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Olean: A Former Metropolis of Miller County

By Kelly Warman-Stallings

Published to "Window to the Past" website on 2 February 2022

Olean, located in the northern section of the county, is a very small town that was once a thriving metropolis of Miller County from the mid-1800s into the mid-1900s. This small settlement sprung up in the mid-1850s and the first business to open was a general/mercantile store owned by R. S. Harvey and Capt. W. T. Franklin in 1855. The Harvey General Store was the largest operating mercantile store in Miller County during the 1850s. In 1857, R. S. Harvey sold the mercantile business to Capt. Franklin and it became known as J. B. Franklin & Co. A couple of years later, the store was turned over to W. T. Franklin's son, John B. Franklin, who operated the business well into the early 1900s, with help of his brother, Charles P. Franklin. By the end of the 1800s, Ad E. Walser was a notable clerk in the store. His job consisted of purchasing the store's merchandise.

AD E. WALSER

Olean Train Depot c/1930s

The following were Resident Taxpayers near Olean in 1879: John Atkinson, L. D. Atkinson, H. S. Burlingame, Asa Burlingame, John Denton, Josiah Goodman, James M. Gray, Mary B. Guin, William Gilleland, F. M. Hale, John D. Hite, S. W. Lewis, W. C. Hatler, William M. Harrison, O. S. Jones, E. G. Miller, Jas. G. Procter, J. E. Procter, Major Stoddard, Almond Scott, S. E. Starling, James A. Starling and S. B. Wilhelm.

During the 1880s businesses began popping up all over the little settlement when the Jefferson City, Lebanon and Southwestern Railroad (later known as the Bagnell Branch of the Missouri Pacific Railroad) came through the area. Soon, Olean became a little busier with the following businesses in operation:

T. J. Hart General Store - built c/1881-82.
Lansdown & Currence Mercantile-built c/1881-82
A post office (1885-current)
A blacksmith shop - built c/early1880s
A railroad depot & telegraph agent -built c/1882
Olean Roller Mill - built 1880

The first [flour] mill to be erected in Olean was owned and operated by Josiah Goodman during the early 1860s. By the 1880s the flour mill was co-owned by Goodman and Joseph Gattermeier. The mill building was a two-story frame with basement and contained modern machinery of its time. It produced the capacity of 50 barrels per day. In the Winter of 1894, the flour mill caught on fire and destroyed not only the building, but its inventory within, causing total destruction of the business. The second mill was built not long afterward and continued doing business well into the mid-1900s.

Olean Roller Mill

The first bank to be established in Miller County was located in Olean. It was built in 1889 and was called the Miller County Exchange Bank. The first president of the bank was Dr. William S. Allee, with Robert S. Harvey as vice-president. Dr. W. S. Allee remained president of the bank for 24 years, well into the 20th century. The first Board of Directors were: Dr. W. S. Allee, R. S. Harvey, Josiah Goodman, P. S. Miller, W. T. Franklin, B. J. Miller, T. H. Taylor, H. A. Wieneke, and I. W. Porter. Dr. Allee died in 1916 and his son, Priest Allee, took over the reins of the bank until 1937, when Miller County Exchange Bank was sold to the Bank of Eldon.

Above: Dr. Wm. Allee

Left: Olean Bank - 1913

By the 1890s, this growing settlement became a thriving hub of commerce and industry. The following merchants lined the streets of Olean:

Post Office/Train Station
J. B. Franklin & Co.
T. J. Hart General Store
Grocer: B. Pitchford
Olean Roller Mill
Furniture Maker
Broommaker: Jas. Morgan
2 Milliners (Hat-makers)

Mrs. Shelton; Fannie Hite

Jeweler & Optician - Elston E. Allen
Blacksmith/Wagon Shop/Livery Stable - T.D. Shelton
Olean Hotel: owned by D. D. Stepp; later owned/operated by Victoria Currence
Lumber Yard - owned/operated by James R. Proctor
Lumber & Grain Dealers: H.E. Neville & Josiah Goodman
Olean Sawmills - owned by J.M. Stevens and J.W. McCann
Livery Stable - owned/operated by Willis M. Burris c/1890s
2 Doctor Offices - Dr. W. S. Allee; Dr. Grant D. Walker
Drug Store - owned by Mr. Atkins
Drug Store - owned by Dr. Allee; Sundries Clerk: James Hite
Railroad Agent - Arthur H. Foote (Missouri Pacific Railway)
Hardware Store - owned by F. W. Inglish & Co.; composed of

