Progress Notes

Several weeks ago I added to our website a series of Video productions made by Lee Mace highlighting the many tourist resorts and vacation activities which were active in the Lake of the Ozarks area back in the 1980’s, some thirty years ago. You can access those videos at this location on our website.

Nowadays one thing really amazing to me is that many of those very popular tourist resorts, restaurants and entertainment venues present in the 1980’s have disappeared; most were replaced by other kinds of resorts and vacation activities which now are more popular. One example is the proliferation of “wave runners” and the almost total absence of water skiing.

However, one of the original and oldest Lake area vacation resorts has survived and is thriving today. It is the well known McClain Camp and Resort. Here is a recent aerial photo of the resort (photo 01):

01 Aerial view of McClain Camp - 19 Acres

This resort was built by William Compton McClain on his farm in 1931 and was in operation even before the lake completely filled according to his grandson, Gary Hawkins, who lives in Brumley (photos 02 and 03).

02 William Compton and Lura Wright McClain

03 Gary Hawkins

Gary was born and raised in Brumley and is now one of the owners of the camp along with three other siblings. He went to grade school in Brumley and high school in Iberia. He was a classmate at Iberia of one of our board members, Connie Smith Prather.

Gary had some old photos of the camp he allowed me to scan which I will present here. Here is an old photo of the very first building built for fishermen, an old log cabin which is still in use (photo 04).

04 First Cabin at Camp McClain

And here is a collage of other old photos of some of the original cabins (photos 05 - 10):

05 McClain Camp and Resort

06 McClain Camp and Resort

07 McClain Camp and Resort

08 McClain Camp and Resort

09 McClain Camp and Resort

10 McClain Camp and Resort Barn and Store

An old late 1930’s pickup truck was captured in a color photo years ago (photo 11).

11 Old Truck at Camp

Gary had a couple of photos of his grandfather, William Compton McClain, taken years ago at the camp. One photo is of William and his wife, Lura Wright McClain, behind the counter of the camp store (photo 12).

12 William Compton and Lura Wright McClain

Another photo is of William at the gas pump (photo 13).

13 William Compton McClain at Gas Pump

The home in which William and Lura lived has been maintained and is in very good condition. It is located near the entrance to the camp (photo 14).

14 William Compton McClain Home at McClain Camp

The camp is located within the confines of the Lake of the Ozarks State Park off of Highway 42, so one has to enter the park through the main entrance and drive for about three or four miles to the entrance road to the McClain Camp. Gary took me on a tour of the camp. He said the camp has 22 rental cabins, all of them originally built in the 1930’s. His family has maintained them all these years and most of the time they are occupied. In fact, many of the cabins are leased on a yearly basis. Here are some photos of the cabins as they appear these days (photos 15 - 19):

15 McClain Cabin

16 McClain Cabin

17 McClain Cabin

18 First Cabin at McClain Camp - Still in Use

19 Sign on Cabin facing Lake

Most of the cabins which are fronting the lake have docks (photos 20, 21 and 22).

20 McClain Docks at Lake

21 McClain Docks at Lake

22 McClain Docks at Lake

Gary has been careful to preserve some of the old tools and other items used through the years at the camp. Here is a collage of some of them (photos 23 - 45):

Click on any of the photo thumbnails to view a larger image. Holding the mouse cursor over a photo will bring up a short caption.

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, it will change to a magnifying glass. Once this occurs, click on the image and it will show in a larger format for easier viewing.

Gary’s mother, Faye Ella McClain, a daughter of William Compton McClain, married Gary’s father, Reber Hawkins, in 1934 (photo 46).

46 Reber and Faye McClain Hawkins - Parents of Gary

William was the son of Alexander McClain, whose ancestry our Miller County historian, Peggy Hake, has researched:

ALEXANDER McCLAIN (photo 47)

47 Alexander and Ellen McCommons McClain

By Peggy Hake

Alexander McClain was born Feb. 2, 1853, in a log cabin, Glaize Township, near Brumley. He died March 15, 1935, at the age of 82 years. According to his death certificate, acquired by a descendant, his father was Milton McClain and his mother was Martha J. Plemmons. I believe his mother, born in October 1837 in Tennessee, was a daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Plemmons who came to Miller County in the early 1850s from Kentucky. Evidently, Alexander was given the name of his maternal grandfather, Alexander Plemmons.

