Progress Notes

In the January 25, 2010 Progress Notes I discussed the early history of Brumley.

The major figure in the early development of Brumley was James Hawkins more than a century ago. Any number of people from Brumley since then have become well known throughout the area including Senator Ted Hawkins and Carroll McCubbin, both of whom have been discussed in previous Progress Notes. This week I want to discuss Ted Stamper, one of the more ingenious and inventive men ever to live in Miller County (photo 01).

01 Ted Stamper

He is given much credit for the growth and development of the town of Brumley in the middle of the last century. Here is what Lucille Crane wrote about him in her history of Brumley which we have on our website:

“Brumley was one of the first communities in the area to have electrical service for its homes and businesses. Ted Stamper, a multi-talented community-spirited man built and operated a diesel-powered plant from 1932 until transmissions lines brought electrical power from R.E.A. sources. Ted also operated a garage and served as County Collector from 1942 to 1946. During the building of the Hanford Atomic Plant in Washington State, Ted's expertise was used in the development of nuclear energy. Later, upon his return to Miller County in 1963 he and his wife, Bethel, owned and operated a business in Brumley, the Stamper Craft Company, as long as his health permitted.”

For more biographical information I asked Ted’s daughter, Luane Blecha, to summarize his life:

Joe,

I have attempted to highlight some of my father’s life in Brumley:

He was born in June, 1905 in Brinktown, MO to James Dallas Stamper and Eva (Meltabarger) Stamper (photo 02).

02 James Dallas and wife Eva Meltabarger Stamper

He spent most of his life in Brumley, graduating in 1926 from the Brumley High School. He married Bethel Robinson in 1930 (photo 03).

03 Bethel L. Robinson Stamper, sister to Wilford, with Ted and J.D.

Ted owned and operated a garage in Old Bagnell during the construction of the dam and also one in Brumley for many years.He supplied the town of Brumley’s homes and businesses with electricity supplied by 2 diesel generators purchased in Kansas City. His "light plant" was located close to a store (the store owner commented that he had to push his canned goods back on their shelves every morning from the vibrating motors).

When these generators would go down the stores had free ice cream for boys and girls. I've heard stories that when there was a basketball game to be played in Brumley's gym it would be very convenient for the lights to go out, so the Brumley players could catch their breath, as they didn't have a lot of subs. I don't know the year, but REA bought him out.

He held the office of Miller County Collector. I’m not sure of the year. Later he moved to the state of Washington where he was employed by Hanford Atomic Energy commission as an electrician.

Once he sent for a patent, with the encouragement of Mr. Alf Eads of Iberia, for a windshield defroster but someone else had beaten him to it.

During WWII he sketched plans for a flame thrower and sent the plans to someone in the defense department...they offered to bring him some where back east for further consideration of the flame thrower, but he decided not to go because of his family. I remember the plans rolled up in our home; they burned when the house burned in March 1973.

He and my brother J. D. started a cedar novelty company named Stamper Craft in the early 1960’s. It was located beside the original home (photos 04 and 05).

04 Ted Stamper Home

05 Shop at side of House

Some of the machines he built himself to use in the production of these novelties (photo 06).

06 Wayne Wall and Ted Stamper at Cedar Novelty Shop - 1977

This is where the fire started that destroyed the home (photo 07).

07 Long Store and Ted Stamper Cedar Factory Burning

J.D., my brother, died in March 1972 on our mother's birthday. Then the following year the fire noted above destroyed Ted’s home and business which was a great blow, but he did build the business again and rebuilt the present home that is there now. Brumley was his home until his passing in February, 1980.

Thanks Luane for the information about your family.

Luane told me that her mother was a sister to Wilford Robinson who was well known in the area. Here is a photo in which Jim Clark, Tuscumbia Postmaster at the time, is giving Wilford a Certificate of Service Award for his work with the U.S. Post Office (photo 08):

08 Jim Clark and Wilford Robinson

This photo was taken in 1984. For twenty years Wilford Robinson was a substitute Mail Carrier for Everett Cotton. After Edgar was transferred to another position, Wilford was awarded the position which he held for five years before retiring. Wilford owned a farm up the Osage River road west of Tuscumbia, originally owned by Ralph Wells and later by Homer Lee Wright. Wilford passed away in 2006. He had one son, Phillip, who also has passed away.