F. W. Inglish, Dr. W. S. Allee and S. R. Inglish

Barber Shop - originally owned by G. G. Walker; later purchased by Charles M. Callahan
Funeral Home - owned by Davis & Francis; later owned by John H. Robertson, Undertaker and Embalmer
Starling, Wieneke & Scott General Store - owners: W. M. Starling, H. A. Wieneke, B. A. Scott
Gildenhaus-Wulfing & Co. - wholesale grocers of St. Louis; Willard P Simpson, Proprietor - by the turn of the 20th century, the grocery store became known as W. P. Simpson & Co.

OLEAN HOTEL

The little city of Olean once had a school that was established in 1879. It is unclear exactly where this country school was located, but it could have possibly been Sand Hill School that was located in the vicinity of Olean as early as 1874. On 3 January 1886, a deed was made for 1.5 acre of land on California Street [inside the city limits of Olean] to W. S. Allee, Joseph Gattermeier and Joseph McCain for a public school from Hazen S. Burlingame for $50. Grades 1-8 soon became available to the children of the town. A frame building housed the classrooms during its early years. Around 1910 High School classes (9-12) were added to the school agenda and by 1920 a new and modern brick school was built to accommodate the town's children... soon the old school faded into history. The last graduating class of Olean High School was in 1946. In December of 1964 the Eldon R-1 School Board sold the building and grounds for sealed bids.

Judge Clyde Jenkins lists the following teachers for the Olean School (aka: Burlingame School District) from 1879 to 1901:

1879

1879-80

1880-81

1881-82

1882-83

1883-84

1884-85

1885-86

1886-88

1888-90

Sallie Wilson

Olive I. Scott

William Starling

Lucy E. Taylor

S. S. Starling

Viola L. Moore

Olive I. Scott

Wm. M. Starling

L. M. Defoe, Olive Scott

J. W. Defoe, Neva Wilson

W. E. Allen, Nellie Holmes

A. T. Simpson, W. E. Allen, Dollie Atkinson,

P. N. Ingraham, Mollie Johnson, Carrie Warfield

R. H. Garretson, A. T. Woolridge, Anna Burlingame

R. H. Garretson, Nellie Holmes, S. R. Lollis

Jennie Gill, P. H. Longdon, L. C. Gibson

Jennie M. Gill, L. C. Gibson, J. W. Proctor

J. E. Harrison, M. E. Morrison

Mary Payne, M. E. Morrison

W. L. Lowery. M. E. Morrison

1890-91

1891-92

1892-93

1893-94

1894-95

1895-96

1896-97

1897-98

1898-00

1900-01

1st Olean School (1879): no longer in existence 2nd Olean School (1920): no longer in existence

The fantastic history of this small-town metropolis would not be complete without the stories of the churches. In 1899, Olean had four active churches (the most active churches in one town in Miller County during that era of time). The denominations included: Baptist, Colored Baptist, Christian and Methodist.

The Olean Baptist Church was organized on 19 April 1894 and, within a year, a unique 6-sided structure was built in 1895 on the corner of High and Walnut Streets. It was reputed to seat 250 parishioners. Early preachers of the church included: W.T. Tate (1898), Jehr Robinson (1899), J.G. Barker (1900-1902), W.A. Bruce (1903-1906), J.D. Watson (1907). In 1907, the church joined the Miller County Baptist Association; the first delegates to the association included L. F. Agee, W. H. Burris, J. C. McSpadden, R. G. Atkins and D. B. Taylor. The Women's Missionary Society was started in April of 1927, with Mrs. Earl Wiser as acting president. In 1928, electricity was added to the church building.

Services were originally held twice a month, but by 1946 full time services were offered every Sunday. In 1948, a sandstone rock church was erected on the corner of Clark and Locust Streets under the supervision of Ernest Waite, organizer, and Glen Knoch, in charge of construction. Naomi Walker Cain donated the 1.5 lots for the new church location. It is unclear why a new church was built, but before the old church was tore down, the bell from the bell tower was donated to a mission in South Africa. Today, the Olean Baptist Church continues to hold weekly sermons and Sunday School classes. The current pastor is Pastor Bob Hoskins.

