybe George thought he was going to be living in “the sticks.”

The area on that side of town early on was known as the “Musser addition.” L. N. Musser was an attorney originally from Pennsylvania. He had gone to the state of Kansas, then Kansas City, and then for some reason unknown to anyone I know, moved to Miller County. He was discussed in an earlier addition of Progress Notes in relation to his efforts to acquire land where Musser’s Resort was built at the junction of Highway 52 and 54 north of Tuscumbia.

If you go back and read that edition of Progress Notes, you will find that Clarence Musser, who ended up owning the Musser’s Resort, surprisingly was not related to L.N. Musser, something which I found very confusing, indeed.

Here is a short biography of L. N. Musser taken from Judge Jenkins History of Miller County:

“Luther N. Musser was a colorful figure in the county’s legal history. A native of Pennsylvania, and a resident of Kansas, he came to Aurora Springs in 1882, reading law with Colonel John H. Stover. Admitted to the bar in 1885, after one year, established a law office at Tuscumbia in partnership with Charles E. Jones, Prosecuting Attorney. Upon lawyer Jones’ death in December, 1866, Musser was elected Prosecuting Attorney, 1889-90, and served in the same office again, 1895-96. He served Miller County in the General Assembly, 1899-1900. He was active politically and was an eloquent speaker.”

The story of Arthur and his son Jim restoring the old Musser home was reported in an article in the Tuscumbia Autogram:

Miller County Autogram
1973

An old home in downtown Tuscumbia is being completely restored by its present owners, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Clark of the Capps community (photo 04).

04 George Nichols Home Restoration

It is the former home of the late George and Rosa Nichols, though Mr. Clark said it was built for a Mr. Musser. He has been busy with the restoration and has not taken time to investigate the history of the place yet. There are probably still a few around town who could supply some of this information and its abstract will also show the former ownership.

The Clarks purchased the place in August, 1973 after the death of Mrs. Nichols, who had been unable to live alone in the house for several years before her death.

The restoration is a retirement project for Mr. Clark, a retired carpenter. It is also a family project as his son, Jim, a postal clerk as well as carpenter, spends quite a lot of spare time working with his father and grandsons, Joe and David Wilson, as well as others of the family who lend a hand at times. Mrs. Clark is responsible for the refinishing of all the indoor woodwork and has used 16 or 17 gallons of stripper on doors, windows, and the beautiful stair rail.

Most of the outside work and porches and basement are completed. This included a great deal of new concrete work and painting, retaining the original form wherever possible. The decorative shingles add much to this concept.

The Clarks have removed the top layer of cement from the original cut rock entrance walk, and they also want to repair and retain the decorative yard fence.

A modernization is the addition of two bathrooms and modern kitchen facilities. Although a room was apparently designed for a bathroom in the layout of the house, it has never before been modernized. Complete new wiring throughout was also added, a new wood furnace was also installed.

Old plastering has been completely removed and upstairs rooms will be paneled, and dry wall will be added downstairs and finished with wall covering.

The Clarks are taking great pride in making the old new and when finished the house will have the same appearance as when originally built, but with modern conveniences for comfortable living.

Since the restoration of the home almost forty years ago, Jim’s parents have passed away, but he has maintained the upkeep of the home where presently his niece and her family live. Here are three recent photos of the home (photos 05, 06 and 07):

05 George Nichols Home

06 George Nichols Home

07 George Nichols Home

You can see in these photos the quality of the restoration Jim and his father, Arthur, accomplished some thirty five years ago. And also you can understand how fortunate we are at the museum that Jim is volunteering his talent and time to improving our museum.

Rosa Nichols, who lived quite a few years after her husband George had passed away, was quite well known and loved in Tuscumbia. She frequently cared for children while their parents were out or working. She attended the Presbyterian Church where I went as a boy. I remember her very well. Here is a photo of her when she was a young pretty lady (photo 08):

08 Rosa Nichols - Age 18

During the great flood of 1943, my parents, who at the time were living in my grandfather’s house near the river, quickly had to abandon the home to escape the rising flood waters. “Rosie” and George Nichols took them in for a couple of weeks. They stayed in one of the upstairs bedrooms of the old home.

