WINDOW TO THE PAST

By Peggy Smith Hake

I have had the opportunity to read some old newspapers printed in Miller County dating from May 1881 through December 1882. The name of the newspaper was THE MILLER COUNTY VINDICATOR.......From time to time, I thought I would print some data that made news in the county in 1881 and 1882 and try to give names of people living here during those years. Perhaps someone will see a name that may have been part of their ancestry. I will print these items as I find time to research the names and print them in "Window to the Past".

THE MILLER COUNTY VINDICATOR, 13 May 13, Volume 3 No. 14

J. M. Henderson, of Jim Henry Township, gave us a brief call on Tuesday.
  Note: The visit was made on May 10, 1881 to the newspaper office, which was located
            at Tuscumbia.  J. M. (John) Henderson and his wife, Annie, lived in Jim Henry
            Township.  They were both born c/1848 (he was born in Missouri and Annie in
            Virginia).

William P. Freeman returned from Springfield last week.
  Note:  Wm. P. Freeman was born c/1852 and was a son of Andrew J. and Edith
              (Tinsley) Freeman of Glaize Township.  In 1880, William was living with his
              widowed mother and 3 sisters in the Ulman area.

Judge Todd held Probate Court this week.
  Note:  Judge James H. Todd and his wife, Mary J., were living in Tuscumbia in
1880.   He was born c/1816 in Indiana and his wife was a native of Tennessee.

Herman Neff, our tinner, called to see us on Wednesday.
  Note: Herman Neff was not in the 1880 Miller Co. census, so I do not know who he
            was.  A 'tinner' was someone who made tin plate, which was a metallic chemical 
            element used to cover utensils, boxes, etc.

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Thompson of Brumley are visiting Samuel Hawken and wife.
  Note: Thomas Thompson was born c/1830 in Scotland and his wife, Lenora (Johnson),
            was born c/1840 in Pennsylvania.  They were living in the little town of Brumley 
            in Glaize Township.  Samuel Hawken, a native of Pennsylvania, and his wife,
           Eveline (Sone) were residing in Tuscumbia with their 3 children in 1880.

Wool carding has already commenced at Wright's Carding Mill on the Little Saline.
  Note:  This old mill was located northeast of present-day Tuscumbia on the Saline
             Creek.

Wanted:  20 good tie makers.  Cash paid once every month.  Apply to Wm. S. Brockman at
Brockman's Ford.....
  Note:  William S. Brockman and his wife, Susan (Reed), with their 4 children, were
            living upriver from Tuscumbia at Brockman's Ford (a location on the Osage
            River).  A tie maker was someone who was skilled at cutting and shaping railroad
            ties from felled trees.  The railroad was being built in Miller County at this time
            and tie makers were in demand to supply the ties for the new railroad tracks that
            were being constructed in the county.

Miss Nellie Moore opened a select school at Iberia.
  Note: Eleanor/Nellie Moore was an early day schoolteacher in Richwoods Township.
            She was a daughter of Edward W. Moore and Sarah B. Brown, of Pennsylvania.
            Her parents came to Miller County with other Pennsylvania families before the
            Civil War and located in the Iberia area.  Eleanor/Nellie was born in MO c/1859.

Mrs. Dr. Wade has returned from Illinois.
  Note: Her husband was Dr. J. W. Wade who was practicing his medical profession in
            Iberia in 1881.

Uncle Dan Cummings, Philip Hauenstein, James N. Scott, Samuel Lawson, Andrew Williams,
Daniel Scott, Willie Burris and Wesley Dobson have all called on us this week.
  Note:  All the men mentioned in this news item had called at the newspaper office
            during the week of May 13, 1881.  All lived in the Tuscumbia area.

Some advertisements appeared in the old newspaper including:
1.      "John Kallenbach, blacksmith and wagon maker"........he had a blacksmith shop in
        Tuscumbia.  John was born in 1845 in Germany and came to America in 1860.  He
        and his first wife, Mary (Artz) were living in Tuscumbia in 1881.  She died in 1892
        and in 1895, John married Minnie Nixdorf.

2.      "William Golden and Company"---William had a general mercantile store in 
        Tuscumbia.  In 1880, William and his wife, Alvira, were living in Jim Henry
        Township with their 7 children.  When he opened his store, I do not know if he
        remained on his Jim Henry farm or moved into Tuscumbia.

