Merchants Laborers

The Merchants & Laborers of Miller County by Kelly Warman-Stallings

(Posted to "Window to the Past" website, January 2014)

While doing the research for this website, I ran across some pictures of Miller County's past merchants, laborers, educators, and many more enterprising people I would like to share on the "Window to the Past" website.

Mill Laborer

The man pictured [on right] is believed to be either Bennett or Jeff Skaggs. They owned the old Iberia Mill in the 1920’s & 1930’s.

Jeff Skaggs was reportedly killed in this mill in an accident in the early 1930’s.

The mill provided a crucial service during the 19th century.

Banker

The Bank of Eldon was founded in 1894 by Robert S. Harvey. He also owned Harvey Mercantile Store, had an interest in Harvey & Phillips Hardware Lumber Company, and was involved in numerous other business ventures.

He is credited with being one of the most influential men in the economic growth of Eldon.

Barbers

Dr. G. D. Walker is in the chair on the left. Jim Hite, owner of the drug store, seated in the right chair.

Regular patrons had their own personal shaving mugs that were left at the barber shop in Eldon.

Tie Workers

The "Tie Business" on the Osage River near the old settlement of Capps. The "Tie Business" was once the largest industry in Miller County.

Pictured: E.P. & P.C. Hawkins; third man unidentified.

Hotelier Educator/Historian

Josie Vaughan pictured [on left] once owned and operated the Vaughan Hotel in Tuscumbia, located across the street from Hauenstein's Store in Tuscumbia Goose Bottoms.

Gerard Schultz pictured [on right] was a well known professor at Iberia Academy during the 1930's. He taught for many years, educating the college students in the area. He wrote the book, "The History of Miller County", where he enumerated the histories of various people, events and recorded the county history itself. He was one of Miller County's finest historians.

Bank "Board of Directors"

The Bank of Ulman was established in 1907 and the building was erected soon after. The Board of Directors of the Bank of Ulman included seven men in 1907.

Pictured (L-R):

John B. Reed; Walter "Wolf" Dawson; Dr. George W. Duncan; Paul Nixdorf; Bird T. Watkins; Henry Bear; and, John Wilson.

Store Merchant

The Store Merchant was one of the most essential businessmen of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Robert Reed is pictured [on left] waiting on customer Harrison Mulligan Sullivan [on right] at his general merchandise store, once known as Reed's Store in Ulman.

Dray Serviceman

Around 1903, A. R. Granstaff started in the dray business in Eldon. Dick Amos and Clark Vanosdoll started a carriage and wagon repair business around the same time.

(Note: dray means a strong, low cart or carriage used for heavy burdens.)

Telephone Operator

In 1904, Eldon upgraded to a fancy telephone system after John Brockmeyer was granted a franchise to put in an exchange. Long distance connections were also installed.

The central office was over the bank with Miss Vergie Christian in charge. It was called the Eldon Local and Long-Distance Telephone Company.

Railroad Laborers

Emil Becker of Eldon and his crew - with 50 mules - was contracted by the Missouri-Pacific railroad to lay the roadbed on the strip known as "Becker's Cut" near Henley (in neighboring Cole County) around the turn of the 20th century.

Doctor

Dr. Marshall Humphrey was a physician in Tuscumbia from 1937 until 1972. He established a full service hospital which provided emergency care, surgery, obstetrical deliveries and child care.

His office/hospital was located on the second floor of what was then the Tuscumbia Bank building. Unfortunately, Dr. Humphrey died in an automobile accident in Mississippi in 1972.

Milliner

The picture (on the right) is that of a Millinery Store (also known as a Hat Store).

The milliner who owned and operated the establishment was Annabelle Haynes c/1914 in Eldon.

County Officials

The following men pictured below were elected officials in Miller County in 1901. They are standing/seated outside the courthouse in Tuscumbia.

Steamboat Operator

Steamboat wharf and ferry landing at Tuscumbia, 1895. Pictured [on left] is the Steamer called "Frederick".

The "Frederick" plied the Osage River for many years; its cargo consisted of anything the inland farmers wished to ship. The old Johnson Building stands out conspicuously in the photo.

Railroad Crew

On 9 July 1928, the Rock Island Railroad started a train of 100 cars out of Eldon for Kansas City. This was the longest train ever operated out of Eldon. The crew in charge of that first 100 car train from Eldon included: E.J. Boyer, conductor; A. G. Darrall, engineer; H. Francis, fireman; and C. Apperson and I. Apperson, brakemen.

Pictured [on left]: N. H. Richardson, engineer... Picture [on right]: taken in 1937 - John Roach, engineer (in cab) and unidentified man.

Doctor, Druggist, Grocer

Dr. George Mace is pictured here with his wife, Victoria (Fox), at their small grocery-drug store in Iberia. A doctor office was located in the downstairs of their residence in the background.

Dr. Mace, who started a practice in Iberia circa/1881 was well known throughout the area and often received farm produce from his patients for services rendered.

Lumber Workers

Some unidentified lumbermen working in Miller County, possibly near the small settlement of Bagnell, Capps or Tuscumbia.

In the late 1800s, Miller County was known as the "Tie Capitol of the World".