Rosie’s parents, Hugh and Josie Vaughan, ran a hotel in Tuscumbia for awhile which was located just across the street from the Hauenstein’s General Store (photo 09).

09 Josie Vaughan at the steps to the Hotel

George, her husband, was very well known in Tuscumbia having owned and operated a general goods store located on the hillside just below where the Presbyterian Church now is located. The building no longer is present but here are some photos taken of it (photos 10, 11 and 12):

10 Nichols Store - Flood '43 - Church (Left) - Post Office (Right)

11 Nichols Store - Forest Gene and Kathyleen Kallenbach - 1938
Note: Kathyleen taught at Harbinger School in Etterville

12 Nichols Store - Church to Left

Here is a photo of George at the counter inside the store (photo 13):

13 George Nichols Store - 1930's

George was very well liked by the town folks. He also ran a small restaurant. Judson Berry, recently deceased a couple of years ago, wrote a short narrative of his memories of the Nichols store:

The old George Nichols store, which had residential quarters on the second floor, burned some years ago. I remember that the McFarland family lived there when I was quite young. After George died, I bought the inventory from Rosie, his wife, and ran the store there for a little more than a year. The store was open 6 1/2 days a week and I had no help. It seemed like the longest year of my life! I sold the store to Charley Bill Abbott and his wife and they lived in the residence above.

Note: Charley Bill was the grandfather of present sheriff, Bill Abbott.

I also remember that, when George owned the store, you could buy a cigarette for a penny, a sack of Bull Durham for a nickel, and a corn cob or hickory pipe for a dime. Before I was ten, I think I had purchased all three and tried them!

George also sold beer in the back room of the store for a number of years. Some of the beer bottles had labels with poker hands printed on the inside of the labels. You probably could look through the beer and read the labels, but since the beer was cooled in ice water, the labels would slide off easily and the beer drinkers sometimes would use the labels to see who would buy the beer. I wasn't old enough to partake in that.

The story of George Nichols is interesting. To begin with, his mother, Marie Hauenstein Nichols and her brother George T. Hauenstein, came to Tuscumbia from Germany to be near their uncle William. H. Hauenstein, Sr., the original Hauenstein to settle in Tuscumbia (photo 14).

14 Wm. Hauenstein, Sr. - 1822-1913

George T. Hauenstein (photo 15) is the one who started the large store known as Hauensteins’ General Store (photos 16 and 17).

15 George Hauenstein

16 Hauenstein Store - Original
Click image for larger view

17 Hauenstein Store - Remodeled
Click image for larger view

After he died his widow, Mrs. Ida Hauenstein (photo 18) continued running the store until her death in the late 1940’s.

18 Ida McCommons Hauenstein

George Nichols and his brother Will worked in their Uncle George Hauenstein’s store. However, as the story goes, George Nichols had a falling out with his Aunt Ida Hauenstein, wife of George Haunstein, who by that time had passed away. George Nichols then decided to start his own store, which was located up the hill a ways and across the street. You can read the full story of Hauenstein’s General Store at this previous Progress Notes.

The obituary of George Nichols offers more historical information:

Miller County Autogram
June, 1947
GEORGE THEODORE NICHOLS

George Theodore Nichols was born in Tuscumbia, Missouri on May 4th, 1885 and died June 16th, 1947, being 62 years, 1 month and 12 days old at the time of his death.

He died at the Christian Hospital in St. Louis, Mo., where he had gone for medical attention.

Early in his boyhood days, he professed his faith in Christ and became a member of the Tuscumbia Presbyterian Church, where he remained a member until his death.

He was united in marriage with Rosa D. Vaughan, youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Vaughan on February 20, 1912.

He is the oldest son of the late Theodore and Marie Hauenstein Nichols, who preceded him in death, as well as a brother, V. N. F. Nichols.

He is survived by his wife, Rosa D. Nichols of the home, one nephew, Deward Nichols and two nieces, Mrs. Lester Duncan and Mrs. Richard Surbaugh, all of Jefferson City.

He was educated in the Tuscumbia public schools and Central Business College of Sedalia, Mo. He spent many years in his Uncle George T. Hauenstein’s store and for the past several years, has operated his own grocery and restaurant in Tuscumbia. His entire life has been spent in Tuscumbia where he served as mayor for some time and as Justice of the Peace for many years.