Luane’s brother, J.D. Stamper, married Susan Deere, whose father, J.B. Deere, owned the Deere manufacturing company of Lake Ozark (photo 09).

09 J.B. Deere

J.D. Stamper worked for his father in law, J.B. Deere, as a salesman. I was told by Clark Sandfort, who worked for the J.B. Deere company in the 1950’s, that the cedar products Ted Stamper made were sold to J. B. Deere for resale nation wide as well as locally (You can read about the J.B. Deere Cedar Novelty Company at this previous Progress Notes.

Later, Ted also sold his cedar souvenirs to the Blair company of Camdenton (you can read about the Blair Company at this previous Progress Notes.

Ted passed away in 1980 at the age of 75. You can refer to this website to read a short obituary.

Luane mentioned above that her father, Ted, was born in Brinktown, MO., located to the east of Miller County in Maries County (photo 10).

10 Brinktown Map

However, the original Stamper family settled in Camden County to the west and south. I’m not sure why Ted’s father, James Dallas Stamper, moved to Maries County nor exactly how Ted ended up in Miller County.

I asked Luane about this and she sent me two narratives written a long time ago by a cousin named Bill Ring Jr. which give more information about the time James Dallas Stamper spent in Maries County. I will place those narratives here as three scanned photos of the original documents (photos 10a, 10b and 10c).

10a James Dallas Stamper
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10b James Dallas Stamper
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10c William Marion Stamper
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The Stamper family is one of the really early families to come to this area and has some interesting history as researched by David Stamper, son of Dillard Stamper, who was a first cousin of Ted Stamper. Most long time residents of this area will remember that Dillard Stamper was one of the original dancers on the Lake of the Ozarks Square Dance team and subsequent to that performed for a number of years on Lee Mace’s Ozark Opry show (photos 11 and 12).

11 Dillard Stamper

12 Dillard Stamper

By the way, Ted Stamper’s father, James Dallas Stamper, was recognized as one of the areas best fiddle players.

David has written a short summary of the Stamper family’s move to Missouri. Before reading the story first take a look at the descendency of the Stampers as listed here:

21731 Jonathan son of Jonathan Stamper
21732 William B. Stamper
21747 Solomon Stamper
21841 William Marion Stamper
22114 James Dallas Stamper  (brother was 22115 William Earnest  father of Dillard Stamper)
22525 Ted Stamper

Now here is David’s short story of the family’s migration:

If you are researching the Stamper family, you may have noticed more than one Solomon Stamper. I know of two Solomon Stampers who both served in the Civil War. My great great Grandfather was one of those two. All I know of him are a few stories passed down through the family, information found through genealogical research, and this headstone.

Solomon was born in Ashe County North Carolina to parents William Stamper and Peggy Baldwin. He was born the same year Daniel Boone died, and no doubt heared or read many accounts of those early american pioneers. At a young age, he left North Carolina, most likely through the same Cumberland Gap that Boone traveled. He traveled through Kentucky, and at the age of twenty one, married Margaret Arthur in Green Co. Indiana, April 10th, 1841. Margaret was born 1819 in Kentucky.

The 1860 census shows three children, daughters Frankey J, and Ludanna, and one son William Marion Stamper (grandfather of Ted Stamper). The 1870 census shows the same, but Ludanna is replaced by Tabitha who is five years younger than Ludanna. Solomon, Margaret, and William Marion are all buried here is Camden County Missouri. I have been told by my oldest living family member at the time, that Frankey never married and that she is buried here too, in the Old Linn Creek Cemetery. But there are no readable stones there for her. I know nothing about Tabitha. Tabitha is a mystery, and Frankeys resting place is a mystery.

According to my research, Solomon joined the Union Army, Company I, 82nd Indiana Infantry, on August 27, 1862 and was a private throughout his service. My great Grandfather, William Marion Stamper, was seven years old then.

