Miller Co Mysteries

Miller County Mysteries

By Kelly Warman-Stallings

Published to "Window to the Past" website on 10 April 2023

Famous Osage Indian

Jim Henry's "rock house"

The most well-known Indian in Miller County's history was named Jim Henry. He belonged to the tribe of the Osage, who were the tallest men in America during the early 1800s, some reaching 7 feet tall! It is unknown how long he inhabited the land before the white traders arrived, but it is recorded that Jim Henry and his family were residing in a "rock house" [a large rock formation] near present-day Marys Home in the early 1800s. His Indian name is unknown; it was the migrating newcomers to the land in the 1820s that bestowed the name Jim Henry upon him. While there is not a lot of information written about this famous Indian, he must have been well liked and respected because a township, a creek, a cave, a school, a church and a cemetery were named after Jim Henry. What became of Jim Henry and his family after 1834 is unknown.

Jim Henry is no longer mentioned in county history after the mid-1830s. Some say he traveled southwest to be with his people, while others believe he made a farewell speech at Tuscumbia, thanking the people for their kindness, then departed for a destination unknown. The only evidence of his existence today is the Indian burial mound near the "rock house". Who is buried in the mound is unknown, making this a mystery within a mystery. Presently, the "rock house" sits quietly upon the secrets of an Osage Indian family who once lived in its cavern.

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Forgotten Schoolhouses

During Miller County's history there have been over 128 country schoolhouses scattered throughout the county. Out of all those schools, there are at least six that remain a mystery: Bend School, Mt. Gilead School, Ross School and three black schools. While Mt. Gilead School could have been somewhere around the Sudheimer community, as there is a Mt. Gilead Church in the area, Bend School and Ross School has no landmarks of the same name in comparison. There is no information found on these schools' locations, school districts or teachers who taught during that long-gone era. But they are listed on the Miller County Historical Society website. There were also three schools for the black children in the county during the late 1800s into the early 20th century. They were known as "negro schools" and were located near Eldon, Iberia and Olean, but no information, including the school names, is available. These six alma maters remain an esoteric mystery today.

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Farmers and Laborers Union #555

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Once located in Township 39/Range 12 of Miller County stood a union hall southeast of St. Anthony. In 1889, Owen and Jennie Pendleton bought the land where this union building was said to once stand. In February of 1890, one acre of land (in Section 2) was sold to the School District, which contained a strange land conveyance. In the deed was a clause that stated it was "conveyed with the understanding that they build thereon a house for a Farmers and Laborers Union Hall to be used by them and also to be used by School District #2, but if abandoned by both, then this indenture shall become null and void." It is unknown if Farmers and Laborers Union #555 was actually organized (no other records can be found), but it is recorded that Hicks School was built on this site. Today, there are no clues left behind as this building, which was purportedly conveyed equally to the Farmers and Laborers Union and the School District in the late 19th century, was torn down in the 1980s.

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Unknown Cemeteries

Unknown cemetery near Tuscumbia

In March of 2023, there were two unknown cemeteries discovered in Miller County. Both are extremely old burial grounds. One is located south of the Osage River near Bagnell; possibly the Fitzgerald Cemetery, a small family cemetery, but it cannot be confirmed. All that remains in this pioneer cemetery is one broken base of a tombstone and a field stone. The other one is located south of the Osage River near Tuscumbia. This unknown cemetery stands atop a steep hillside overlooking the Bear Cemetery. An old statue of Mother Mary, encircled by a weather-worn wrought iron fence, is most probably the center of the cemetery. At least 3 tombstones, which were about an inch under the brush and dirt, have been unearthed, but are illegible. Research on these old cemeteries continue to remain elusive...

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Long-Lost Brandy

Wilson Cave

An early settler named John Wilson (1769-1856) came to Miller County around 1810 and put down permanent roots in southern Richwoods Township near Tavern Creek. The first couple of years John and his family resided in a cave (Wilson Cave) before building a house. This same cave would become John Wilson's final resting place. Peggy Smith Hake wrote, "He left instructions that his grave would be inside his old cave home and his corpse was to be placed in a wooden coffin; packed in salt; and he instructed them to place seven demijohns of peach brandy beside his coffin and then the opening to the cave was to be sealed and walled up. At the end of seven years, he wanted his tomb opened, the demijohns removed, and everyone was to feast and toast his memory and just have a whooping good time."

