Volume 4, Number 6 - Winter 1971
A Directory of Towns, Villages and Hamlets of Stone County, Missouri
Compiled by Author Paui Moser - June, 1970
In compiling this Directory of towns, villages and hamlets, past and present of Stone County, an attempt has been made to include every town in the country.
The following acknowledgements are made: Miss Roblee and her staff in the Research Department of the Public Libraries of Springfield and Greene County, who graciously made certain reference books and material available for examination. Mrs. Porter Lucas, Crane, Missouri who corrected several errors in the original draft. Mary Scott Hair, (Samanthy) Hurley, Mo., who corrected some errors in the original draft, and who supplied additional material, which is duly recognized in the Directory.
The following references were examined:
CAMPBELL’S NEW ATLAS OF MISSOURI; A GAZETTEER OF MISSOURI, CAMPBELL, 1874; A REMINISCENT HISTORY OF THE OZARK REGION, Goodspeed, 1894; THE STATE OF MISSOURI, in 1904, Walter Williams; STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951; THE WHITE RIVER VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY (several issues). Several Issues of the MISSOURI MANUAL. Various maps, as indicated; Personal conversations with a few people as noted; also personal observation, as noted.
I.
Between the admission of Missouri into the Union, and the creation of Stone County, this Stone County area had been included in the Counties of Wayne, Crawford (created 1829), Greene (created in 1833) and Taney, (created in 1837).
Taney County then included most of the present limits, parts of the present County of Christian and all of the present limits of Stone County. Forsyth was its county seat.
Due to its size, a portion of its area was severed in 1851 to become Stone County.
The 16th General Assembly of Missouri, convened on December 30, 1850. By its act of February 10, 1851, Stone County was created and was named "in honor of William Stone, late of Taney County, Missouri."— THE WHITE RIVER VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY. Fall, 1964, pp. 6 & 7. Charles Henson wrote this article and cited the laws of Mo., 1851, 186-8, to support his statement.
Stone County is said to have received its first pioneer as early as 1790. He located among the Delawares, who were the original inhabitants. In 1853 Tennessee and Kentucky sent their sons into the wilderness to open up the country near the confluence of the James and White Rivers—A REMINISCENT HISTORY OF THE OZARK REGION, 1894, p. 31.
The first White man in Stone County was Joseph Philabert*, a fur trapper. There is a cemetery named for him, near the Shepherd of the Hills Estate.—Mrs. Porter Lucas, Crane, Mo.
*Other spellings of this name, Philabert, Filabert.
—Miss Roblee, Springfield and Greene County Libraries.
II.
The old Ozark to Galena horse-back mail route went past these places:
Dutch Store, in Christian County not far from the present site of Highlandville; Gilmore Mill, Robertson’s Mill, Sinclair Post Office, Wheeler Branch, later, Otto, then Galena.
The Sinclair Post Office was located across James River from the arch on the John Inmon farm. Present day Hootentown is not far away from the site..—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
Note: Gilmore Mill and Sinclair Post-Office could not be located in the earliest lists of post-offices available in the Reference Department of the Public Library.
The earliest list available is in MISSOURI MANUALS of 1893-94, they are not listed in later MISSOURI MANUALS. Also, GAZETTEER OF MISSOURI of 1874 does not list these post-offices.
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III
The following post-offices are listed, but could not be located on existing maps:
GOFF’S CREEK. This post office was nine miles northeast of Galena.
HIGH CAMP. This post office was seven miles southeast of Galena—GAZEETER OF MISSOURI, Campbell, 1847, p. 611.
The following post-offices are listed on various maps. No other information could be found.
DORCAS. This post-offices was in the southeast corner of the county, northeast of Blue Eye.
EARL. This post-office was in the southwest corner of the county, northeast of Carr.
ROARK. This small town was southeast of Reed’s Spring, on the Missouri-Pacific Railroad.—RAND, McNALLY COMMERCIAL MAP OF MISSOURI 1924.
DIVIDE. This post-office was southwest of Jamesville—RAND, McNALLY COMMERCIAL MAP OF MISSOURI, 1894.
REDINGTON
VIEW
The above listed post offices are listed on page 60 of MISSOURI MANUAL, 1913-1914.
MARVEL CAVE once known as Marble Cave.