I estimate the year to be 1878 when William Marion Stamper and his wife Elvira Demaris Bland, daughter of William Bland and Mary Skinner, came to Camden County by wagon (photo 13).

13 William Marion and Elvira Demaris (Bland) Stamper

William would have been 23 years old at the time. Stories he told his grand daughter, who in turn told me, spoke of several families traveling together, the men walking every step of the way and hunting for food as they went.

William Bland is buried here in Camden county, and Elvira's brother Mack Bland lived here as well. It is entirely possible that they came here in the same wagon train. I am sure that the other wagons carried relatives or close friends on this grand adventure.

They first settled at Salt (Sault) Ridge, just across from the old "Ridder" schoolhouse. Salt ridge road is now what is called state road "A", about a mile from the new town of Linn Creek. The school property now owned by Nicky Williams. About a half mile from where I am now sitting as I write these words.

Feb. 3, 1879, my great uncle James Dallas Stamper was born (father of Ted Stamper). Then sometime during the next two years, they decided to go back to Indiana, presumably to get Williams parents Solomon and Margaret Stamper. Nov. 23, 1882, while still in Indiana, My grandfather William Earnest Stamper was born (photo 14).

14 William Earnest Stamper and Ollie May Burch
Wedding - 1910

After that, the whole family, including Solomon, now 63 years old, and his wife Margaret, departed Indiana probably in 1883, to live out the rest of their lives here in central Missouri.

Thanks David for this short summary of the Stamper family in neighboring Camden County. Here is a photo of Solomon’s tombstone (photo 15):

15 Solomon Stamper Tombstone - Zion Cemetery Camden County
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And here is its inscription:

Gone Home
Solomon Stamper
Born
Feb 27 1820
Died
Oct 11 1888
Aged
68 yrs  7 M  14 Days
His Spirit is in our fathers house
where the children of his love
are gathered

William Marion Stamper, grandfather of Ted Stamper, was very well known in the area around Passover, just over the line in Camden County. Here is a cut out of an old newspaper article about him (photo 16):

16 William Marion Stamper
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Another photo with a short biography of William was published in the 1981 book Lake of the Ozarks 50th anniversary (photo 17).

17 William and Elvira Stamper

And here are three more old photos of William Marion Stamper (photos 18, 19 and 20).

18 William Marion Stamper

19 William Marion Stamper and Woodroe

20 William Marion Stamper

The next two photos are of the Zion church where the Stampers attended and the Passover school (photos 21 and 22).

21 Zion Church

22 Passover School

Another photo recently sent me by email by David Stamper has this caption:

William Marion Stamper, James Dallas Stamper, Mrs. William Stamper, Marie Stamper Ringling (Ted’s sister) William Ringling on the right. Children are Bill Ringling Jr. and sister (photo 22a).

22a William Marion Stamper, James Dallas Stamper, Mrs. William Stamper,
Marie Stamper Ringling, Ted's sister and William Ringling

So that completes the story of the Stamper family of Camden County and of one of their sons, Ted Stamper, who was an important member of the Brumley community in Miller County.

The basketball season which recently ended for area schools coincides with an essay recently sent me by former Miller County native, Mildred Messersmith Gray, who now lives in Georgia (photo 23).

23 Mildred Messersmith Gray, age 90 - 2007

Mildred, who is nearing the mid nineties now in age, has a wonderful memory for events here which happened long ago. We are fortunate that she takes the time to write some of what she thought was interesting back in the early part of the last century when she was a young girl. This week I am going to present her memories of Tuscumbia High School basketball from the early 1920’s. By way of background, at that time, her father Charles Messersmith had completed the building of his restaurant, store and home located across the road from the Tuscumbia school. It was known early on as Hillcrest Café and until recent years was always known by that name (photos 24 and 25).

24 Charles Messersmith

25 Hillcrest Cafe - Tuscumbia 1930's

The store was always a popular meeting place for students and since Mildred and her sisters lived there, they were always privy to current gossip and news. The Messersmith home was just behind the store (the upper story of the home is seen behind the store in photo 25).

