Volume 7, Number 12 - Summer 1982


The Bodenhammer Homestead
by Neil Frost

In researching an area east of Springfield in Greene County, Missouri, I was able to interview the descendant of the original homesteaders who came to this area in 1835. The descendants’ names are Lanier Beland and his wife, Edith (Dillard) Beland. Mr. Beland’s great-great-grandfather, by the name of Bodenhammer came here from Tennessee and settled approximately 1400 acres. Many of his relatives still reside in this area. They include the Frenches, Gibsons, Baliffs, Webbs, Fremsters, as well as many many more, because Mr. Bodenhammer was the father of 17 children. Mrs. Beland’s great-great- grandparents were named Dillard and lived in the same area.

The boundaries of this 1400 acres of land were LeCompte Road on the west and Gault Road on the east, Old Wire Road on the north, and Mill Street on the south. This land was roughly divided diagonally by Pearson Creek. The creek was named after an early settler, Jeremiah Pearson.

This land had some fairly level areas suitable for crops, but much of it was heavily timbered and fairly rough. The crops were mainly for his large family’s use as there was little market for the crops grown in those days.

As each of Mr. Bodenhammer’s children reached adulthood, he or she was given a small plot of the homestead land, approximately 100 acres to raise their families. In turn many of these children passed some land to their offspring. This accounts for the close relationship of many of the people in this area. However, as the years passed, many of these farms were split up into smaller parcels and sold to people other than relatives.

Mr. Beland described the area the way he remembered it as a young person, which included the places he lived. There were many interesting features along the creek, he remembered, which are no longer in existence. These included a mill, a park area, grocery store, and a blacksmith shop.

The mill was located at a point where Pearson Creek crossed an east-west road. This road later became known as Mill Street. A channel of water was diverted to turn the mill wheel to grind the grain. The farmers in the area brought their grain there to be ground. Most of the grain they kept for themselves, selling very little. Usually the owner of the mill would keep a portion of the grain as a payment for his work. The house where I live is approximately one-quarter mile northeast of where the mill was located. Today I can find no evidence of the mill such as a channel or building foundation.

A beautiful park by the Indian name of "Kawasinthia" was located on Pearson Creek just south of Division Street on property now owned by Mrs. Walker Tynes. I could tell by the way Mrs. Beland talked that this area must have been a wonderful place to visit. Evidently, the park was taken care of by the owners of the land, but others were allowed to use it. Mr. Beland's father was a contractor who built Division Street east of Springfield, and he tells of hauling gravel from the creek in Kawasinthia Park. He also tells of a spring or shallow well by the park which had a windmill and furnished water for many people in the area. This was approximately 1915, and there were probably many more springs in the area than there are now. As he remembers it, there were a couple of dams which backed up water in the creek to form small lakes.

At the corner of Gault Road and Division Street, there is a small white building which until a few years ago was known as Hopper’s Store. There has probably always been a store in that area. The first store was known as Gault Store hence the name Gault Road. Due to the close location to the creek, during high water the building had to be moved several times. The Belands not only remember the store as a place to buy needed staples, but also a place to visit their friends. Even though a trip to Springfield was only three or four miles, it seemed like a long journey so they depended on this store. With the coming of the automobile came the gasoline pumps at the store, so people looked to this store for many of their needs. Close by the store was located a blacksmith shop. Horses did the farm work in those days, and the blacksmith was depended upon to keep the horses shod. He also repaired the farm machinery and did other metal work for the settlers.

The churches and schools in this area were important to the early settlers also because it satisfied their need for education and religion. The original school on the land homesteaded by Mr. Bodenhammer was located on Division Street and what is now Farm Road 199. This was known as Oakland School, and it had classes through the eighth grade The building was still standing until it burned a few years ago. The last several years it had been used as a dwelling. Since there were many black families who worked and lived on the farms, two other schools, Mt. Pisgah and Pleasant Valley, joined together with Oakland School to support a teacher and a building for the black children. The building for the school was located east of what is now Danforth Cemetery. Danforth community is close to where Mrs. Beland’s great-great-grandfather homesteaded. As the white schools’ books became outdated, they were passed to this black school. Children interested in going to high school had to go to Springfield for their education. They usually boarded with some family in town due to the problem of traveling back and forth. The church for this area was located across Division Street from Oakland School. The church’s name was Oakland Methodist Church. It was a community-run church and throughout the year held regular services. The church was also a gathering place for the people during holidays and special events. The church still stands today.

Directly south of the church on Farm Road 199, located above Pearson Creek, on a hill, lies an old cemetery. This cemetery is about 100 yards east of my house and is known as Bodenhammer Cemetery. The cemetery has not been kept up for many years and is now overgrown with brush. There are only eight recognizable graves although there are probably several others. Two of the graves are walled in by handcarved sandstone and held together with rusted iron pins. Most of these graves are dated in the late 1800’s. The hardships endured by these pioneering families is brought to mind by the inscription on the tombstone of two small children.

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Parents good night my work is done
I go to sleep with the setting sun
But not to wake with the morning light
So dearest parents a long goodnight

The 150 years of history of this original homestead is probably unknown to many who reside in the area now. Upon researching, these people may find they are related to their neighbors.

In conclusion I would like to encourage anyone who is ever out in this area to look at this historical and beautiful part of Greene County.

Note: Some information material used for this research paper came from the book Springfield of the Ozarks, by Harris and Phyllis Dark.

Editor’s Note: Neil Frost’s essay was the second place winner in the 1st WRVHS History Writing Contest. He was a student of Mrs. Betty Nicholson’s American Folklore (English Dept) Class at Glendale High School, Springfield.

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