He was buried in the fashion he requested, but at the end of seven years the Civil War was in full swing; John Wilson and his brandy was forgotten! It was later discovered that John Wilson's final resting place had been opened by vandals and the stash of brandy was gone! To this day, while there are several theories circulating, no one knows for sure what happened to Mr. Wilson's brandy.

On a side note... per Mr. Wilson's great-great grandson, William Barr (1896-1988), he doubted any liquor was buried with John Wilson. He believed that Wilson gave Dred Bass [a neighbor] a horse valued at $100 and, in return, Bass was supposed to sell the animal and buy the booze for the celebration seven years later. Did Mr. Bass buy the celebratory brandy or did the Civil War defeat his plans? And the mystery of the long-lost brandy continues...

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Buried Gold

William Shelton Watkins (1829-1861), whom the settlement of Watkins in Richwoods Township was named for, went to California not long after the gold-rush fever struck in 1849. It has been recorded that he did fairly well prospecting for gold and returned to his home back East. Around 1854, Watkins decided he would try his luck again and was headed back out West when he decided to stop and visit his aunt (Margaret Watkins McCubbin) in Miller County, Missouri. Mrs. McCubbin talked William Watkins into putting down permanent roots instead. His second gold-rush adventure abruptly ended. He bought 240 acres in the area and donated acreage for a school (Hickory Point) to be built. Legend states that when the Civil War broke out, William Watkins buried his remaining gold somewhere on his large farm. He never told anyone, not even his wife, where he buried the cache of gold. Since he was killed during the Civil War, the location of the golden loot went to the grave with him. To this day, many people who have heard this story believes that Mr. Watkins' gold remains mysteriously hidden under the ground, somewhere in the Watkins community.

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Lost Cemeteries

There are numerous lost cemeteries in Miller County... no gravestones can be found to mark the spot today. While there are estimated locations of these lost cemeteries, there are two burial grounds that come into question - Breckenridge and Eldon-Sexton; both were once located within the city limits of Eldon. According to GPS coordinates, Breckenridge Cemetery was once located at the southeast corner of W. 2nd Street and Aurora St.; Eldon-Sexton was located at the intersection of 1st Street and Oak Street. According to the City Hall of Eldon, these two cemeteries are unknown to their staff. In accordance with CountyOffice.org, Eldon-Sexton is recorded as being in this locale, while Breckenridge is listed with Find-A-Grave.com [in accordance with the above GPS location]. Whether these cemeteries were relocated or if the burials still lie beneath the paved streets are mysteriously unexplained.

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Miller County Quintuplets

In 1900, there were quintuplets born to a woman named "Smith", who was residing in Marys Home [Saline Township] during that era. The Capital City Post-Tribune (Jefferson City) newspaper only printed one small paragraph about this incredible event! The first name of the "Smith" woman also remains elusive; she was only listed as Mrs. Smith. The Cape Girardeau Democrat (Cape Girardeau) gave a little more insight... "Information reached here today of the birth in Mary's Home, in Miller County, Missouri, of five baby boys at one time. The wife of Henry SMITH gave this remarkable birth. Her husband is a tie maker of that neighborhood and has a remarkable family...

He has been married less than seven years and his wife has given birth to sixteen children during that time. There has been one single birth. There have been two pairs of twins, triplets twice, and the birth of five reported today. The truthfulness of the report is vouched for by a number of persons from that neighborhood who were in the city today. They say that the five babies are well and weigh in all thirty pounds."

What ever happened to these five babies and their mother is unknown. By 1910 this Smith family can no longer be found in the US Census for Miller County. Further research into the father, Henry Smith of Marys Home, did not contribute any new pieces to the perplexing puzzle.

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Ghost Story

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Several people have claimed to have seen a ghostly specter walking across the countryside of southern Miller County. Its favorite abode seems to have been the Pleasant Hill community near Iberia. Legends are told of a feud that existed between two local families who lived in the area and, in 1886, a gunfight occurred which took the life of one man and wounded another. Why these families feuded is a mystery today, but probably had something to do with old Civil War hatreds. Many families fought on opposite sides during this war and for years following, old hatreds flared. Whatever the reason, a squabble happened during a church function at Pleasant Hill Church in 1886 and it was brought to a deadly climax.