3.      "Samuel H. Sone, Agent for California Marble Works"....Samuel sold tombstones for 
this company.  He married Lena Hauenstein (1857-1877), and they lived in Tuscumbia.
She died at the age of 20 years and Samuel married Mrs. Lizzie Jenkins in 1885.
By that time, he was living in Jefferson City, MO.

THE MILLER COUNTY VINDICATOR, 20 May 1881, Vol. 3 #15

Cephas A. Leach preached at Aurora last Sunday.
Note: Cephas had been an editor of the "Sedalia Times" newspaper and I don't think he ever lived in Miller County.

C. S. Phillips returned home from St. Louis on the steamer "Tuscumbia" Wednesday evening.
Note: This fellow may have been Clayton Phillips who lived south of the Osage River in Glaize Township.

Samuel Todd and Ms. Brooks Cummings visited her parents at Pleasant Mount on Sunday. Note: Brooks was a dau. of Daniel & Emily (Challes) Cummings who lived in the village of Tuscumbia in 1880. Daniel was a storekeeper in the town. Samuel Todd later lived in Jeff. City....Brooks married Charles Golden in 1884.

Ice cream at Herman Kelsay's.....10 cents a dish. Note: Herman Kelsay operated his ice cream shop in Tuscumbia. He had married Nancy Louisa Swanson in 1875 and they lived upriver from Tuscumbia in 1880.

Uncle Page Thompson will half-sole your boots for 50 cents. Note: Uncle Page lived in Tuscumbia with his elderly wife, Mary, in 1880. He was born in Tennessee in 1826 and she was a native of No. Carolina.

W. H. (Wm. Harvey) Downing and Jacob B. (Benjamin) Cotten of Adelaide called and increased our subscriptions last week.
Note: Adelaide was a small settlement/post office in Franklin Township

Price and Ward, artists from Vichey Springs, Maries County, are here (in Iberia) and will remain some weeks. Bring your sweethearts, boys.

Last Sunday evening (May 15, 1881), James Allen, a colored boy about 14 years old, drowned in the Tavern Creek about 2 miles east of Iberia. Note: I think that James was a son of Josephus and Stephanna Allen, former slaves. They had several children including James, who was born in 1866 and died in May 1881. He was buried at the Iberia Cemetery (then called Sulkey Cemetery).

Our young friend, Mr. Becker of Locust Mound, called at our office on Tuesday. Note: I think this was Emil Becker, a son of D. w. and Caroline Becker of Jim Henry Township.

McCrory's Store, in Poge/Poague Hollow, was robbed of about $50 worth of goods last week. Note: The store was located in Glaize Township, owned by Wm. R. and Zilphia McCrory. Their neighbors were the families of Davidson, Martin, Pemberton, Winfrey, Adams, Gillum.

Thomas Thompson, of Brumley, left for Oregon Tuesday morning. He will write for his family when he finds a place that suits him. Note: Thomas Thompson was a sheriff of Miller County during 1862-1866. He also served as collector at the same time. He was born in Scotland about 1830. In 1880, his wife Lenoria (born in Penn.) and 2 children were living in his household. They must have joined him in Oregon because no further records are found for them in Miller County.

Last Sunday afternoon quite a number of young men assembled on the outskirts of town (Iberia) formed a single line and rode through the street. After describing a grand circle, they dismounted and remained a couple of hours. They again formed a line and departed. They did nothing disorderly, and aside from it looking bad on Sunday, we can find no fault. Note: Over 120 years later, the boys still do the same thing, except today they use their pickup trucks! Like the editor of the Vindicator in 1881, I can find no fault today!

THE MILLER COUNTY VINDICATOR, 27 May 1881, Vol. 3 #16

Esquire John Ferguson, of Iberia, is painting Mr. Robinson's new office.
Note: Squire John must have been painting the new law office for Theodore B. Robinson in Tuscumbia.

Mr. Hoover and two daughters of Big Gravois, called to us Wednesday.....
Note: Charles Hoover lived in Franklin township and had 4 daughters listed in the 1880 census

John R. Thompson, Edward Kallenbach, and 'D' Berry went to Aurora Springs Sunday. Note: Aurora Springs was a thriving resort/health center in Miller County in the 1880s. It had mineral springs that were supposed to keep you young and healthy.

