BITS & PIECES FROM THE VINDICATOR:

 

(Printed in THE MILLER COUNTY AUTOGRAM-SENTINEL in the column, 'WINDOW TO THE PAST', Feb. 4, 2013)   

 

 

Note from Peggy: ​​​​​Several years ago I 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... 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... 

 

THE MILLER COUNTY VINDICATOR... May 13, 1881... 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.

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Some advertisements appeared in the old newspaper including:
​
1. “John Kallenbach, blacksmith and wagon maker”.......

John 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.

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