The melee began when one man accused the other of ridiculing a young girl and tempers got out of control. A shot rang out, killing one man and the other was wounded as his opponent was able to get a round off before dying. Perhaps his spirit is still roaming the hillsides around the old church seeking to avenge his "feudal death"? For years it has been said that a man in white has been seen in the old churchyard on clear, moonlit nights and has also been seen roaming the hillsides nearby. Whether this is true or not, some folks are convinced this ghost in white exists and can be seen at times "walking the hillsides of Pleasant Hill". Is this an embellished story that has been handed down through generations or a spooky mystery?

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Hidden Money

Near the small settlement of Capps, situated along the Osage River in Osage Township, is a tall tale about "hidden money" stashed away in one of the caves near the once-bustling river town. The story goes that during the Civil War of the 1860s the pioneer settlement [aka: Capps Landing] gathered all their money - supposedly over $200,000 - and hid it in a nearby cave for safe keeping from the marauding Confederate rebels.

Some believe a prominent figure of the community was elected to hide the money. However, this outstanding person died a short time later and took the money's hiding place to the grave with him. It is unknown if the townsfolk ever retrieved their hidden money, but many in the area today believe they didn't. Another mystery that continues to remain an enigma today...

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Watery Graves

It is recorded that Union Electric (present-day Ameren), who developed the Lake of the Ozarks, removed 1,121 human remains from over 60 graveyards that stretched over four counties (Benton, Camden, Miller and Morgan) and relocated them to other cemeteries between 1929-1931.

However, Union Electric documentation lists these 60 cemeteries - of various sizes - encompassed approximately 2,800 burials. All those who had tombstones were relocated. The rest of the graves were most likely marked with field stones or nothing at all. The grave diggers had to rely on "word of mouth" as to the exact locations of many unmarked burial locations, which was no easy feat.

Construction of Bagnell Dam in 1929

While it is well documented that many graves remain beneath the Lake of the Ozarks, the true mystery of the watery graves involves one certain burial ground: Crane Cemetery. An old rumor continues to circulate that a portion of Bagnell Dam was built atop the Crane Cemetery, located near the town of Bagnell. Whether this was a small family cemetery or a larger burial ground, research of this old cemetery remains elusive. No records can be found to prove there was once a cemetery located there. But the townsfolks of Bagnell swear that this mysterious burial ground once existed.

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A Town's Nickname

Hello,

My name is

Rocktown

During the Civil War era of the 1860s the small town of Iberia boasted the nickname of "Rocktown". There are quite a few stories circulating about how this certain name was given to Iberia.

One tale proclaims that during the Civil War the soldiers ran out of ammunition and started throwing rocks at one another! Another story goes that a young black man came into town to trade/sell his goods and was ambushed by some of the townsfolk. The only line of defense the young man had was to pick up rocks and start retaliating! According to this story, the black man won the fight. A third and less known anecdote stated there were large rocks in the area of Iberia and thus got its nickname. Whichever tall tale one believes, the fact remains... how did Iberia actually get the nickname of "Rocktown"?

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Mysterious Fires

According to the Eldon Advertiser and the Iberia Sentinel, newspapers circulating in Miller County in 1939, articles were published about the "Only Negro School in Miller County Destroyed by Fire". This school for black children was once located in the Manning district, northwest of Eldon.

According to the story, the school burned down on a Friday night, February 10, 1939. Save for a few textbooks, the fire caused total destruction to both the building and furnishings. Interestingly, this was the second schoolhouse erected as a year prior in June of 1938 the first school for black children burned down as well. Per the newspaper articles, the cause of the fire was undetermined in both cases. Another mystery that remains unsolved.

Note: While it is recorded that Eldon, as well as Olean and Iberia, once had "negro schools", that is where the information ends. No written documentation can be found for these schools or their histories.

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Civil War Murder

There are two known Civil War skirmishes that took place in Miller County during the 1860s: Elsey Farm Fight and Curtman Island Massacre. The Elsey Farm Fight occurred a few miles southeast of Iberia in August of 1862 on land owned at that time by John and Rachel (Rowden) Elsey. Peggy Smith Hake wrote, "A force of 42 Union men, under the command of Capt. William Long (Company G, Enrolled Missouri Militia) attacked a Confederate company. The southern troops (10th Missouri Cavalry from Shelby's Brigade) were about 125 men strong under the command of Col. Robert R. Lawther..." Each side lost one man during this battle.