His father died when Alexander was very young and his mother remarried Dec. 23, 1855, in Miller County to Joseph Patterson of the Ulman area. Their marriage was performed by J. C. Glass, minister of the gospel. Alexander was reared by his stepfather in Glaize Township.

Alexander McClain had several half-brothers and sisters, including:

-  William Patterson 1858-1900, m. Camilla Adeline Nixdorf
-  Gilson Patterson 1860-1890, m. Lou Strong, 1881
-  Bennett Patterson 1862-1883
-  John Patterson 1865-1881
-  Grant Patterson 1867-1945, m. Emma S. Crane, 1888
-  Augusta T. Patterson b. c./1868; m. Samuel Houser, 1889
-  Mary Eliz. Patterson 1871-1872
-  Laura F. Patterson b. c./1875, m. William Carico, 1893
-  Clayton Patterson 1876-1908, m. Fannie Payne1898
-  Charles Patterson 1879-1959, m. Nora Kesterson, 1903

Alexander McClain married Ellen Hester McCommons, in Miller County, Jan. 5, 1877, Hiram Reed presiding. She was a daughter of Stanhope McCommons (1822-1895) and his wife, Julia Ann (1829-1901), of North Carolina and Illinois, respectively.

The McCommons family came to Missouri about 1856 from Illinois and were parents of several children including:

-  Martha J. McCommons m. Henry Bradley, 1869
-  Hannah I. McCommons b. c/1853 Ill., m. ----
-  Mary F. McCommons b. c/1856 Ill., m. James R. McComb, 1878
-  Ellen Hester McCommons b. c/1857, Mo, m. Alexander McClain, 1877
-  Julia A. McCommons b. c/1859; m. ----
-  William H. McCommons b. c/1861; m. ----
-  James F. McCommons 1863-1882
-  Ida R. McCommons b. c/1865, m. George T. Hauenstein, 1886
-  John L. McCommons b. c/1867, m. Margaret Graham, 1887
-  Rosa L. McCommons b. c/1871, m. John B. Capps, 1888

In 1880, Alexander and Ellen Hester were living in Glaize Township near the families of Wilson, Brickey, Payne, Tinsley, Plemmons, DeVore, and Brown. Twenty years later they were still living in the same area near some of the same families...a few names were enumerated in 1900-- the Grahams, Hickmans, Howsers, Catrons and Coopers.

Alexander and Ellen (McCommons) McClain were parents of 11 children:

-  Jennie Mae McClain b. 1878, m. Frank R. Coburn, 1905
-  William Compton McClain b. 1881 m. Lura O. Wright, 1905
-  Charles Clayton McClain 1883 m. Sylvia Robinson, 1904
-  Lena C. McClain b. 1885 m. Stephen J. Keeth, 1901
-  Alonzo Theodore McClain b. 1887 m. Alta Sutliff, 1912
-  Joseph Milton McClain b. 1888 m. Elsa ----
-  Elsa Ida McClain b. 1890 m. 1. James W. Simpson 1908, 2. Milo Moles
-  Eunice M. McClain b. 1892 m. Elzer Goodhue
-  Alice E. McClain b. 1895 m. (1.) Archie Null, (2.) Dee Aches
-  Berneice R. McClain b. 1897 m. Ira Griffith
-  Ruby E. McClain b. 1899 m. Ivy Hendricks

Ellen (McCommons) McClain died in 1929 and was buried at Gott Cemetery. She and Alexander had been married for 62 years and had lived in Glaize Township all those years, where they reared their large family of four sons and seven daughters. Alexander lived until March 15, 1935, when he died at age 82. He was buried beside Ellen at Gott Cemetery.