1st Baptist Church - built 1895 2nd Baptist Church - built 1948

It is unclear when the Olean Christian Church was first started, but in 1899 the congregation numbered about 60 members. The Christian church owned two lots in town and a substantial church building was built near the first Baptist Church at the site of High & Walnut Streets.

Around 1898, Elder Drenan began preaching at the Christian Church, which held monthly services [on first Sunday of the month]. The early history of the Olean Christian Church is a bit scarce, but the church has been operating since the late 1800s. Weekly church services are offered, and the current pastor is Lon Hardy.

Mt. Zion Colored Baptist Church at Olean was organized by Rev. Gilbert Ballance around 1873. According to Goodspeed's History, the church had 48 members in 1889. The church was constructed as a sturdy frame building and existed for many years. The church was a member of the North Missouri Baptist Association. During the late 1800s, other black Christian folks in the county were members of white churches. The town of Olean had three churches in 1889---2 for the whites and 1 for the blacks... It is unknown when this church disbanded, but the building is no longer in existence.

Black families in the Olean area prior to and during the early part of the 20th century included the families of Berry, Brockman, Bush, Cox, Crowder, Dodson, Johnson, Lewis, McCallister, Meader, Meadows, Mulkey, Parks, Richardson, Smith, Stills, Taylor, Walker and Webb.

The Methodist Church, in Miller County, got its beginnings in the early 1830s, with Rev. Brashears preaching to the inhabitants in 1833 as a circuit riding minister. The first Methodist Church built in the county was at Pleasant Mount in 1858 and was located a few miles east of Eldon. This most likely gave rise to the Methodist Church in Olean. Records show there were very few church buildings in the county during the early 1800s and church services were mainly held at schoolhouses and private homes.

Olean Methodist Church came into existence in May of 1881 with thirteen members. By 1889, there were 21 members, but no church building. It is unknown when the church building was erected in Olean, but by 1899 it was recorded in The Olean: Miller County News that the Methodists "owned a good church building" in Olean. It had a smaller congregation than the Baptist and Christian churches but boasted of a Ladies Aid Society in 1912 (this would later become known as the Women's Society of Christian Service by the 1930s). The minister of the Methodist faith during 1899 was Rev. Keenan, who preached regularly on the second and fourth Sunday of each month. Sunday School classes were conducted every week. It is unclear when the Methodist Church of Olean ceased to exist, but it was still in full swing into the 1930s.

It is interesting to note the small metropolis went through many name changes before the designation of Olean was chosen. In 1881 the settlement was called Proctor, named for the early settler, James G. Proctor. In 1885 when the post office was established, the name Proctor was rejected as there was already another Proctor [post office] in Missouri. Then the name Cove was selected for the town's unusual semicircular shape, but again it was rejected due to another postal office named Cove in the state. A third time was not a charm either when the name of Chester was suggested. It also was rejected due to there being another Chester on the rail line. Ultimately, the railroad company imposed the name "Olean" (named for Olean, New York) and it stuck!

In 1962 the railroad left the community, and the start of the town's demise began. By the 1980s many merchants had gone out of business. While the railroad tracks no longer run beside the small train station, the original depot still proudly remains intact. The Olean train depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

Since 1993, the Olean community has hosted an annual "Testicle Festival", which features cooked testicles from various animals. The Olean "Testicle Festival" is a huge day long cook-off of mostly deep-fried turkey testicles that draws thousands of locals and visitors. Vender booths, dancing, carnivals and a beer garden are usually the highlight of this festival, which is hosted by the Olean chapter of Jaycees. The proceeds of the festival help support the FFA, Camp Wonderland, needy families at Christmas and Project Prom.

It is admirable how the small town of Olean continues to fight for their place in history. This once thriving settlement of the 19th and 20th centuries will remain a testament of endurance for years to come. Today there is just a remnant of the once bustling town with the following businesses still in operation: a post office, a volunteer fire station, a tavern/grill, a seed mill and two churches (Baptist and Christian).

Olean, Miller County, Missouri in 2022