IV
THE WHITE RIVER RAILWAY COMPANY
The White River Railway was incorporated under the general railroad laws of Arkansas, February 8, 1901. The Company was organized and its capital stock owned by the St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern Railway, which cornpany purchased the property franchise by deed dated Jan. 31, 1903. The money involed in the purchase of this line and its construction was provided for by the sale of bonds.
The Springfield subdivision from Springfield—to Crane was originally constructed as the Springfield Southwestern Railway Company. This company was organized in 1903 by George J. Gould and associates as a wholly-owned subisidiary of the St. Louis Iron Mountain and Southern Railway. The line was completed from Crane, Missouri to Gulf Street in Springfield on April 20, 1907, and was extended 1.5 miles to its present end of track in Springfield in July 1909. The Springfield Southwestern was later acquired by the Iron Mountain and with the Iron Mountain merged in 1917 into the present
Missouri Pacific Railroad Company.—The above information was furnished by the Public Relations Department, Missouri Pacific Railroad, 210 N. 13th St., St. Louis, Missouri. 63103.
ABESVILLE
Just who the first settlers were around Abesville is not known. In 1894, John Eustler operated a saw mill and grist mill near the present canning factory site (1951). The next place of business was a store owned by Tom Coin.
In 1900 there was talk of a post office. Abe Payne offered to donate land for the post offioe, also land enough for a new school site. In his honor, the settlement was called Abesville or running the words together, the post office was officially known as Abesville— STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951. It is located at township 25, N. range 22 W, section 29, on Highway 76.—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the STATE H1GHWAY COMMISSION OF MISSOURI.
BAXTER
This town was five miles north of Nauvoo—THE STATE OF MISSOURI, in 1904, p. 523. There was a post-office here in 1899—MISSOURI MANUAL, 1899, p. 419. See also, Lam pe.
It was located at township 22 N, range 34 W, Section 36—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION OF MISSOURI.
BLUE EYE
On the Arkansas border, eleven miles south of Marmaros, is the small town of Blue Eye—GAZETTEER OF MISSOURI, p. 611. Also the STATE OF MISSOURI in 1904, p. 523.
Elbert N. Butler, a dark-haired blue eyed veteran of the Civil War, became the first postmaster when the post-office was established in 1870. One of his friends suggested that the post-office be called "Blue Eyes" in his honor and so it was the tiny settlement got the name.
At present, (1951), Blue Eye is a typical country village. It has a canning factory, two consolidated schools, three churches and several small business concerns. The business houses are clustered together around the square and main street—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
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It is located at township 21 N, range 23 W, Section 23, on Highway 13, and EE near Highway 86—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION OF MISSOURI.
One of the most unusual incidents regarding Blue Eye is that the schools were once closed because of an epidemic of Pink Eye—Mrs. Porter Lucas.
BRADFIELD
This post-office was on the route covered by mail hack between Marionville and Galena. There is a Bradfield store there (1951), although the post-office has been discontinued—THE STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
The R. F. D. also served Hurley—THE STATE OF MISSOURI, in 1904, p. 523.
BROWNS SPRING or BROWN’S SPRING
I n the pre-Civil War days, "Uncle" Burton Brown came to Stone County and settled. The spring, by which he settled, was soon become known as Brown’s Spring.
When the Missouri-Pacific Railroad came through about 1907 or ‘08, a group of Springfield business men saw possibilities of turning Brown’s Spring into a little resort town.
A dam was built, backing up the water from the big spring into a beautiful little lake. A pavilion was built across the lake to a big spring under the hill. This is not the spring for which the town is named. Soon the little town became a favorite picnic spot.
In 1925, a flash flood struck the town, and the pavillion was washed into the lake. Two years later, during flood season, the dam broke, and now the lake is gone. The spring forms the beginning of Spring Creek, which for 100 years or more has been such an important part of Hurley.
The post-office was discontinued, when the town started losing patrons, and mail is now carried by a carrier out of Billings, Mo. on Route 1.
Present day Brown’s Spring (1951), is a little country village, with one general store, a canning factory, a union church and several homes. Children are transported by bus to Clever Schools.—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951. It is located at township 26 N. range 24 W, section 6—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the STATE HIGHWAY COMMISSION MISSOURI.