Here is Mildred’s essay about basketball in those days:

Basketball at Tuscumbia 1923

Mildred Messersmith Gray

Basketball at Tuscumbia was introduced to the school by the principal, my uncle James G. Messersmith, in the late 1920’s (photo 26).

26 James Messersmith

It was the only sport that the school could afford. The school barely could afford suits for the men. The court was outside on the bare ground with posts for goals.

Homer Clay Wright recalled that the players had no shorts, and in fact, in those days the parents wouldn’t allow shorts anyway. So they played in their regular school clothes. Regular school clothes? Well, for the boys that meant the overalls they wore to school everyday. Years afterward, Homer Clay himself was basketball coach when he taught at Tuscumbia as shown in this photo of the girls and boys team in 1932 (photo 27).

27 Boys and Girls Basketball Teams - Tuscumbia 1932
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By that time the teams had something besides bloomers and overalls to wear.

T.C. Wright was the principal for several years after James Messersmith (photo 28).

28 Tennyson Clay Wright Sr.

He would call other principals in nearby towns and invite them to come to our school and play against us. Our hometown turned out to watch the games and support the team. In those days Tuscumbia had some really good teams. Maybe this was because the players were mainly farm boys who came to high school after completing their farm chores by “shanksmare.” Shanksmare? That was the old fashioned word for traveling by foot. But more than that, especially in the winter, the boys ran to school to keep from freezing. Certainly, to say the least, they were tough as nails and conditioned as tough as a U.S. Marine. Many of these boys became famous in our little world and for some, it was probably the high point of their life.

Two of the boys who stand out in my mind were the Wyrick twins, Ray and Clay. Ray was average size and Clay was tall and gangly. What a player he was! One of the most outstanding things remembered about him was his uncanny skill at throwing the basketball like a baseball and making shots from the half way line of the court. He was left handed, something I always remembered for some reason. Time magnifies things I know but I’m sure he won several last second games with that left handed over the shoulder basketball shot.

Clay was recruited by one of the professional baseball teams, I think the Cardinals, because he could throw a baseball faster than one hundred miles per hour, it was said. But after leaving home to go to baseball camp for try out he got so lonesome and homesick he came back home. He and Ray were one of the nine boys of Alvin Wyrick. All of them were good athletes and some were very good musicians too (photo 29).

29 Children of Alvin and Sadie Wyrick

Caption for Photo 29:
Back Row:  Gail, Clint, Earl & Clarence.
Front Row: Ray, Clay, Calvin, Ocra and Churchill
Alvin Wyrick married Sadie Vannatta on 1 June 1902.

Another good player was Wayne Hawken. The kids called him Sam because Sam was his father’s name. Whenever he had the ball the shouting would start: Shoot! Shoot (photo 30)!

30 Wayne Hawken - Third from Left

The Nixdorf boys were big and strong and good players too.

Otis James of Iberia got a job as coach at Eldon one year. Now to be truthful, even then, the Eldon kids felt superior to the “River Rats” of Tuscumbia. But the year that Otis went to Eldon his first game was with Tuscumbia on our outside court (well, I guess in those days everyone played basketball outside). Tuscumbia beat Eldon so badly that Otis never played Tuscumbia again while coach at Eldon. After he retired, he hung out at the store first owned by my father, Charles Messersmith, named Hillcrest Restaurant, just across the road from the high school (see photos 24 and 25 above). In those days, my brother in law Ellis Smith owned Hillcrest. Ellis was a great basketball player for Tuscumbia also. He and Otis talked basketball and nothing else incessantly it seemed to me.

T.C. (Tennyson Clay Wright) said that people didn’t come to see the girls play that much. But Dr. Garner said he came to the games because he knew everyone of them and their families. T.C. said there was no money for suits for the girls even as late as the 1930’s so they wore black bloomers and white middy blouses that had been stored for who knows how long. The men did have suits then made of wool. They had red and white tops and red shorts. So one day I, being captain of the girls’ team, decided we should have suits also. We purchased a few yards of Indian Head of red and white and made our own suits. No more black bloomers, thank God.