He was always interested in the welfare of the community and was both counselor and friend of the boys and girls, and was ever a friend of the little children who all loved him. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

* Marie Hauenstein Nichols and George T. Hauenstein came to Tuscumbia from Germany to be near their uncle Wm. H. Hauenstein, Sr.

George Nichols had a brother named William who also worked for their uncle and aunt, George and Ida Hauenstein. William died tragically at an early age. However, his obituary adds more interesting information about these two second generation Tuscumbians of German descent:

8 August, 1918 Autogram
WILLIAM FREDERICK NICHOLS

It is with profound sorrow that the Autogram this week chronicles the death of William Frederick Nichols, who died at his home in Tuscumbia Saturday night, August 3rd, (1918) after a two week illness of typhoid fever. The deceased was born March 7, 1887 and at the time of his death was 32 years, 4 months and 14 days old. He was born in Tuscumbia where he spent the greater portion of his life. He was united in marriage to Miss Tressie Quinn of Bagnell March 8, 1908 and to this union were born three children, Duard, age 9: Mary age 7: and Virginia age 4 years. He leaves a widow and three children and also one brother, George T. Nichols, to mourn his death. The deceased united with the Presbyterian Church in Tuscumbia at the age of eleven years and his life here among the people who knew him from childhood has been one of honor and straight forwardness. He was always ready and willing to do his part in every good and worthy cause and there were none who sympathized more with the unfortunate and those in trouble more than he. The many good deeds by him will not be soon forgotten and he will be greatly missed in our little city and community.

Since a small boy he has spent most all his life in the Mrs. G. T. Hauenstein Store, he being a nephew of the late George T. Hauenstein. For the last six years, he has been the manager and bookkeeper for the Mrs. G. T. Hauenstein Store where he made many warm friends. The funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon at the Tuscumbia Baptist Church by Elder Rogers of Eldon. pastor of the Eldon Baptist Church, in the presence of a large concourse of people, many people being from various parts of the county. The deceased was a member of the Tuscumbia M. W. A. Camp and members of this order from Eldon and Ulman were in the line of March to and from the church and assisted in the services at the cemetery. The services while very sad and touching, was beautiful and appropriate.

With the passing of William Frederick Nichols, Tuscumbia and Miller County has lost one of their best and most energetic young citizens who will be greatly missed in the daily walks of life.

Mrs. W. F. Nichols and children visited at the home of the former’s father at Bagnell the first of the week (Thomas J. Quinn). William. F. Nichols was the son of Theodore Nichols and Mary Hauenstein Nichols.

A few months ago, Jim Clark brought me some items which had been left behind in the old Nichols’ Home which he had found during the restoration of the house years ago. These included some letters and cards sent to the Nichols’ by local servicemen who were serving in WWII. The Nichols’ had been exceptionally kind and helpful to the local young people and these soldiers who were far away from home considered George and Rosie as some of those friends back home to whom they wanted to write.

I thought I would place here scans of the letters and cards received by the Nichols’ which Jim Clark found in their old home. The first two are from Alva and Kelly Vaughan.

Although I haven’t researched it I imagine brothers Alva and Kelly Vaughan were relatives of Rosie whose maiden name was Vaughan. Alva played on the 1935 THS basketball team (photo 19).

19 Tuscumbia H.S. Basketball Team - 1935

Alva is fourth from the left in the front row. The names of the players in the photo are:

Tuscumbia H.S. Basketball Team - Circa 1935-36
FR: Homer Clay Wright - Coach, Gene Templeton, Bill Hall and Alva Vaughn
BR: David Bear, Otis Nixdorf, Joe Wickham and Ace Tyler

Here is a photo of Alva given me by his wife, Ruby Vaughan (photo 20):

20 Alva Vaughan

We are very grateful for Ruby’s support to our museum. Last year she donated us a microfilm reader (photo 21).