CAPE FAIR
A few towns in Stone County have names of legendary origin; two of them Spanish, and at least one Indian, for Delaware Indians were the aborignal inhabitants of the county.
Cape Fair has its own Indian legend, and another legend, about the same people, tells about Virgin Bluff, which is not too far distant from Cape Fair.
Early settlers coming to what is now Cape Fair gave the settlement a name, but it was Cape Fear according to a tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation, and this is why: As the wagons and carts wound their way up and down and over the back bone ridge trails to the comparative safety of the settlement, they must have looked back from certain vantage points only to discover how very perilous their journey must have been.
The late Henry Berry knew the Delaware legend which has been told countless times. It seems that in a party of early pioneers was a young man, his sister and her sweetheart. They became friends of some Indians along the route who were returning to their home grounds near what is now Cape Fair. The three and the Indians pushed ahead of the rest of the party. Arriving at the top of one of the high hills, the Indians pointed out the confluence of the two streams now called Flat Creek and James River.
The girl, exclaiming over the beauty of the scene, said, "Why, it’s a perfect Cape!" Then she asked the Indians what they would call such a cape. The translation from the Deleware became Fair Cape, hence Cape Fair.
In the 1830’s, a powder mill was erected. Soon the community boasted a saw mill, a grist mill, a blacksmith shop, distillery, general store, cotton gin, and the first powder mill west of St. Louis.
The flood of 1884 destroyed many of the buildings in the Cape Fair area which was called Jamestown at that time—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
It is located at township 23 N, range 24 W, section 3, on highways 76 and 173— HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the State Highway Commission of Missouri.
CARICO
This small town was located at township 24 N range 23 W, section 10, approximately
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three and one-half miles northwest of Reed’s spring—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the State Highway Commission of Missouri.
CARR LANE (better known as CARR)
This community was located on highway 86, near the junction of 39, near the Barry County line. It was located at township 21 N. range 24 W, section 19, near the Arkansas border. It was five miles southeast of Viola, Barry County.—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the State Highway Commission of Missouri.
There was a post-office here in 1899-1 900.— MISSOURI MANUAL, 1899-1900 p. 420.
CRANE
The little town, now known as Crane had its beginning under another name. In the early 1880’s the little group of homes, a general store or two, a mill and a blacksmith shop was known as Hickory Grove. They nestled on the south bank of Crane Creek, and took their name from a log school house near the Dodge Hollow Bridge.
A need for a post-office here was felt so an application to the Postal Department went forth, asking that an office to be known as Hickory Grove be established here. Back came the reply that there was already an office by that name; would the citizens please select another name. Some one suggested Crane, for the little creek which was named for the great number of blue cranes that lived along the creek. In due time word was received that the post-office should be known as Crane. Tom Faught was the first postmaster as the post-office was located in his store.—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION May, 1951.
One of the earliest post-offices listed here was in 1899-1900.—MISSOURI MANUAL, 1899-1900, p. 421.
It is located at townships 25 and 26 N, range 24 W, sections 4, 5, 33, on Highway 13.—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the State Highway Commission of Missouri.
CRANK
See, School, Mo.
CURRAN (pronounced "kurn")
This post-office was established in the early 1850’s at McCullah chapel, where it remained until 1863, when the office was removed to McCuIlah stop on the Wire road. After the postmaster was killed by outlaws on Oct. 13, 1864, the office was removed to another location, just where is not certain.
Early in 1865, it is believed that it was moved to a location just over the line in Christian County, where it remained for some time. (Actually it was a short distance, probably not more than a block or so. The location was later called Cristo, there was a church by that name there for years.)
The last move was to the King home where the Wire Road crosses what is now Highway 13.
Mrs. Sarah E. King was the last postmaster. Her commission was dated December 22, 1866. Following her death, June 27, 1901, the post office was dissolved.—WHITE RIVER VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY, Summer, 1963, pp. 3-25. Courtesy of Mary Scott Hair (Samanthy), - additional information by Mary Scott Hair.
ELSEY
About midway between Crane and Galena on Highway 13, is the little town of Elsey, the only town on the map of Stone County bearing a woman’s name.
About the year 1901 or ‘02, 0. F. Douglas platted the town and it was called Douglas in his honor. Meanwhile a post-office had been established prior to that time, and given the name of ‘Elsey’ in honor of two ladies who were named Elsey.