Thanks Mildred.

In the Progress Notes of April 4, I presented the five generations of a Miller County family starting with Cynthia Hawkins Spearman, whose stepdaughter, Mary Paul Spearman, was married to the well known Tuscumbia educator, Tennyson Clay Wright. This week I want to present an old newspaper article from the St. Louis Globe Democrat which reported the story of Cynthia’s 89th birthday celebration held at the Brumley High School (photo 31).

31 Cynthia Hawkins Spearman and Zebedee Spearman

The article has many items of interest but most interesting to me was Cynthia’s own personal description of the accident which caused her the loss of both arms below the elbows. Of course, the injury left her with a very significant handicap but in spite of that, Cynthia’s life was one of exemplary service to her community all her life, one of the reasons the Globe democrat sent a reporter all the way here from St. Louis to record and write the story:

Pioneer Teacher Honored at 89 With Big Birthday Party

St. Louis Globe Democrat

March 24, 1940

Brumley, Mo. March 23, 1940

Seventy eight years ago, 11 year old Cynthia Hawkins suffered the amputation of both arms below the elbow after they had been crushed in a crane mill accident on her father’s farm, a mile east of here.

A few days ago, the Brumley High School auditorium was crowded with persons who were honoring “Aunt” Cynthia Hawkins Spearman with a birthday party.

It was not just an eighty ninth birthday party, but the tribute to a woman who has been a vital influence on this community for more years than the 39 she taught in the public schools or the ones she was County School Commissioner.

For Cynthia Spearman, early in life adopted, knowingly or not, that creed she was to express at the birthday party.

“When my friends asked me a few days ago if I though I could stand to attend this event,” she said, “I told them ‘You can stand anything if you just try.’”

Seven years after the cane mill accident she was teaching her first school. Her name then was “Miss Cynthia” to a group of youngsters who were nearly her own age. Now her name is “Aunt Cynthia” to a whole community and to many score others with whom she has come in contact.

Her first school was on Glaize Creek, near here, a “subscription school.” The settlers hired her and each farmer paid according to the number of children he had in school.

From Glaize Creek, “Miss Cynthia” went on to other schools until the woman who refused to admit a handicap was recognized as one of the outstanding educators in the county. She was elected County School Commissioner and served in 1895 and 1896. At various times she was appointed as one of the two instructors to aid the County Commissioner in conducting the annual teachers’ Institutes.

“I have enjoyed teaching,” she said in her birthday talk, which may account in a large part for her success. The love and respect she commands from all is explained in commands from all is explained in the remarks of her former pupils, 29 of whom were at the party.

They told of her infinite patience regarding the things she couldn’t do…use scissors or stem gooseberries.

Note: she even rowed a boat (photo 33)!

33 Cynthia Hawkins Spearman Rowing Boat

In 1885, she married the late Zebedee Spearman, who served three terms as Miller County Assessor.

Her birthday was on Saturday this year, but there were too many who wanted to attend the celebration who couldn’t get away that day, so the Sunday date was set.

There was a basket dinner in the auditorium, which a few years ago was dedicated in her honor; there was a big birthday cake and after “Aunt Cynthia” had “called books” by ringing an old school bell, there were many informal talks, including those by her former pupils, the oldest present being Greenberry Pope, 82 (photo 34).

34 Greenberry and Nancy Parrish Pope

Then the pupils reversed things and called on “Miss Cynthia.”

She spoke of many things, expressed her gratitude, then said “So many of you have asked me to tell how I lost my arms and now I am going to do so.”

“It isn’t such a sad story. Men folks were going to war and mother was doing some of their work. She was feeding the cane mill that day and was called me away for something. The mill had two big wooden rollers, operated by a horse drawn sweep. I thought I would help. I put a piece of cane in the mill and it went through. Then I tried some more and when my attention was attracted by something, one hand was caught in the rollers. I don’t know how the other happened to be caught, but both arms were crushed. It was two days before a doctor could be found.”