Look out for the specimen copy of a new paper, edited and published by William T. Tomson. Note: The name of the new paper was not given. I don't know if it existed for very long.

Edward Burks and family, of Hickory Point (Richwoods Township), visited his sister, Mrs. Robinson, on Wednesday. Note: Theodore B. Robinson married Parthena Burks McCarty in 1870. She was the widow of Gordon McCarty.

The new railroad is being pushed ahead with some vim. Several hundred hands employed.

Iberia has a reading room, but it is of a different nature to the one recently closed at this place (Tuscumbia), being supplied with good books instead of liquors.

Samuel Moody, of Flatwoods (Franklin township), desires a letter from his brother in Greystone, Kansas. He has written to him several times and received no reply. Address is: Samuel Moody, Tuscumbia, MO

They are going to build a church at Hancock. Nearly $400 raised the past week.
Note: Hancock, once called Iron Summit, was located in Pulaski County.

John B. Stone, of the Church of Christ, preached at Hickory Point last Sunday and administered baptism to three candidates. Note: John B. Stone lived north of Iberia and came to Miller County from Barren Co., KY in the 1840s. He married Susan Samantha Bailey, daughter of Julius and Lucinda (Anderson) Bailey, who were also from Barren County, KY.

May 15 was generally observed throughout the South by decorating graves of the Confederate dead.

PUBLIC NOTICE: Owing to an impression that the grand jury would return indictment against Sunday saloonists, the liquor and cigar stores in Jefferson City were closed last Sunday.

NEWS THAT WAS 'SHORT AND TO THE POINT'.........
Health is good in town
Remember the preaching tonight.
Music in the woods by the bush-full.
Prospect for wheat is fine in this county.
We've not seen any ripe strawberries this spring.
The showers are scattering.
Crops look well between here and Iberia.
There are millions of locusts in the woods.
A refreshing shower at Iberia.
The purest water runs from the hardest rock.

PROFESSIONAL CARDS.....(Advertisements)
1. E(lias) W. Swalem, Attorney at Law, Tuscumbia
2. Jacob Gantt, Attorney at Law, Tuscumbia
3. T(heodore) B. Robinson, Attorney at Law, Tuscumbia
4. Dr. S(amuel) P. Hickman, Physician, Brumley
5. Dr. J(ohn) L. Conner, Physician, Brumley
6. Daniel Cummings, Notary Public & Land Agent, Tuscumbia
7. I(saac) M. Goodrich, Notary Public & Land Agent, Tuscumbia
8. Mrs. Mary E. Semple, Milliner & Dressmaker, Pleasant Mount

THE MILLER COUNTY VINDICATOR, 3 June 1881, Vol. 3 #17

"William H. Harrison passed a few pleasant minutes with us Tuesday. He informed us he expects to commence work in his official relation in a day or two."
Note: William H. Harrison was Miller County Assessor from 1881-1884. He later held several County offices including Treasurer (1889-1892); Presiding Judge (1895-1898); Clerk of the Circuit Court (1899-1906); and State Representative (1909-1911).

"Did you see the eclipse? There will be a total eclipse of the moon on the night of the 11th (June 11, 1881)."

"Married: Mayhan-Cummings at the residence of the bride's father in Tuscumbia on June 1, 1881 at 4 p.m."
Note: Martha/Mattie E. Cummings, daughter of Daniel and Amanda (Challes) Cummings married A. A. Mayhan of Cole County. He was the public administrator of Cole County at the time of his marriage.

"Mrs. Lucy A. Fancher of Iberia, is visiting friends and relatives in Tuscumbia this week."
Note: Lucy was a daughter of Daniel & Amanda Cummings and was probably in Tuscumbia to attend the wedding of her sister, Martha. Lucy married Marquis/Mark Fancher and in 1881 they were living in Iberia.

"Miss Cordelia Allen, of Iberia, gave a croquet party last Saturday. Quite a pleasant affair." Note: Cordelia was the only daughter of Elias and Mary (Gardner) Allen of Iberia.