On the Union side was a man named Levi Whittle (1825-1862) who, according to military records, died from a mortal wound acquired during this battle. It was also recorded that Levi Whittle was buried near the place where he died, which would later become known as Billingsley Cemetery.

However, the Whittle family disagrees with this allegation, even unto the 21st century. The legend has been told that he died because of his betrayal by Rankin Wright, a Confederate soldier and neighbor of Mr. Whittle. The story goes he was beaten by a group of Rebels, who was led by Wright.

Josephus Whittle (1856-1928), son of Levi, passed down to his descendants the 'true story'. As a young child of seven years, he distinctly remembered the day the rebels came to their house in the Pleasant Hill community (southwest of Iberia) and dragged his father outside, where they commenced bashing him. As Levi Whittle was being beat by the Confederate soldiers, his mother (Nancy Keeth Whittle) rushed the children out of the house and headed for a nearby cemetery to hide out. This pioneer graveyard was known as Spearman Cemetery at the time, but it would later be renamed Rankin Wright Cemetery. When they returned home Levi Whittle was gone! Later that day the Whittle family received news that Levi died in battle [on 29 Aug. 1862] during the Elsey Farm Fight. Josephus never believed this story, as his father was beaten half to death that same day. What really happened to Levi Whittle? Did the rebel soldiers kill him and take his body to the battlefield or did he actually "die" during a battle he would not have been able to fight and covered up by the Union Army? More so, why was Whittle buried at the battlefield straight away instead of being sent back to his family for proper burial? Any way you look at it, Levi Whittle was definitely a casualty of the Civil War.

The Curtman Island massacre was a horrible atrocity; it has been recorded that seven out of sixteen Union soldiers were lined up and shot execution-style by Confederate guerillas, while the rest were able to escape and report back to their commanding officer. But that is a different story that contains no mysteries.

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A Bridge Builder

Photo Credit: Mark Beabout

Grand Auglaize Swinging Bridge near Brumley in 2019

While it is not a mystery who Joseph Dice (1866-1947) was and his bridge building ability, it was the way Mr. Dice built a bridge that introduces this mystery. While other builders of his time (early 1900s) were using proper tools to measure a bridge's length and width, Joseph Dice used a simple ball of twine to get the job done. It is recorded that Joseph Dice only acquired a 4th grade education, but evidently, he was gifted with a special knowledge of unwritten mathematics. For almost four decades Dice built 40 bridges throughout Missouri; seven were erected in Miller County between 1905-1930. Many of these bridges withstood the test of time. While other early bridge builders were replacing their bridges in the 1930s and 1940s, most of the Dice bridges were still being used long into the late 20th century. The last original Dice bridge - located near Brumley - which carried vehicular traffic daily was permanently closed in January of 2021. For a man with a 4th grade education, no formal training, and having never used a blueprint, Joseph Dice's method of building a bridge will never be known... he took the secret to his grave in 1947.

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Elusive Liquor Still

During the early 1900s an Iberia native named Frank "Cap" Smith (1884-1975) set up a liquor still "somewhere between Iberia and Tuscumbia", in accordance with Mr. Smith's description. According to his family, Cap Smith walked to his still quite often to either check on the set-up or make a new batch of liquor. When Prohibition was passed in the late 1920s, Smith became very cautious of his "now illegal" endeavors. A family tale states that during the early 1930s a couple of government officials (G-Men as Cap Smith called them) came to Iberia to search for any illegal liquor activity. When Cap entered the woods to hike to his liquor still, he noticed the G-Men had followed him. He kept calm and led them on a "wild goose chase"! He was able to elude them.

The story goes that he made it to his still and took care of his business, while the G-Men walked in circles around the wooded area, totally lost. Feeling confident all was well with his liquor still, he headed back towards Iberia. A few miles outside of Iberia, Cap Smith met the G-men in the woods and asked if "everything was alright". To which they replied in distress, "We are lost!". Mr. Smith offered to show them the way back to Iberia and they readily accepted his offer. They never returned to Iberia! Many years later a couple of Cap Smith's great-grandsons asked their aging grandfather where his liquor still was located. He gave them many hints, but never actually told them. Instead, he said, "If you find the still, I will teach you how to make moonshine." The young and eager boys, who searched for many days during their Summer visits, never found grandpa's liquor still! Over 100+ years later, that liquor still continues to remain hidden.