They were known as Mrs. Elsey Howerton, better known as Grandma Howerton, and Mrs. Elsey Moore, called Grandma Moore. And while. the deeds to the town lots are in the town of Douglas, the town adopted the name of the post-office and goes by the name of Elsey.—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
It is located at township 25 N, range 24 W, sections 22 and 23, on Highways 13 and FF—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the State Highway Commission of Missouri.
GALENA
Galena, the county seat, formerly was known as Jamestown.—A REMNINISCENT HISTORY OF THE OZARK REGION, 1894, Goodspeed Bros. Pub., p. 31.
The county seat situated on the right bank of James River, 20 miles southeast of Logan, (Lawerence County), was laid out in
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1852 and called James Town (two words), but changed to Galena a few years later. It contains 2 stores, 1 wagon, and 1 carpenter shop. (1874)—GAZETTEER OF MISSOURI p.611.
In her piece about Galena for the Stone County edition of Rayburn’s Ozark Guide, Ethel Thompson, well-known writer, then a resident of Galena, says, "Anderson N. Payne, having been appointed by an Act of the General Assembly of the State of Missouri to select a site for the county seat of Stone County, met with others on April 15, 1851, and they selected Jamestown (one word) because of the ‘quality of the land, the density of population and the convenience for the greatest amount of the people of the county."
Just when exactly, or why, the name was changed to Galena is not known. But the County Court records the new name in its proceedings for the month of August 1853.—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTINNENIAL EDITION, May 1951.
Note; Various spellings of the word Jamestown were used; some authorities prefer two words, others use but one word, as indicated above.
It is located at township 24 N, range 23 W, sections 7 & 12 at the junctions of Highways, 148, 176, and 13.—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by State Highway Commission of Missouri.
HOMER
This spot was three miles north of Blue Eye.—THE STATE OF MISSOURI, in 1904, p. 523. It is not listed on the map of the WESTERN STATES, of 1911 by Rand, McNally and Co.
HURLEY
It is located at township 26 N, range 24 W, sections 27 & 28, on Highway A, between Highways K & 13—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by The State Highway Commission of Missouri.
We have no record of who the very first settlers in the Spring Creek Valley which is now Hurley were.
In the early 1880’s a mill was built. It was the beginning of an industrial center, for soon there was a general store. The wagon and team which hauled produce to the Frisco at Marionville brought back supplies for the store. More folks moved to the Spring Creek settlement and other businesses sprung up.
In pre-Civil war days, letters to the Long’s Mill post-office reached folks in the valley, by one way or another, mostly due to the courtesy of a friend who often went out of the way to deliver a letter. So the first letters which came to the mill settlement were brought on horseback from School (Union City), not in an official manner, but just as a courtesy to the mill patrons.
The only name the settlement knew for years was Spring Creek Mill.
Around the turn of the century there was talk of a post-office and a commissioned postmaster.
When names were suggested for the new office, and Spring Creek Post-office was offered, it was objected to as being too long.
The name Hurley was offered by the Post-office Department. It is thought that Hurley was named in honor of an official, either a postal inspector, or some such person. Perhaps the Postmaster General.—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION. May 1951.
JAMESTOWN (I)
The first Jamestown which was located not far from the present site of Cape Fair on Flat Creek, was a thriving little town while Stone County was a part of Taney County.
Some of the settlers chose Flat Creek not far from where it empties into James River as their home-steading site. And the little town of Jamestown, boasting a powder mill, became a trading center for settlers within a 50 mile radius.
Then in 1844, the Big Flood came and Jamestown on Flat Creek was destroyed by the flood waters. Some of the buildings washed away, others were left in a heap of ruins which never could be rebuilt.
One report said that during the flood the waters were up to the top of the school house hill, (Galena).—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION. May 1951.
JAMESTOWN (II)
In her piece about Galena for the Stone County edition of Rayburn’s Ozark Guide, Ethel Thompson, well-known writer says:
"Andrew N. Payne, having been appointed by an act of the General Assembly of the State of Missouri to select a site for the County Seat of Stone County, met with others on April 15, 1851, and they selected Jamestown because of the density of population and the convenience for the greatest amount of the people of the county".