21 Ruby Vaughan

Here are the envelope and two sides of the card sent Rosie and George by Alva (photos 22, 23 and 24):

22 Alva Vaughan Envelope

23 Alva Vaughan Card Outside

24 Alva Vaughan Card Inside

As noted above, Kelly Vaughan was a brother to Alva Vaughan. Here is a photo of the two brothers in uniform (photo 25):

25 Alva and Kelly Vaughan

And here are images of the letter and envelope sent the Nichols’ by Kelly (photos 26, 27 and 28):

26 Kelly Vaughan Envelope

Click on each page to view a larger image.

John Vaughan was a brother to Alva and Kelly. Here is a photo of John (on the left) shaking hands with Robert Urban Oligschlaeger at a Tuscumbia High School Reunion probably about twenty years ago (photo 28a):

28a John Vaughan and Robert Urban Oligschlaeger

Robert was discussed in last week’s Progress Notes. My mother told me John had a limp. Nevertheless, he walked several miles with his two brothers to school everday from their farm near the Osage river upstream from Tuscumbia. They were the sons of Floyd Vaughan and grandchildren of Wilson Vaughan. I think you will find it fascinating to read more about Wilson Vaughan at this previous Progress Notes.

Otis Nixdorf was also on the 1935 basketball team. In the photo (see photo 19) he is second from the left on the back row. Otis sent a long letter. Here are both sides of the envelope (photos 29 and 30):

29 Otis Nixdorf Envelope - Front Side

30 Otis Nixdorf Envelope - Back Side

And here are the six pages of the letter (photos 31 - 36):

Click on each thumbnail to view a larger image.

Otis also sent a post card. Here are its two sides (photos 37 and 38):

37 Otis Post Card - Front

38 Otis Post Card - Back

Here is a letter from Ralph Earl Moore (photos 39 - 43):

39 Ralph Moore Envelope

Click on each thumbnail to view a larger image.

And here is a card from Andrew Hawken (photos 44, 45 and 46):

44 Andrew Hawken Envelope

45 Andrew Hawken Card - Outside

46 Andrew Hawken Card - Inside

Andrew was the son of Lewis Hawken. Most of the time Andrew was known as “Bill.” Here are a couple of photos of Andrew, one in uniform and the other after he returned from the war (photos 47 and 48):

47 Andrew Bill Hawken

48 Bill Hawken with 1936 Chevrolet - 1949

Both he and his father were employed by Anchor Mill during their lifetimes. You can read the history of the important Miller County Hawken family at this previous Progress Notes.

Andrew has passed away but his wife, Alice Keeth Hawken, lives in Tuscumbia.

Here is a telegram the Nichols’ received from Ralph Nixdorf (photos 49, 50 and 51):

49 Telegram Envelope - Back

50 Telegram Envelope - Front

51 Telegram Message
Click image for larger view

During WWII price controls were in effect. Here is a Retail meat price poster and the envelope in which George received it (photos 52 and 53):

52 Retail Meat Price Poster Envelope

53 Retail Meat Price Poster
Click image for larger view

Here are scans of some correspondence with the Famous Barr Department Store of St. Louis (photos 54 - 57):

54 Famous Barr Envelope

55 Famous Barr Envelope - Reverse Side

56 Famous Barr Letter
Click image for larger view

57 Check to Famous Barr

The remaining six items are described by the caption for each (photos 58 - 63):

58 Bull's Herbs and Iron Advertising Card

59 Miller County Autogram Advertisement
Click image for larger view

60 Missouri Pacific Railroad Ticket

61 Montgomery Ward Advertisement for Underwear
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62 Newspaper Order Card

63 War Rationing Shoe Stamp

Alice Keeth Hawken, wife of Andrew “Bill” Hawken who was one of the WWII correspondents to George and Rosa Nichols mentioned above, is one of my favorite Tuscumbia historians. One of the reasons Alice is such a good resource is that from the time she was a young woman she did house work for some of the better off people in Tuscumbia. For example, she was employed by Mrs. Ida Hauenstein who owned and operated Hauenstein’s General Store in Tuscumbia. She also worked in the Dewey Kallenbach and Wes Clark residences as well as several other well known homes in the community more than fifty years ago. Because Alice was a good listener and also has what I would call almost a photographic memory, nothing that was told to her in these homes was forgotten. And, as you might expect, Alice has kept a lot of secrets which she only will divulge with due consideration even now.