"Rev. Phillips of the Church of Christ, will preach at Iberia's Congregational Church on Sunday."
Note: I am not sure who this Rev. Phillips was...the minister of the Congregational Church at that time was either Rev. W.H. Hicks or Rev. Richard T. Marlow.

"Our Sunday School at Pleasant Mount is under headway with Bro. John M. Brockman the Supt. and Mrs. James A. Stevens (Maggie Cross) the Assistant and L. W. Spalding the Secretary. There were 58 in attendance last Sunday (May 30, 1881).

NOTE: On the back sheet of the old newspaper, I found a very interesting item. It was a 'Notice of Publication' dated 28 May 1881 from the Land Office in Boonville, MO and it said:

  "Notice hereby given that the following settler has filed notice of her intention to make final 
   proof in support of her claim before the Clerk of the County Court at Tuscumbia, Miller Co.,
   MO. on July 8, 1881......viz: LEAH ROARK, Homestead Entry #991 for the Southwest quarter 
   of the Northwest quarter of Section 15, Township 15, Range 42 (40 acres located in Saline
   township southwest of Olean)......The following witnesses proved her continous residence upon 
   and cultivation of said land: Lewis M. Currence, Christopher C. Barbour, Marion F. Taylor,
   and Milton H. Holloway, all of Pleasant Mount."

   Note: Leah (Vernon) Roark was the widow of Yancy Roark, one of the seven soldiers killed
             at the Curtman Island massacre on the Osage river during the Civil War.  In 1880, she
             lived near Mt. Pleasant with her three children: Henry Roark, John Roark, and Martha
             Roark.

"We didn't get a bit of Phil Hauenstein's wedding cake."
Note: There'a a good reason they didn't get a piece of Phil's cake because he didn't marry Sarah Riggins (of Cole Co.) until April, 1882! A rumor had them married in 1881, but they didn't 'tie the knot' until 1882. I found this info in another news item in the old newspaper).

"W. P. Reinhart of Ulman's Ridge, gave us a pleasant call Wednesday."
Note: I think this may have been Wesley Reinhart who lived in Glaize township in 1880. He lived with his parents, A. J. and Nancy Reinhart.

"Thomas J. Armistead and John W. Lovell, of Hickory Point, called Wednesday."
Note: Thomas and wife, Eliza, and John and wife, Elizabeth, lived in the same community in Richwoods township known as Hickory Point. The church and cemetery are still there.

"Mark Fancher, one of Iberia's prominent merchants, gave us a call Wednesday."
Note: Marquis/Mark Fancher, son of David and Catherine Fancher (natives of New York), married Lucy Ann Cummings of Tuscumbia. They moved to Iberia in the early 1870s and set up a general merchandise store.

"Mr. I.(saac) M. Goodrich received a fine, $130 buggy on the steamer PHIL E. CHAPPEL."
Note: Isaac and his wife, Rebecca, lived in Tuscumbia with their 3 children in 1880. Isaac was a native of New York and his wife was born in Ohio.

"Charles Clarke has recovered."
Note: Don't know what Charles was recovering from........He was a native of England and lived in Tuscumbia with is wife, Isabelle (Skinner).

"Tuscumbia won't get the railroad, we fear."
Note: They didn't

"M. Catron of Brumley, called on Wednesday to renew his subscription."
Note: Manessah Catron lived in Glaize township with his wife, Susan Vienna, and and their 5 children.

"Col. Johnson of Pleasant Mount, had a mess of new potatoes the last day of May."
Note: I am not sure if this was James Johnson or A. C. Johnson. Both lived in the Pleasant Mount area

"George P. Swanson of Pleasant Mount, was in town last Monday selling stock."
Note: George and his wife, Maggie, lived in Pleasant Mount in 1880 with their little girl, Estella.

"Dr. John L. Conner, of Brumley, is in Vienna (Maries County) this week selling a patent water drawer."
Note: Dr. John and his wife, Elnora (Singletary), were residents of Brumley in 1880. Wonder if he ever sold any of his 'water drawers'?

"A young man, Mr. Warren of Brumley, entered our town school on Monday."
Note: I think this was James Warren, son of John R. Warren. The school he entered was Professor Morris' school in Tuscumbia.