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Defunct Township

Miller County was newly formed on 6 February 1837. By May of 1837, four townships were established: Equality, Osage, Richwoods and Saline. Later in that same year, Equality Township was divided, and Reed Township was created.

The township was named for Richard Reed who was prominent in early pioneer politics. It is unknown if Richard Reed lived in Miller County, but there was a James Reed who was a judge of elections for the county at Tuscumbia during this era. However, it was not long afterwards that Reed Township was completely abolished. Why this township was abolished is a mystery that continues to elude in the 21st century.

Note: By 1860, Franklin, Glaize and Jim Henry Townships had been added to the county, but Reed Township never made a comeback.

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Forgotten Grave

Lone grave at Blue Springs Baptist Church near Eldon

While there are a few lone graves scattered throughout the county, one particular lone grave stands out among the rest. It is located at Blue Springs Baptist Church, southwest of Eldon, and the lone grave belongs to Benjamin Franklin Cotten (1786-1872).

At one time there were several burials in this cemetery [known as Blue Springs Baptist Church Cemetery], including Cotten's wife (Jane Langley Cotten) who died in 1863. But the cemetery became defunct sometime before the 20th century due to concerns of flooding from Blue Springs Creek. The remains of everyone once buried there were moved to other nearby cemeteries, including Mrs. Cotten, who was reinterred at Riley Lamm Cemetery.

According to Eldon City Hall, permission had to be obtained from family descendants before burials could be relocated. If permission was given for Mrs. Cotten to be moved, why wasn't Mr. Cotten granted the same privilege? Just another mystery that will go down in the Miller County annals...

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Bushwhacker Belles

In April of 1864 two sisters from the Tuscumbia area were arrested by Federal authorities and taken to Jefferson City on charges of "feeding and harboring bushwhackers". While the sisters, Ruth and Sarah Bond, proclaimed their innocence, their neighbors disagreed and swore out affidavits against them. Henry Jenkins, one of the neighbors, testified that he heard the young women say they had "fed the bushwhackers and would do it again in spite of hell".

However, Jenkins daughter-in-law, Hannah, who was also deposed, claimed that she heard the sisters say they were Southern sympathizers, but did not know of "any disloyal acts on their [the sisters] part."

Another neighbor, Madison Carrendon, also was interviewed and stated that he too had heard the sisters bragging about helping the bushwhackers.

Upon the depositions of these three witnesses, the case was sent to Lieutenant James Gavin, the provost marshal of Jefferson City. Lt. Gavin forwarded the paperwork to Colonel T. A. Switzler, the district provost marshal, who requested that Ruth and Sarah Bond "be banished and sent away." In turn, Col. Switzler, with his recommendation, sent the sworn statements to General Egbert Brown, commanding general of the district. Gen. Brown agreed with the findings and sent the case to the department headquarters at St. Louis.

Upon examining the scant file on the sisters, Colonel J. P. Sanderson, provost marshal of the St. Louis department, required more evidence. Switzler remanded the case back to Gavin, who obtained more testimonies from other neighbors. By May 17, 1864, when the new depositions arrived in his office, Sanderson requested that the Bond sisters' depositions be added to the file. "This case in its present shape," Sanderson declared, "is wanting in material upon which to found even an opinion." Ruth and Sarah Bond, after being moved to St. Louis and locked up for several more weeks, wrote to Col. Sanderson and beseeched him to intervene on their behalf. Sanderson, who had requested the sisters' depositions to be included in the case, demanded the young women be interviewed in St. Louis. After the sisters were deposed, the case was again referred back to Jefferson City for more evidence. Lt. Gavin gave additional information and asked that the Bond women be sent out of state.

After Col. Sanderson reviewed the case again, finding the litigating cause still lacking in evidence, sent his findings to General William Rosecrans, the commanding officer of the Department of Missouri. Gen. Rosecrans agreed with Col. Sanderson's endorsement that the case had no justification for conviction or banishment. On June 17, 1864, Gen. Rosecrans ordered the Bond sisters to be released from prison. Whether Ruth and Sarah Bond were actually guilty of this crime or if the neighbors just harbored ill-will towards the Bond women remains unknown. Perhaps the truth of this disparate story lies somewhere mysteriously in the middle?