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This Jamestown Mrs. Thompson speaks of must have been the second town of that name located somewhere near the present site of Galena.—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
At the September Term, 1851 of the County Court, it was ordered that the site of Jamestown be laid off in lots, with a public square.
The County Court in January 1852, ordered that the "courts" hereafter to be held in Stone County, Missouri shall be held at Jamestown, but the County Court’s adjournment orders adjourns the court "to the house of Mrs. Stone" which undoubtedly was the house of Mrs. Martha Stone located on land bordering Jamestown, which some time afterwards, she laid off as the first addition to Galena.—Charles L. Henson, in the WHITE RIVER VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY, Fall 1964, p. 8.
The County Court in January 1852 ordered that the ‘courts’ hereafter to be held in Stone County, Missouri shall be held at Jamestown....The name Jamestown was changed to Galena. How or why it was done remains in obscurity. The first mention of ‘Galena’ is in a County Court Record of February 1853.
Several terms of the Circuit Court were held in Jamestown. The last term was held on June 7,1852. No more Circuit Court was held in the county until June 6,1855, at Galena.— CHARLES L. HENSON, in WHITE RIVER VALLEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY QUARTERLY-Winter 1964-65, p. 4.
JAMESVILLE (See, also, Robertson’s Mills)
Jamesville is listed as a post-office in MISSOURI MANUALS 1897-98, p. 426; 1899-1900, p. 425.
It was located at township 26 N, range 22 W, section 7, west of Highways M & U. It was 12 miles northeast of Galena—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the State Highway Commission of Missouri.
There are two abandoned store buildings still standing, (1969), both of which contain counters and show-cases.—PERSONAL OBSERVATION.
KIMBERLING CITY
This is one of the newer towns to be established in Stone County. It is on the upper part of Table Rock Lake, and is quite a resort.
It is located at township 22 N, range 23 W, section 4, on Highway 13 at Table Rock Lake—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the State Highway Commission of Missouri.
LAMPE
About the year 1885, George W. McCullough asked that a post-office be established at his place. In due time the request was granted, Mr. McCullough became the first postmaster and the office was named Baxter.
After several moves, the last move was to the junction of Highways 86 and 13, on October 4, 1939. But it was still called Baxter. The town, this new settlement, had been named Lampe, in honor of the man who owned the land around Lampe-town. About March 1, or thereabouts, in 1940, Baxter Post-office became Lampe post-office and added the final and official gesture to the establishment of the new town at the junctions of Highways 86 and 13.—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
LONG’S MILL (I)
The first mill could hardly be called a mill, for it was said to be a very crude affair, still a settlement grew up around it, and as soon as the Civil War was over, it became a thriving business under able ownership and management of the Long’s. It is thought that Joe Long was the owner with Ab Long as the Chief Miller.
The mill operated a carding machine there also, and a man by the name of Estes had a blacksmith shop and there was a store.—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
LONG’S MILL (II)
About 1905 or ‘06, the railroad came through, a spur was added for loading cars of tomatoes or wood or whatever, and it was called Quail Spur, why, no one knows.— STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
MARMAROS
This small town was eleven miles north of Blue Eye.—THE STATE OF MISSOURI IN 1904, p. 523.
NAUVOO
This small town was four miles southeast of Carr, and five miles south of Baxter—THE STATE OF MISSOURI in 1904, p. 523.
It was located at township 21 N, range 24 W, section 22, on Hiqhway 86 east of the
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Barry County line, near the Arkansas border.HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the State Highway Commission of Missouri.
NORWALK
This town was seven miles east of Shell Knob.—THE STATE OF MISSOURI in 1904, p. 523.
NOTCH
Possibly the most famous post-office in Stone County, or indeed, in Southwest Missouri, is the one mentioned in THE SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS, by Harold Bell Wright.
It was named for a small clearing in front of the post-office, which made a notch in what was then a large of tract of timber.
From Notch the mail went to Radical where the postmaster was Tom Jennings and on to Mayberry Ferry, later called Marmaros. These offices have been discontinued in the past few years, and mail is delivered by Star Route. The last postmaster at Mayberry Ferry or Marmaros was Mollie Malotte.—THE STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPER CENTENNIAL EDITION. May, 1951.
It was seventeen and one-quarter miles northwest of Blue Eye.—THE STATE OF MISSOURI in 1904, p. 523.