“Doctor A.P. Nixdorf (pioneer surgeon, who had been educated in Germany) answered. He decided to take one arm off immediately, but had to wait two days to amputate the other because of my physical weakness” (photo 35).

35 Anton Paul Nixdorf M.D.

“Four days after the accident, he, assisted by a Dr. Jerrries, took off my other arm. They had no surgeon’s saw, so used a carpenter’s saw borrowed from Phil Robinson. No anesthetic was available.”

The birthday party for Aunt Cynthia Spearman was almost over.

She added: “I have found it helps a lot to keep on the sunny side of life.”

“Don’t worry! That’s what hurts!”

You can read the complete story of Cynthia Hawkins Spearman at this previous Progress Notes which told the story of the Brumley James Hawkins family.

Cynthia was the sister of James Hawkins, the man who is given most credit for establishing the town of Brumley. Here is a family photo of Cynthia and her siblings (photo 36):

36 James and Mary Hawkins, Cynthia Hawkins Spearman and William Hawkins

No doubt, Cynthia Hawkins Spearman was one of our county’s most impressive citizens who in any case would have been remembered for all her accomplishments in life, but doubly so because of the severe impairment of the loss of her arms.

A few weeks ago I mentioned our annual quilt raffle which is a fund raising program for the museum. I have more details to present this week. We have both a quilt and rag rug to offer this year. The tickets are the same either for the quilt or the rug and all tickets will be mixed together in the raffle cage. One drawing will be for the quilt and one drawing will be for the rag rug. Ticket prices are $1 each or $5 for six tickets. You can mail us your check now if you want to purchase some tickets early. Be sure and indicate for what the check is intended. Our mailing address is:

Miller County Historical Society
2005 Highway 52
P.O. Box 57
Tuscumbia, MO 65082

In case you missed it last time here is a photo of this year’s raffle quilt standing on the raffle rag rug, both made by Elva Steen of Eldon (photo 37):

37 Hand crafted quilt and rag rug donated by Elva Steen for Annual Raffle

Recently, Elva (who is my mother in law) sent three quilts to my three grandchildren, all girls, who live in Barrington, Illinois. They were delighted to have them on their beds (photos 38, 39 and 40).

38 Lily McHugh - Age 9

39 Liza McHugh - Age 7

40 Pryor McHugh - Age 4

I remember very well having my own quilt made by my grandmother when I was a child. She made it warmer by stitching inside it one of the green wool army blankets some of our relatives brought home on return from WWII.

Adam Long is a Kansas City based fine art photographer and educator who over the course of the previous year and a half, documented as a personal project the construction of the new Tuscumbia Osage River Bridge on Highway 17/52 (photo 40a).

40a Adam Long

Adam made the more than three hour trip to Tuscumbia multiple times during the entire period of the new bridge construction. He told us that many times as he passed our museum on the way to the bridge construction site, he wondered if we would consider his work to be appropriate for display. Nancy Thompson, our museum director, responded asking Adam to send us some of the photos he had taken for our review. We were astounded at the quality, clarity and artistic skill which characterized his work. So, we told Adam that, of course, we would be delighted to place his photo collection in the center of a new display at the museum which tells the story of the construction last year of the new bridge.

We placed more than twenty of Adam’s photos in a large revolving carousel making his display the centerpiece of the entire display. Here is a photo of the carousel containing Adam’s photos (photo 41):

41 Adam Long Display

The following photos are taken of other areas of the new bridge display which is located in the northwest corner of the lower level of the new addition to our museum (photos 42 - 45).

42 Honorary Signatures, Official State Plaque and Photo Collage of Construction
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43 Photos of Previous Osage River Bridges
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44 Other Bridges in Miller County
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45 Old Bridge Signs from each end of Bridge

The Osage River Bridge display is only one of the many new attractions Nancy Thompson, museum director, and her staff have added to our museum for visitors to enjoy in our new season coming up. The museum reopens for the 2011 year Saturday, May 14. Hours are ten a.m. to four p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

That’s all for this week.

Joe Pryor

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