"John Boyce and sister, Miss Sadie, and Miss Ollie Russell, of Rocky Mount, gave us a pleasant call on Saturday."
Note: John and Sarah/Sadie Boyce were children of Richard and Mary Boyce of Franklin Township. Ollie Russell was a daughter of Arthur and Louise Russell, also of Franklin township.

"George Johnston of Iberia, entered our office door last Tuesday and introduced himself."
Note: George Johnston was born in Canada and lived in the village of Iberia in 1880 with his wife, Laura J. (Irwin) and their 3 children.

THE MILLER COUNTY VINDICATOR, 21 June 1881, Vol. 3 #18

"Dr. B. E. Boone, dentist, called on us Thursday morning."
Note: I have tried to find the identity of Dr. Boone but found nothing. He may have been a traveling dentist who went from town to town offering his services for a short while then would move on.

" T. A. Son, of Rocky Mount, is agent for "Royal Path of Life"
Note: The Son family lived near Rocky Mount in Franklin Township during the census of 1880. I am curious to what the "Royal Path of Life" was......a religious or fraternal organization?

"Mr. & Mrs. J. W. Son, of Rocky Mount, gave us a call last week."
Note: These were more of the Son family members of Franklin Township. In 1880, J. W. and his wife, M. E., lived near Rocky Mount. In Glaize township, near the Brumley community, was another family who spelled their name 'Sons'. I am told they were not related.

"C. S. Phillips, of Golden and Company (in Tuscumbia), is at Osage City (Osage Co.) on business." Note: Clayton S. Phillips lived in Glaize Township during the census of 1880 with his wife, Elvira (Golden).

"William T. Martin cut his leg severely while cutting wheat at Harrison Waddle's Monday last."
Note: There were several William Martins in Miller County at that time, so I do not know for sure which he was. Harrison Waddle lived on a farm downriver from Tuscumbia on the south side of the Osage. His neighbors were the families of Wyrick and Bear.

"Dr. Godlove will take charge of the new drug store (in Tuscumbia) when completed. He will also continue to practice his profession."
Note: Once again, this man is a mystery. The first man to receive his American citizenship in Miller County was Emanuel Godlove, a native of Bavaria. This was in 1842 when he was about 32 years old. There is no indication Emanuel Godlove was ever a doctor. He was a storekeeper in Tuscumbia for many years. I do not know if the 'Dr. Godlove', mentioned above, could have been Emanuel's son.

"Elder J. J. Lane will preach at the courthouse on Saturday night before the second Sunday in July."
Note: Earlier, Elder Lane had been preaching at a church in Iberia. He was probably a circuit-riding preacher of the late 19th century in central Missouri.

"Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Allen of Rocky Mount, with Mr. & Mrs. Joel B. Clark of this city (Tuscumbia), gave us a pleasant call on Wednesday.
Note: Joseph and Mary Allen were living in Franklin Township in 1880 with 6 children in their home. Joel B. & Eliza Clark lived in Tuscumbia with 5 children "Charley Golden, brother to our enterprising merchant (William Golden and Company) will open up a livery stable in a few days"

"Miss Lou Marlow of Iberia has arrived at home and is a charming addition to our circle of young ladies."
Note: She was the young daughter of Rev. and Mrs. Richard Marlow. He was the new minister of Iberia's Congregational Church in 1881.

NEWS---LOCAL AND OTHERWISE:
The pump in the well at the courthouse is broken."
"The sweet singing locusts have left us."
"Hot - Hotter - Hottest"
"The Spring Garden exhibition was by far the best event given in the county.
The audience was estimated at 1500."
"After Sunday week, no more marrying in this State without license".

AURORA SPRINGS NEWS...........
"Great many invalids here now."
"Aurora Market----butter 12 ½ cents lb.; eggs 8 cents; bacon 12 ½ cents lb.;
mutton 6 ¼ cents lb."
"Plenty of water in the springs."
"A great many strangers in town.:
"There are too many dogs in our town. What will we do with them?"
"Board at the hotel....$2.50 a week."
Note: As you can see, it didn't take too much activity to make news the week of June 21,
1881.....
locusts, broken pumps, water in the springs, strangers in town, too
many dogs..........................

