Volume 4, Number 12 - Summer 1973
MRS. FRED KIMBERLING'S FATHER'S FAMILY
Thomas Peterson, Dayton, Ohio Married Nancy Ellis, Dayton
"They came to Missouri as soon as the Civil War was over. William their son carried water to the Home Guards who kept the Rebels out of Dayton."
Their children were:
William Hamilton Peterson b Mar. 23, 1848, Dayton, Ohio married Isabelle Rider
Wesley m Sally Hunter, they separated
Deborah m Henry Stewart at Nixa, Mo. They builded the first hotel there The Travelers Hotel.
Elizabeth (Betty) m Bill Holt, they separated.. burned to death from lamp.
Their children were George, Fred, Lafe, Ida and Leonard.
She married Benjamin Townsend Thomas, who left. Three children Mariah, Gertie and Georgia all died when 13 years old of spinal mengitis.
Elizabeth Peterson called "Aunt Bet" by her family died at son Leonards near Lampe.
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In 1906 Fred (Frederick) went to Chillicothe to enter the Chillicothe Business College. At that time Fred’s father had store in Reeds Spring and two other sons John and Bruce were helping him. Fred was in Chillicothe in 1906 and 1907. At that time the two Moore sons, Allen and Roy were there. Fred took care of the Moore horses. The Moore’s had a big farm and fine horses. Fred drove the carriage for Mrs. Moore. He lived in a rooming house on Monroe Street across from the College. In 1933 the college had a reunion of former students at the Baltimore Hotel in Kansas City. Fred says "That was the last time I ever saw any of the Moores."
Fred went from Chillicothe to Kansas City with $3.75 in his pocket. Fred says "I knew that if I wrote to my father, he would send me ticket to Reeds Spring or send me a check to buy a ticket to Reeds Spring."
Fred kept searching and got a job at the Commerce Trust Bank. There he found Fred Brady, who taught in the accounting department and was treasurer of the Business College at Chillicothe, now in Commerce Trust.
Fred came home to the Ozarks, Stone County, to marry Nanna Peterson. They went to Kansas City to live at 2022 Prospect, upstairs, a nephew lived down stairs. Later they moved to 1222 Park where Freda was born and still later to 1900 Prospect. Then they bought a lease on a 20 acre tract near Muncie, Kansas. Along with the lease they got a team of horses, a cow, chickens, plow and other tools. The lease ran for another year. That year they made $500.00 on crops. In 1915 they bought six acres three miles this side of Muncie. It was part of the big old farm subdivided. They got the part with the big old house. ‘Twas in the Kaw Valley.
They sold in 1919 and went to Gentry, Arkansas where they bought a farm. In 1920 they returned to Kansas City. Fred got a job at Federal Reserve Bank, where he stayed until they ‘came home’ to Stone County. In Kansas City they lived at 3934 Walnut, at 1401 East Lydia and 76.
In the meantime Fred’s brother had inherited the Home place south of White River. The brother had sold 62 acres to a sister Nettie who was going to sell it. Fred heard of this. He says "I wanted to own the old stomping ground and to return. I wrote to my sister that I did not want it to go out of the family. I bought it".
That was in 1941. Fred and Nana came to farm that fall. They returned to Stone County to the simple life. Nana used coal oil for lamp light and ‘sad’ irons for the laundry. But soon the children loved to come ‘Home’, too. To the quiet and to the beauty of the stanch old house with its surrounding trees, shrub, fruit and flowers.
Now there’s electricity for lighting, etc. running water for kitchen and bath, gas for heating. And, too there’s the old striking clock on the big mantel, and the old organ, the first in the area, one to pump but no noises only sweet melodies; cases of good books and there’s Grandpa and Grandma. Grandma carries the photos but ‘tis grandpa who tells the stories of ‘smart’ grandchildren; such as the one this week of John Frederick Yeo age 4 years whose mother Freda on this May afternoon was going to entertain at tea. Freda sent her young son upstairs for his regular afternoon nap and felt secure, for if he attempted to come downstairs he must come through a door she might watch. Soon she saw the young chap playing in the yard.
How did he get down? John Frederick slid or dropped down the clothes chute from the second floor to the basement.
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