OTO
In the year 1877 the citizens in the settlement in the Cox Neighborhood (on Crane Creek) were serviced by Star Mail Route out of Ozark, past the William B. Cox home and on to Cape Fair.
A meeting was held to discuss the possibility of a post-office. When a name was discussed, the name Otoe, for the Otoe Indians was suggested. People liked the name, for it was short. The Post-Office Department, in approving the name, left off the "e", and thus Oto became the shortest name on the map of Stone County.
At one time it had 25 inhabitants. The post-office has been discontinued and service is now by R. F. D. Little is left to indicate the settlement was once Oto.—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
PONCE DE LEON
This small town was named for the Spanish explorer, of ‘Fountain of Youth Fame"—UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI BULLETIN OF PLACE NAMES, p. 31. In 1904 the largest sulphur spring in Stone County was located at Ponce De Leon—THE STATE OF MISSOURI in 1904, p. 523.
About 1875, two Springfield business men, who owned a street car line visited the region arouhd Ponce De Leon. These men were Fountain Welch and a Mr. Stetson. They were impressed with the clear, cold water, said to contain medicinal properties, and shortly after plans were made to turn the area into a health resort.
Streets were cleared, bridges built across the creeks and little streams of water that seemed to be everywhere. Bath houses were built, and many, many people came for treatment of various skin irritations and diseases. The town grew and prospered and was incorporated. It became the largest town in Stone County, with a population of 1000.
A number of business places sprang up too; there was a grist mill, a saw mill, and a tomato canning factory. Also a bank.
By 1885, there were signs of decay, and at the turn of the century, many buildings had been moved. Others were allowed to go to ruin, and flash floods, sweeping down the valley, took away the grist mill and other buildings.
Youngsters attend school at Abesville. There are two or three stores, a post-office supplied out of Galena on R. F. D. 2, and a church. STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
Additional information supplied by Mrs. Porter Lucas.
It is located at township 25 N, range 22, section 17—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by State Highway Commission of Missouri.
RADICAL
This place was seven miles north of Marmaros. THE STATE OF MISSOURI in 1904, p. 523.
REED’S SPRING (See RUTH)
Nips and Gibbons built a new tin building which they painted red, and they established a general store there. After the establishment of Reed’s Spring Post-Office, mail was carried by hack or horseback to Notch, the famous Uncle Ike’s post-office of the "Shepherd of the Hills". Uncle Ike’s real name was Levi Morrill.
The early days found Reed’s Spring literally built on the banks of a large spring branch and its tributaries which seemed to be
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flowing in all directions. Board walks and porches were built over the water—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May, 1951.
It is located at township 24 N, range 22 W, section 25.—HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the State Highway Commission of Missouri.
ROBERTSON’S MILL (Jamesville)
Apparently, Robertson’s Mill and Jamesville are different names for the same community.
On map No. 34 of CAMPBELL’S SECTIONAL, TOPOGRAPHICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE ATLAS, Robertson’s Mills is shown to be at the confluence of Finely Creek and James River.
On page 523 of the STATE OF MISSOURI in 1904, by Walter Williams, Jamesville is shown as the community at the confluence of Finley Creek and James River.
Robertson’s Mill was a post office fifteen miles north, northeast of Galena— GAZETEER OF MISSOURI, p. 611.
Jamesville is listed as a post office in MISSOURI MANUAL, 1897-1898, p 425; and in the issue of 1899-1900, p 426.
Robertson’s Mill was listed as a post office in MISSOURI MANUAL, 1893-1894, p. 295.
James W. Robertson and his brother, T. E. Robertson, went to the mouth of Finley Creek and bought the old Lochner Mill, following milling from 1854 until 1861, when the Civil War put a stop to the business.—A REMINISCENT HISTORY OF THE OZARK REGION, p 476.
Reliable information points to the fact that Robertson’s Mill was built about the year 1850. Its location was on Finley (the old spelling is Findlay) River about a quarter of a mile from the mouth of Finley, near the site of Jamesville. Quite a little settlement grew up around the mills. The settlement was known as Robertson’s Mills for years, after the mill was washed away in 1880.
The building which housed the post-office was built of squared logs and pegs were used for nails. Presumably the date the office was built was in 1858, since that date was on top of the chimney of the fireplace.—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
RUTH
It is not generally known, except in the immediate territory, that Ruth was the "Mother" so to speak of Reed’s Spring.