The following is a shorter version of a news item that covered 3 large paragraphs
in The Vindicator on June 21..............
"About 180 students of the Congregational Church's Sabbath School marched to the grove
in the meadow of Uncle Elias Allen, under leadership of Dr. John W. Wade. The church's
organ was taken to the meadow and was played by Miss Minnie Lombar. Prayer was given
by Rev. R. I. Marlow and an address was given by John H. Moore. Another address was
delivered by Frank E. Lombar and then another speech was given by Hugh Murphy who
had come over from Dixon. An essay and poem was read by Martha Hayhurst and then
another essay was read by D. W. Baker. After all the presentations, a dinner was
served to all present."

Note: 180 students was quite a large number of young folks for Iberia in 1881! They must have come from near and far. Can you imagine moving an old upright organ from the church to a meadow located on 'Uncle Elias Allen's' land. He lived quite a distance east of Iberia in those days.

The following is a list of advertisements in the newspaper in 1881 and before the days of
penicillin and other modern medicines.
1. Day's Kidney Pad-for disease of the kidneys
2. Prickley Ash Bitters-cures for diseases of the liver, stomach, bowels, kidneys, piles,
dyspepsia (indigestion), and general debility.
3. Kidney Wort-permanently cures kidney diseases, liver complaints, constipation, piles,
and nervous disorders.
4. Drunkeness & Opium Habit-cured by Dr. Kerley in Dwight, Illinois
5. Lydia Pinkham's Vegetable Compound-for cure of female complaints, spinal weakness &
change of life.
6. Wilhoft's Fever & Ague Tonic-for chills and fever...NOTE: the 'ague' was described
as a violent fever with fits of shivering.
7. Hostetter's Stomach Bitters-for the traveler suffering with fever, ague, constipation,
biliousness (liver and bile problems), and rheumatism.
8. Dr. Schenck's Medicine-(Pulmonic Syrup, Seaweed Tonic, & Mandrake Pills) for consumption
of lungs, night sweats, severe coughs.

In the "Miller County Vindicator" newspaper, published at Tuscumbia, MO, and dated August 5, 1881, were the names of men of the county who were chosen by the County Court to serve on the Grand Jury and Petit Jury for the next term of court (September 1881). Perhaps someone will see the name of an ancestor on the lists. (Peggy Hake)

GRAND JURY
F.M.(Francis) Spalding of Saline Twp; J.M.(John) Brockman of Saline Twp; M. C. Bond of Saline Twp; David Farnham of Richwoods Twp; D. W.(David) Baker of Richwoods Twp; J. F. (Jesse) Gott of Glaize Twp; J. D. (Joshua) Cochran of Richwoods Twp; Wm. H. Payne of Glaize Twp; M.H. (Moses) Richardson of Equality Twp; Wesley A. Hackney of Equality Twp; John Bowden of (probably Franklin Twp); and Wm. H. Downing of Franklin Twp.

PETIT JURY.
J.M.T. (John) Miller of Saline Twp; Almon Scott of Saline Twp; J.B. (John) Crocker of Saline Twp; D. E. Stayton of Saline Twp; Martin Haynes of Saline Twp; Montgomery Houston of Glaize Twp; J. B. (John) Groff of Richwoods Twp; J. C. (Jeremiah) Tallman of Richwoods Twp; J. M. (James) Morrow of Richwoods Twp; Edmond Burks of Richwoods Twp; J. M. (James) Wiseman of Glaize Twp; W. P.(William) Reinhart of Glaize Twp; John Hickman of Glaize Twp; Judge Reed of Glaize Twp; Henry Barnhart of Equality Twp; Henry Deerhoff/Doerhoff of Jim Henry Twp; Simeon Bear of Osage Twp; M. R. (Marquis) Challes of Equality Twp; S. H. (Samuel) Sone of Equality Twp; B. W. (Burrell) Burris of Equality Twp; John Lawson of Osage Twp; Edmond F. Shelton of Osage Twp; A. R. (Alvin) Vaughan of Franklin Twp; and Richard Boyce of Franklin Twp.