Alice came with her family to Tuscumbia from Crocker. Her father was Pearly Keeth (photo 64).

64 Pearly Keeth - 1890-1979

At the time I was around town as a boy, Pearly lived in a house on a hillside just above my grandfather Madison Bear’s home on what locally is called the Baptist Hill road (Highway HH on the Tuscumbia map) leading off Highway 52 down to the river. Here are recent photos of the old house in which Pearly lived. It no longer is occupied and is deteriorating (photos 65 and 66):

65 Pearly Keeth Home

66 Pearly Keeth Home

The house is located on one of the steepest hills you could ever build a house it seems to me without having it slide down the hill. I couldn’t get back from it far enough to get all the house in one photo because otherwise I would have fallen backward down the side of the hill. That’s why I had to take two photos.

My grandfather’s log home is still occupied and is located just down the hill from Pearly’s home (photo 67).

67 Madison Bear Home

The Burrows family owns it now. Mrs. Burrows, Alicia Costigan Burrows, in fact, is a descendent of the Bear family being a great grand niece of Madison Bear which makes her a cousin of mine several times removed. The day I was there her mother, Judy Wall Costigan, was also present to help Alicia with her new born baby (photo 68).

68 Judy Costigan and Alicia Burrows

Having not been in the home for more than fifty years I noticed a sense of pleasant nostalgia. The fireplace behind Judy and Alicia brought back to me good and sad memories. The good memories are of being with my grandfather Madison Bear when I was a young boy. I spent many hours in that old log cabin home. The fireplace was used as one source of heat. Grandpa Madison had his own rocking chair nearby, and he rarely sat in it without enjoying his pipe (photo 69).

69 Madison Bear

The sad memory is of my grandmother Bear’s death and wake. In those days the visitations for the deceased were in the homes. I never have forgotten seeing my grandmother in the casket in front of the fireplace. She suffered many years with Parkinson’s Disease before passing away. You can read more about Madison Bear at this previous Progress Notes.

Several of Pearly’s children stayed in the Tuscumbia area and are well remembered. In addition to Alice many also will remember Oral and Onis Keeth. Here is a family photo of the Keeth family; Alice Keeth Hawken is third from the left (photo 70):

70 Pearly Keeth Family
Click image for larger view

Listed here are the names of all those in the photo left to right:
Kenneth, Donald, Alice, Geraldine, Paul, Leo, Onis, Oral, Pearly Keeth.

I well remember Onis and Oral. Oral helped manage the Lawson farms. Onis worked many years at the court house. When Onis retired the event was quite notable for the long length of service he had given to the Miller County Courthouse. Here is the article published by the local newspaper:

Veteran Member of Courthouse Staff Winding up 30 Year Career

Miller County Autogram
December 1976
Clare Mace

The veteran member of Miller County’s courthouse “family” will begin his last month of work next week. When Onis Keeth (photo 71), custodian, retires December 31, he will have completed exactly 30 years of service, tops in seniority among both elective and appointive county personnel.

71 Onis Keith

And what is the biggest change he has seen at the courthouse during his three decades with the county?

“The faces,” he said after a moment’s study. “I’ll tell you that. I’ve seen lots of faces.”

He doesn’t know how many officials and staff members he has seen come and go during the three decades, but Keeth has served during the terms of six different presiding judges.

He was hired to begin work January 1, 1947 by Presiding Judge Rufus Crismon and Associate Judge George Robinson, only two due to a vacancy on the County Court at the time.

Keeth continued employment under the terms of presiding judges Elmer Slone, Audrey Ferguson, Paul Martin and James Myers, present judge.

He saw Circuit Court Judges Blair, Curtis, Snodgrass and Parish sit on the bench in the courthouse during his long tenure. In the County Clerk’s office he saw Glenn Casey, Arthur Holeyfield, Ralph Martin and Clyde Lee Jenkins at work.

And Keeth may have achieved an all time record of longevity for courthouse staff member. He succeeded Wes Dickerson, who was leaving Tuscumbia for Iberia at the start of the new year in 1947. And Dickerson, who had held the post 12 years, told him: “You’ll never be here as long as I have.”

Keeth reached that mark at the end of 1958.