NOTE: Charles McClain, of Quincy, Ill., supplied me with some of the information about his McClain ancestors. Alexander and Ellen were his great-grandparents. He wrote an interesting bit of information about Alexander McClain, and I quote..."Alexander was a Baptist by religion and earned a living as a farmer. When a young man, he rode a horse through the Oklahoma Indian territory. He wanted to move there, but Ellen talked him into staying in the Brumley area. In 1900, he had a farm near Brumley, with an orchard, also strawberries up and down the land, and blackberries on the surrounding hills...After the death of Ellen in 1929, he bought a Ford automobile and drove to Oklahoma with a grandson, Leland McClain. After visiting awhile with his children and grandchildren, he returned back to Brumley. He died in 1935 and was buried next to his wife in Gott Cemetery (between Brumley and Ulman, Glaize Township)."

Alexander McClain’s wife, Ellen McCommons, was a sister to Ida McCommons Hauenstein, who with her husband, George Hauenstein, operated the very well known Hauenstein’s store in Tuscumbia (photos 48, 49 and 50).

48 Ida McCommons Hauenstein

49 George Hauenstein

50 Hauenstein Store Remodeled
Click image for larger view

Gary told me that sometimes his grandfather William Compton McClain would go to Tuscumbia to trade or buy commodities. Since Ida was his aunt, I suspect he traded at her store.

This week on July 4 we once again celebrate Independence Day. Here is a poster board tribute to this national holiday containing artistic emblems of some of the historic events associated with the story of that most important occasion (photo 51):

51 Independence Day Tribute
Click image for larger view

The poster board was put together by Sharon Steen Holder who placed it in a hallway of the Ninth Street Christian Church of Eldon.

I am repeating below an article about Independence Day I wrote in a previous Progress Notes in 2008 which I think is interesting as it tells the story of Betsy Ross, the person many give credit for designing our first flag. And most interesting of all, did you know Betsy was the great great grandmother of one of our very well known Eldon residents of the past, Mrs. Carl T. Buehler?

The Fourth of July is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, which declared the United States’ independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. One of the symbols most demonstrated during this time of celebration is our national flag. A few weeks ago I featured the collection of memorabilia owned by Al Kliethermes of Eldon having to do with the Bicentennial of that event which was celebrated in our country during 1976. One of the items of Al's display is a beautiful book containing photographs of paintings by various artists having to do with the Declaration of Independence, one of which depicts Betsy Ross sewing the first official flag of the United States (photo 52).

52 Betsy Ross

Not so long ago I learned that a great great granddaughter of Betsy Ross was our own Mrs. Carl T. Buehler of Eldon (photo 53).

53 Rachel and Carl T. Buehler Sr. - 1963

Carl had a pharmacy for many years in Eldon and his son, Carl Jr. was a medical doctor in Eldon. So I thought it would be appropriate to reproduce here an article from the Kansas City Star about Mrs. Buehler's famous grandmother:

Kansas City Star
July, 14, 1962

Betsy Ross Story

Some pages are missing from the early day history of the United Sates flag. But, in spite of efforts some years ago to discredit the best known story about the first Stars and Stripes, Mrs. Rachel Albright Buehler of Eldon (photo 54) is certain it was made by her great great grandmother.

54 Mrs. Carl Buehler

Mrs. Buehler's great great grandmother was Mrs. Elizabeth Griscom Ross Ashburn Claypoole. She is best remembered, of course, as Betsy Ross.

Almost every American is familiar with the story of how the pretty Betsy deftly snipped from red, white and blue cloth the proud new emblem off the still embattled 13 colonies while General George Washington and others watched in admiration.

Heard Story Often

"My grandmother told me about it many times when I visited in her home in Fort Madison, Iowa," Mrs. Buehler, a handsome, white haired lady of 71, says proudly. Her grandmother was Mrs. Rachel Wilson Albright, who was born in Betsy's home in Philadelphia in 1812 (photo 55).

55 Granddaughter of Betsy Ross

"From the time when I was about 8 years old until I was 15 or 16 I would go each summer to Fort Madison to visit my grandmother," Mrs. Buehler recalls. "My father would put me on a train in St. Louis, where we lived, and entrust me to the care of the conductor.