A year later, on August 11, 1882, The Vindicator printed a new list of Grand and Petit Jurors who would serve during the September 1882 Term of the Miller County Court. The names printed were:

GLAIZE TWP. 
Grand Jurors: Solomon Blankenship, John Cook 
Petit Jurors: Floyd Wall, Greenberry Pope, Andrew J. 
Wilson, Francis W. Fendorf 

EQUALITY TWP: 
Grand Jurors: Marquis R. Challes, Green Lee Wright, 
Petit Jurors: John Schubert, Wesley A. Hackney, 
Chas. Jefferson Smith 

OSAGE TWP: 
Grand Jurors: Wm. Z. Burton 
Petit Jurors: C. J. Berry, Perry T. Nixdorf 

JIM HENRY TWP: 
Grand Jurors: Joseph Brockman 
Petit Jurors: James A. Jenkins, James T. Denton 

SALINE TWP: 
Grand Jurors: George P. Swanson, Henry Hollaway, 
Francis M. Spalding 
Petit Jurors: David N. Curty, Peter Slote, 
Thomas J.  Spalding Jr., John F. McFall, 
Asa Burlingame, William Taylor 

RICHWOODS TWP: 
Grand Jurors: Martin Nelson, Edmond Burks 
Petit Jurors: Willis Dial, Wm. M. Barton, David Farnham, 
Eleven C. Thompson, James M. Morrow 

FRANKLIN TWP: 
Grand Jurors: Joel Cooper 
Petit Jurors: George W. Holder, Miller Lutman 

THE MILLER COUNTY VINDICATOR, 1 July 1881, Vol. 3 #21

"Mr. Marshall has been sick since Sunday last.:
Note: David Marshall, a native of Scotland, was the postmaster at Tuscumbia in 1881. He also was a notary public and conveyancer (a lawyer who draws up deeds). His son, Capt. Robert Melville Marshall, was a riverboat pilot up and down the Osage river during the 19th century and later became the first president of the Bank of Tuscumbia.

"The river is rising and if the rain continues it may become a little 'beachy'...the Osage is on another high."

"The comet has a very small orbit."

"Thanks to J. B. Merwin for job work. He wants 200 tie makers."
Note: The railroad was being constructed through Miller County during the early 1880s.

SOME WIT AND WISDOM.......
1.      Morse, who invented the telegraph, and Bell, the telephone, both had deaf,
mute wives. Little comment is necessary, but just see what a man can accomplish
when everything is quiet............
2.      One half of the world doesn't know how the other half lies about it!

AURORA SPRINGS DIRECTORY AS OF JULY 1, 1881...............
James John Palmer & Co., dry goods; J. Konrad Artz, groceries & provisions, cigars,
& tobacco; Allen, restaurant; James Cooper, boarding house; James Reed, tonsorial
artist (to clip or shear,maybe even a barber); Thomas Cook, sawmill; James Cooper,
dwelling; Wm. C. Downing,notary public; E. Reed, dwelling; Colonel Stover, dwelling;
P. Bowen, butcher; Wm. C.Downing and Company, feed and sale stable; Mr. McKennon,
dwelling; Peter Thompson,dwelling; James Duncan & Company, feed and sale stable
............House not yet completed at the time were: James Moon Hotel; Anthony
Hotel; Lutman & Dark Hotel; James Allen, dwelling; Dr. Steven's Bath House, and 
hopefully the city hall would be finished by July 4th.
   Note: Aurora Springs was the hub of activity in the early 1880s in Saline township.
            Eldon had not been built yet and it was thought Aurora Springs would be 
            Miller County's largest population center.....
   Note: The July 4th holiday at Aurora Springs must have been given much publicity 
            because thethe following items were found in the VINDICATOR in the July
            1st edition............

1. It is thought there will not be less than 10,000 persons at the picnic Monday next (July 4).

2. Sedalia will run a 'special' train to California for those coming to Aurora Springs next Monday.

3. We understand that nearly everybody in the western part of Maries County will attend the picnic at Aurora Springs on July 4th.

4. Mr. Moon will have his hotel completed by the 'great day of July' in Aurora Springs.

5. Dr. John H. Moore and family and Frank E. Lombar (all of Iberia) left here this morning (Friday, July 1, 1881) for Aurora. Quite a number of our citizens will go after harvest is over.

6. Professor Reed of Aurora Springs, was in town this week and reports barbering lively at the Springs. Says that shaving with Aurora water has caused many a downy face to look 'hairy'. Call on Jim when you want the 'down raked off and the beard started'.