A native of the area, Keeth and his family had returned to Tuscumbia in 1945 from St. Louis, where he had been employed with the Pevely Dairy, to go to work for the Tuscumbia Schools. He was employed there for the 1945-46 year, and then was in plumbing work that summer at the Lake before beginning his long career with the county.

Keeth began work as a $100 per month county employee, a princely sum in those days when, records show, the prosecuting attorney’s take home pay was $121.10 a month and the circuit clerk’s pay was $60.10.

The county’s total annual revenue at that time was $68,609, some $300,000 less than it was last year.

Note: According to an article recently in the Lake News, the current budget for Miller County is 58 million dollars, which according to county officials quoted in the article, will be insufficient for this year

At that time there was only the courthouse, and the daily routine included only the first floor to maintain.

“I could paint houses all day and come in here of a night and clean up,” Keeth recalled.

The two floor annex, added in 1963, nearly doubled the load.

Methods and equipment have changed through the years, too. He started out cutting the courthouse lawn with a push mower, then advanced to a power mower, and ultimately to a riding mower.

And for the first seven years, Keeth hand fired a coal and wood furnace to heat the courthouse.

“I can remember when there wasn’t any parking lot out there,” he said of the courthouse parking space.

Once, he stated, “There was no room for parking a rider’s horse, team and wagon or automobile because all the vacant area was filled with ricks of cordwood!”

And at times he had to take a 6 pound sledge hammer to break up the clinkers when coal was used.

Old records show that utilities weren’t expensive back in that 1947 year. Seventeen cords of wood were purchased from Gail Brumley for $55.25; 10 tons and 1,645 pounds of coal from McCulloch Coal Company, $89.27; and a monthly electric bill for the courthouse, jail and welfare office, $39.77 to Western Light & Telephone Company.

Keeth has seen not only the annex built and the courthouse refurbished during his years of duty, but also a new jail erected and now an addition there.

The Keeths bought a home on the hill between the courthouse and the downtown area on their return to Tuscumbia, later lived five years on a farm on Highway 52, but for the past 21 years have lived near Riverside Park where they bought the large home of the late Captain R.M. Marshall (photo 72).

72 Bob Marshall Home

Keeth may be winding up a 30 year career at the courthouse, but two of the Keeth’s six children will still be at the courthouse and annex. Son, Randy, is deputy circuit clerk, and daughter, Mrs. Donna Phillips, is in the office of the health department. Another daughter, Mrs. DeAnna Smith, has also worked at the courthouse…in the collector’s office.

Keeth’s duties with the county have not included custodial work only. He served as a deputy for seven years under two sheriffs in his early years of county service.

He will become the first to go on retirement under the Local Government Employees Retirement System, familiarly known as LAGERS, in which Miller County has participated since January 1, 1976.

Experienced in building trades, Keeth plans to work some upon retirement. “I’ll work when I want to and if I want to go fishing, I’ll go fishing,” he said.

Chances are there may be some travel on the retirement agenda, too, as he and son, Randy, built a pickup camper which the family used for a western trip this summer. It won’t be extensive, though, as his wife, Goldie, will continue her office employment with the Tuscumbia Schools, a year round job with two weeks vacation.

“Miller County has been good to me,” Keeth said as he looked forward to his last month of work.

“I’ve always made a living for my family.”

And his shoes are not going to be easy to fill.

“He’s going to be hard to replace,” Judge Myers said. “He can to so many things. He’s a handy man to have around.”

No successor has been named, but the County Court is taking applications.

C.B. Wright Diary (photo 73)

73 Clarence Wright

This week I have a couple of pages from the C.B. Wright diary which has to do with the first introduction of motor vehicles into the county.

In May of 1915 C.B. took delivery of his first car, a Model T Ford purchased from Alf Eads of Iberia. This was the only car in Tuscumbia at the time. The event was noted in the Miller County Autogram on May 13, 1915:

Miller County Autogram
May 13, 1915

C.B. Wright of the Anchor Milling Company made a deal with Frank Topping of Iberia whereby he became the owner of a brand new Ford car. Mr. Wright has already learned to drive the car like a French professional chauffeur. He has the distinction of being the only automobile owner in our city at the present time. He says he has not run over anybody …yet.