When the Reed brothers came through the valley in 1870 or thereabouts, they liked what they saw. Since they claimed the spring as their own, perhaps they, themselves, called it first, Reed’s Spring, thus firmly establishing ownership.
Around 1880, enough folks had settled near the Steele place which was south of and a bit east of the present-day Reed’s Spring, to demand postal service of their own. The Stults family lived neighbors to the Steeles and the John McClureys and others. With the establishment of the Ruth Post Office, the U.S. Mail was delivered by hack from Marionville coming through Crane and Galena.
Later the post office was moved from the Steele or possibly the Stults place, since it is thought that Henry Stults was the first postmaster, to the McClurely place, and the next move took the Ruth Post-office two miles west where it would be right on the Old Wilderness Road, between Harrison and Springfield. This move put the post office in a general store operated by Nips and Gibbons, and they are the last of Ruth’s office managers.
With the coming of the railroad folks who had lived in the Ruth settlement decided to move over in the valley of Reed’s Spring— STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May, 1951.
SCHOOL (See, also, UNION CITY)
This small town was ten and one-half miles south of Billings, (Christian County)—THE STATE OF MISSOURI in 1904, p 523.
Just driving through what is now left of School, Missouri, one never would guess that it was once a busy little trading center with four general stores, a blacksmith shop, large flour mill, some twenty homes, and a variety of smaller buildings. Three doctors and a dentist ministered to the health needs of the people.
The village really had its beginning when L. B. Wright, owner of a small store which was located on the L. P. Crank farm about a mile of what became School, asked for a permit to add a post-office to his store. He was asked to submit a name and he chose Crank in honor of the former owner.
The permit was granted. Then in 1892 the store and office were moved about a mile north of the original site, and became the start of a thriving inland town called School— STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May, 1951
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SELF
It was one mile north and two miles east of Union City, (then called School), right on the Christian—Stone County Line.
That put it about one mile north of Fairview or Possum Trot school house. The one store was both dry goods and grocery store. It housed the Self post office. E. J. (Josh) Maples was the postmaster. The mail came to Self post-office from Billings and the mail carriers, the Cox brothers, Mark, Emmett, and Elmer, rode horseback delivering the mail out of Billings to Self and down through Jamesville where the Robertson’s Mill post office was located—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May 1951.
STULTS
This is another small town in Stone County. It is located at township 24 N, range 22 W, Section 19. It is on Highways 160 and 148—Highway MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the State Highway Commission of Missouri.
TAURIA
This small town was eight and three-quarter miles northeast of Galena—THE STATE OF MISSOURI in 1904, p 523.
At one time Jim Mason, who removed from Maryville, Missouri, had the store. It consisted of a store, a post-office, and a church. The store and post office were in the same building. Rebecca Thomas, 2401 W. Grand St.
The Church and fish hatchery are about all that remain—Raymond Patterson, Nixa, Missouri.
It is located at township 24 N, range 22 W, section 6, near Highway 160. It is approximately three miles north of Stults— HIGHWAY MAP OF STONE COUNTY, as issued by the State Highway Commission of Missouri.
THELMA
This small town was five miles west of Notch—THE STATE OF MISSOURI in 1904, p. 523.
TO-HO-SHO-NE
(pronounced Toe-Hoe-Show-Nee)
This town was laid out around a "medical"spring, east of Crane. There is an interesting Indian Legend told about it. The lots etc., were never sold and the plan died a-borning, so, no bottling works, no town. It is now owned by the Porter Lucas family— Mrs. Porter Lucas, Crane, Missouri.
UNION CITY
This was the School community of a half century ago. When talk of a railroad first became general it was hoped the road bed would come through School, and when it failed to, going through Clever, instead, the mill was moved to Clever, which was four miles away. Gradually the buildings were moved or torn down, folks moved away and not many newcomers moved in.—STONE COUNTY NEWSPAPERS CENTENNIAL EDITION, May, 1951.
Emory Melton
Emory Melton, Cassville attorney and contributor to the Quarterly, whose firm publishes the Nixa Enterprise, Crane Chronical and Stone County Republican seeks the 29th Senatorial District seat in the Missouri Legislature.
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