THE MILLER COUNTY VINDICATOR,

12 August 1881, Vol. 3 #27

NEWS AND NOTES:

1. We can't count on much turnip soup this fall.

2. Mrs. Talbot has been sued for the sum of $1623 by her lawyer for defending her boys. Note: I have no idea who Mrs. Talbot was....no record found in Miller Co. records

3. The attendance at Elder Workman's meeting, south of the river last Sunday, was good. One confessing
Note: Thomas Owen Workman was a circuit-riding preacher in the Miller County area in this time era. I think his meeting was being held at Liberty Church of Christ which was about 4 miles south of Tuscumbia. It was established in 1867 by Rev. Workman, Nelson Davis, and T. S. Phillips.

4. Anchor Mills are constantly engaged in sawing and grinding.

5. Ira T. Johnson has fenced in the south side of his store lot, which takes in considerable amount of old passageway next to the ferry.
Note: Ira T. Johnson, born c/1844 in Ohio, and his wife, Elizabeth (Weitz), were living in Tuscumbia. Evidently they operated a store near the Osage River which was located near the old ferry landing.

6. A sign painted on the new fence on the south border of Johnson's lot says, "For Cheap Goods, Go to Golden's and Company". There's nothing like advertising.
Note: Golden and Company was a competitor to Ira T. Johnson.....He was very generous to advertise for his competitor!

7. John Paul Beudler, near Charlestown, John Henry Township, was stricken down by sunstroke while hauling water last Sunday. At last account, he was still living.
Note: This was John Paul Beutel, a native of Germany, who came to America in 1867. He settled in Charlestown (today's St. Elizabeth) and he survived this sunstroke because he lived until 1901.

8. Wells are going dry on the hill (Tuscumbia).

9. Elder J. J. Lane will commence a protracted meeting at Salem on the first Sunday next month.
Note: Elder Lane must have been a circuit-riding preacher who did not live in Miller County. I could not find him in any census record. Salem Church was in Saline Township, north of Eldon.

10. The railroad surveying party has passed about 2 miles north of Mt. Pleasant. They camped Tuesday night at the widow Roark's.
Note: The railroad was not built north of Mt. Pleasant but ran about ½ mile south of the town. I do not know which lady was "the widow Roark". Two ladies lived in the area named Roark and both were widows......one was Candace Roark, age 66, and the other was her daughter-in-law, Leah Roark. Leah was the widow of Yancy Roark, one of the Civil War soldiers killed in the massacre on Curtman's Island, located on the Osage River.

11. There is trouble among the brewers in St. Louis. Some of them voluntarily reduced the price of beer from $2 to $1.75 per keg and others, though objecting, are compelled to do the same.

12. Jordan Bowers was divorced at Rolla the other day and in less than 15 minutes, he had a license to remarry..............

Recent Marriages in Miller County in 1881 (July and August)

1. July 28, 1881---Andrew J. Colvin married Eliza Wyrick at the residence of the bride's father. Esquire Pittsford officiated. Note: Eliza was a daughter of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Hix/Hicks) Wyrick who were living in Saline Township. I believe Esquire Pittsford was actually named Pitchford.

2. July 31, 1881----Last Sunday at 4 p.m., Mulligan Sullivan married Nannie Lupardus, at the home of the bride's father, by Esquire John S. Wilson.
Note: Nannie/Nancy was the daughter of Peter B. & Joanna (King) Lupardus who lived in Osage township in 1880. Mulligan Sullivan (isn't that a strange name?) was living in the home of Charles and Isabelle (Skinner) Clarke at Tuscumbia during the census of 1880.

3. August 3, 1881---George Barton married Mary Ann Casey at the home of the bride's father, by Esquire John S. Wilson, all of Miller County.
Note: George was a son of Bentley and Elizabeth Barton and Mary Ann was a daughter of Zadoc and Sarah (Castleman) Casey, all of Richwoods Township.

4. August 4, 1881, David Bear married Mary S. Winfrey at the home of the bride's father, by Esquire John S. Wilson, all of Miller County.
Note: David Bear was a son of George and Elizabeth Bear of Equality Township and I am not sure who the parents of Mary Winfrey were (perhaps William and Christina Winfrey of Glaize Township).