The following excerpts from C.B.’s diaries have several entries C.B. wrote about the delivery of the car by Frank Topping as well as some of his first driving experiences (photos 74 and 75).

74 C.B. Wright Diary - May 1915
Click image for larger view

75 C.B. Wright Diary - November and December 1915
Click image for larger view

Eldon already had a few car owners by 1910 according to this article from an Advertiser edition of 1954 which summarized some old entries from earlier editions of the newspaper about the first car owners:

Eldon Advertiser
December 2, 1954

First Cars struck Terror to Brave Hearts in Community

In 1911 (43 years ago) a ‘speed’ record was established by Dr. G.D. Walker and W.M. Harrison when they drove from Tuscumbia to Eldon in an hour and forty five minutes. Only 40 years ago a man had to stop and hitch his horse to the nearest post when one of those “horseless wagons” appeared over a hill and farmers told the merchants of Eldon they would quit coming to trade if people were allowed to drive the crazy things on the streets.

Housewives ran to their doors in the summer of 1910 to see the Franklin and Harvey girls motoring the grey Buicks that were among the first cars in town, garbed in lined “dusters,” tight fitting caps fastened securely under the chin with elastic and voluminous windward flowing chiffon veils. Their companions wore enormous goggles and “dusters,” or long linen coats.

An item in an issue of the Advertiser in March, 1910, says: “R.S. Harvey and J.S. Franklin have purchased two 22 horsepower Buick automobiles for their families to use pleasure driving. They will arrive this week and then Eldon will be putting on city airs in rapid transportation.”

Speculation was rife, and the day or their arrival, store keepers left their shops to watch and Maple Street was cleared from the Rock Island station to what is now North Street, while an instructor from St. Louis gave the new drivers their first lesson. The owners themselves were a little scared of their machines and rarely ventured out in them.

William Byler purchased an International before the arrival of the Buicks, and Ed Weeks bought a Cameron in the same year. Mr. Weeks reported he drove his car as fast as it would go and considered 15 miles an hour as speeding. Gillelands of Olean had the first Ford in the vicinity.

People condemned the automobiles in those days, saying they scared their horses, but it was hard to say whether the horses or drivers were the most frightened.

A story is told of one of these drivers who met Dr. Allee in one of the new cars. Seeing a buggy on the road, Dr. Allee stopped on the road, got out of his car, and helped the man hitch his horse to a tree. The man then took the shafts of the buggy and pulled it to one side. His courage, however, failed as the car snorted towards him and he bolted with the buggy into a deep ditch. The accident completely demolished the buggy.

Mrs. Weeks reported the first “long” trip she made in the new car, the Ed Weeks and Fred Austin families motored to California, Missouri. The doors were open all the way so they could jump out if anything happened.

Mrs. G. D. Walker was sitting in the surrey holding a large bowl of cream in her lap, when one of the machines passed her. In the excitement she hurled the cream straight at the contraption.

Driving a car was a nerve straining effort in those days. Jack Allee and young Jack drove their car together, the man at the wheel issuing order, “Shift!” and “Clutch In!” to the man at the gears.

Here are a couple of photos of Harry Harvey and William Franklin driving one of the first Buicks, a 1910 model (photos 76 and 77):

76 Bill Franklin and Harry Harvey in 1910 Buick

77 Bill Franklin and Harry Harvey in 1910 Buick

The next photo is of poor quality but the caption is interesting (photo 78):

78 Harry Harvey and William Franklin
Click image for larger view

The Model T which was bought by C.B. has a unique history. The following article might be of interest to some readers. Although published in an English periodical, I thought it a compliment that this historic American car also is still remembered even now overseas:

FORD MODEL "T"

79 Ford Model T

The Ford family arrived in Michigan from Ireland in 1832 and Henry was born some 30 years later in 1863. The Fords settled in Dearborn because it was virgin territory, land was plentiful and cheap. The Ford family purchased their uncleared forest from the US Government and commenced turning the area into fields.Henry's father, William worked as a carpenter and with his savings he increased his acreage to 120 acres in 1864.

Henry started his apprenticeship at the firm of James Flower & Brothers Machine Shop in 1879. The firm had a reputation for excellent workmanship, and another apprentice at the same period was David Buick who initially made his way in plumbing and bathroom fittings before turning to automobiles.