"As we shined the silver or did other housework, she would tell me about Betsy making the first flag. She was very proud and retold the story many times, recounting how she had been told of the historic event first hand by her grandmother Betsy when she was a child.

"Grandmother Albright told of Betsy's meeting with General Washington, Colonel George Ross (an uncle by marriage) and Robert Morris in Betsy's home to discuss the making of a flag.

"Washington and the others had been commissioned by the Congress to obtain a suitable flag and they had a sketch which they showed my great great grandmother. It had stripes which some say may have come from Washington's coat of arms and which others believe came from the flag of the East India Company. It also had 6 point stars but Betsy convinced the group that they should be 5 point stars and quickly clipped such a star from paper to show her distinguished visitors."

Betsy Ross was a 24 year old widow at the time of the flag making incident. Her first husband, John Ross, had been killed in the war between the colonists and the British. She had defied her strict Quaker parents and married the Philadelphia upholsterer and had continued his work after his death.

Another of Betsy's suggestions, Mrs. Buehler said she was told, was that the 13 stripes be retained as they were to represent the 13 original colonies and that stars be added in the future to indicate new states. Her idea was accepted at the time but later was abandoned temporarily before being restored and retained until the present.

Certain of Veracity

"There would have been no reason for my great great grandmother to misrepresent the facts about making the flag," Mrs. Buehler declares, "because at that time she was young enough to had had a full recollection of Betsy's conversation."

Mrs. Buehler's relationship to Betsy Ross is through her father's family. Her father was Daniel Albright, a son of Mrs. Rachel Wilson Albright, who was a daughter of Mrs. Clarissa Claypoole Wilson. Mrs. Wilson. Mrs. Wilson was one of five daughters born of Betsy's third marriage. The famous flag maker also had two children by her second husband (but none by John Ross).

Nearly 40 years ago, a University of Arkansas professor said his research indicated that Francis Hopkinson, a member of the second Continental Congress, had designed the first flag. But the story of Betsy Ross as the maker of the first flag, and instrumental to some extent in its design, has prevailed.

Mrs. Buehler is not interested in the nearly forgotten challenge of Betsy Ross. Her interests lie in helping her husband, Carl T. Buehler, in the operation of their drug store here, and with their son, Dr. Carl T. Buehler, Jr. of Eldon and two grandchildren.

"No," Mrs. Buehler answers with a smile, "I have never made a flag myself, and no one has ever asked me to. But perhaps I do take just a little more pride in our flag than the average person because of my great great grandmother. I hope it always will remain a symbol of freedom."

Why is Mrs. Buehler so certain the story of Betsy Ross is true?

"Because my grandmother told me so." She says.

Another very interesting presentation of our flag was sent me by a former Miller County native, Elmer “Dub” Brown, who was born and raised a few miles north of Tuscumbia. This flag is referred to as the “Flag That Doesn’t Fly.” That is because it is located in a large field being made up of thousands of flowers. Here is an aerial photo of it (photo 56):

56 The Flag That Doesn't Fly

And here is the narrative which accompanied the photo:

THE ONLY FLAG THAT DOESN'T FLY

Between the fields where the flag is planted, there are 9+ miles of flower fields that go all the way to the ocean. The flowers are grown by seed companies. It's a beautiful place, close to Vandenberg AFB. Check out the dimensions of the flag. The Floral Flag is 740 feet long and 390 feet wide and maintains the proper Flag dimensions, as described in Executive Order #10834. This Flag is 6.65 acres and is the first Floral Flag to be planted with 5 pointed Stars, comprised of White Larkspur. Each Star is 24 feet in diameter; each Stripe is 30 feet wide. This Flag is estimated to contain more than 400,000 Larkspur plants, with 4-5 flower stems each, for a total of more than 2 million flowers.

Be sure and include a tour of the Missouri State Archives Civil War display now open to the public in the lower level of the new addition to the museum. It will be available for viewing until the end of August. We now have a sign on our campus advertising the display for those who are driving by to see (photo 57):

57 Divided Loyalties Exhibit Sign

That’s all for this week.

Joe Pryor

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