After his time at Flower Bros. he moved on to work for the Detroit Dry Dock Company, he augmented his income at this time by taking a evening job with a jeweller repairing watches. In 1882 he left the Dock Company and returned to the farm in Dearborn.

Henry married Clara Bryant in 1888. Shortly after this Henry went to Detroit to see the new internal combustion engine, the "OTTO". Henry was sure he could build his own self-propelled vehicle but the Otto used electricity for the ignition, as Henry had worked with steam engines he had not learned about this system. This caused him to take employment in 1891 with the Edison Illuminating Company as a mechanic and engineer at a wage of $45 per month.

During his spare time he experimented with a small lathe and built a crude single cylinder engine. By early summer of 1896 he had nearly completed the construction of a device which he called the Quadricycle. Power was derived from two cylinders, chain drive and steering by tiller, it attained a speed of 20 miles per hour.

The forgoing is but a brief overview of the early years and anyone who wishes to learn vastly more could do no better than to get hold a of copy of "Ford" by Robert Lacey. Published in 1986.

80 Ford Model T - 1915

The Model T was proceed by the "A";"C"; "K" and "N". These cars led to the immortal "T" in 1909. The Tin Lizzie was very advanced for its day, with a 2.9 litre monoblock side valve engine with detachable head, a fuel consumption of around 25 to 30 miles per gallon and a top speed in the vicinity of 45 miles per hour. It was introduced at $850 but the price was constantly cut until the Roadster could be purchased for as little as $260 by 1925.

Between October 1908 and 1927 some 15 million vehicles were produced. It formed the basis of a farm tractor in 1916 and a one ton truck in 1917. A factory was opened at Trafford Park, Manchester, England in 1911 where the cars were also produced in rhd form. During the entire 18 years of manufacture the basicdesign remained unchanged. Alterations such as a black painted radiator replaced the brass shell in 1917 and from 1914 to 1925 Black was the only body colour offered. Electric lighting and an electric starter was added around 1920. Production ceased in 1927 and the factory was closed for six months whilst it tooled up for the new Model A.

The Ford T differed from most vehicles of the period in that the transmission was of the Spur Planetary type, this combined ease of operation with smooth and silent running qualities and the gears were always in mesh, unlike a conventional "crash" gear-box. There were only two forward gears, low and high, plus of course reverse.

The three floor pedals do not operate as with normal transmission, the throttle is located under the steering wheel on the right hand side, the left hand lever being the ignition advance and retard. The pedal to the extreme left is the clutch.Place your left foot thereon and slightly depress it by about an inch, take hold of the hand brake lever with your left hand and thrust it forwards as far as it will go, at the same time you must continue to press the clutch pedal forward and down as far as it will go, this will cause the car to move forward in slow speed, after some 10 or 12 yards slowly let the pedal come up towards you. When it is fully up the car is in high speed, it may be necessary to close the hand throttle slightly as you let the pedal up. When high speed has been engaged your feet will be clear of the pedals and speed can be increased by pulling back on the hand throttle a few notches.

81 Ford Model T

To slow the vehicle close the throttle, if more retardation is required the pedal to the extreme right can be pressed which is the brake, the braking bands are in the gear-box and so apply on the transmission not directly on the wheels. In an emergency this pedal must be pressed and also the clutch pedal but only to its half-way position to free the engine from the rear wheels. If the driver wishes to reverse, then the hand brake lever should be moved forward to release the brakes but only as far as the neutral position not fully forward which would engage high gear! The middle pedal is fully depressed with the left foot and the car will then start to travel in a rearward direction, the right foot should be resting on but not depressing the brake so that the car can be stopped if the procedure should get out of control.

The Ford T can be an ideal vehicle for someone who wishes to own an Edwardian or Vintage Car and is new to the hobby, the cars are robust, simple and easy to maintain. Should spare parts be required these are readily available, brand new, in many parts of the world. In the United Kingdom a sum from £6,000 to £10,000, depending on model will buy you a car in good all round condition and give the owner many miles of highly enjoyable motoring.

82 Ford Model T - 1923

83 Ford Model T - 2 Seater

That’s all for this week.

Joe Pryor

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