HISTORY OF PEIRCE CITY Francis Quinn, White Club, April 5, 1901 ..The town of Peirce city is situated within 8000 feet of the site of the first village established southwest of Springfield, which was named Mt. Pleasant and situated at the spring north of Mr. Wild's residence one and one-half miles west of here and in the valley of Pruitt's creek, but now Clear creek. This Mt. Pleasant was the county seat of Barry county from 1835 to 1840 when it was changed, but the people around here still came and sold their furs and hides until 1868 when they resolved to build a town about a mile and a half up stream by a large spring. Here on the western slopes of the Ozarks they had laid out the town of Peirce City in April 1869. The town has an elevation of 1215 feet and therefore the climate is very healthful. ..The town was surveyed out and the plat acknowledged April 8, 1870. But later many additions were made. ..Peirce City is blessed with water having many pure and sparkling springs. ..In April 1888 the city granted to Jerry Guinney a stated price for fire plugs of $2000 per annum and he introduced the system of water works and supplied the residence portion on the hill as well as the business houses in the valley, from the crystal lake south of the city. ..On May 30, 1870 a petition from two thirds of the citizens asking that the town be incorporated was granted. ..In three months after the town was surveyed there were about 100 carpenters at work building houses and stores, and by fall there were several in business. When the town was one year old it boasted of 700 inhabitants. At this time there were in business Perkins, Fall, Wooldridge, Pfaff, Clark, Popejoy, J. G. Cowan and many others. ..In April 1878 Joseph Newman was elected mayor and John Barber marshal. The aldermen were B. F. Seaver, H. J. Maynard, N. B. Smith, J. K. Saunders, Wm. Buchner and R. T. Seaver. A. L. White was appointed clerk, and two years later L. L. L. Allen was elected mayor and J. W. Deaton marshal. ..This town from its beginning has had a hard name and by an incident which happened in 1870 you can judge for yourselves. ..A stranger one day as he was coming to town meeting an older drummer asked him what kind of a place Peirce City was, he replied: "Why it is the toughest place I ever heard of. Just the other night I arrived there and a man had been shot. They carried him to an old building near by and left him to die. I went over and looked in the window and by a dim light could see the form of a man upon the floor. Every few minutes he would roll over in pain and then try to get up but would fall back. I tried to open the door but it was locked. While I was there men would pass and I heard this remark: 'By gosh, that fellow ain't dead yet.' But it was not long until he was." ..Near by was a canvas house 100 feet long and filled with billiard and other gambling tables which were run night and day.

..Some of the first business men were A. L. White who started with the town in 1870, on a small scale and gradually worked up until today he is one of the leading capitalists of the town. He also has a large elevator of 50,000 bushel capacity, besides being president of the Peirce City National Bank. ..D. S. Flowers another old timer began in 1870 and has been in the hardware business ever since. ..Wm. Buchner also began in 1870 and is still in the harness business. ..In 1871 Joseph Newman started business and has increased his stock until now he has three stores, one in Joplin, another at Monett, and the main one here. Outside of St. Louis and Kansas City these are about the largest clothing houses in the state. ..In 1872 the Decatur House was opened. It has sixty rooms and was furnished at a cost of $11,000. Later it was called the Lawrence which name it has today. ..In the same year G. W. Wilson started the P. C. Wagon factory which employed many men and turned out about 20 wagons a month. ..About this time the public school building was erected at a cost of about $15,000 and four years ago another addition was made costing $5,000, and today we have one of the best schools in the state: ..For a town of its size Peirce City ranks near the top in church and school buildings. ..In 1873 the Lawrence County Bank was established with Jacob Linzee president, and L. L. L. Allen cashier. This was the second bank established in Missouri after the beginning of the panic. The capital stock was $50,000 and at this time the population was about 500 people. In 1881 the resources were $117,156 and deposits about $97,000 and stock with surplus about $20,000. ..The P. C. Roller Mills were built at a cost of $25,000 in 1873 by Stanton & Miller, who a few years afterwards sold to Vance & Perrott. This new firm added a 60 horse power engine and patent rollers, also an elevator with a capacity of 50,000 bushels. The property was valued at $60,000. ..In 1875 the first Lime Kiln was started by J. H. Barton who later sold to C. A. Raupp & Co. ..The superiority of Peirce City lime was soon known and they could not supply the demands. Therefore the south bluff was sold to J. Wilson & Son, who erected two large kilns at a cost of $15,000 which have been constantly worked for the past 14 years. The capacity of both lime kilns is 15,000 bushels every 24 hours. ..Peirce City has had three cigar factories established bu[t] only two of them are here now, Parr & Sons, Chas. Hellwag in 1880 with his famous "Log Cabin" brand, and Fred Stoltz in 1887. ..In 1877 J. K. Saunders began business and a few years later became connected with Wm. Biddlecome in the clothing line and carried a large stock. ..A. M. Chandler began in the hardware business in 1875 and in 1880 erected the building where he is now situated.

..J. F. Wicks began in 1875 and in 1880 became associated with R. T. Brite in the grocery business and later engaged in live stock and meat market. ..In 1880 A. Kyle, the shoemaker, took his seat and is still pegging away at his last. ..At this time the professional line was composed of Drs. Hansard, Wright, Quigley, Worley, Richardson, Kimball, and Woolsey. Dentists F. A. Vincent, and J. D. Hannah. Attorneys Cloud & Rutledge, French & Leake, F. C. Johnston, J. N. Davies and A. Starkey. ..In 1882 Geo. A. Purdy started the P. C. pottery which employed many men and boys. The factory was equipped with a 20 horse power engine and six-ton crushers and turned out 85,000 gallons of ware per month. It was destroyed by fire in 1889 and was never rebuilt. ..The New Windsor hotel in 1884 by F. Pfaff at a cost of $60,000. The building is 126x100 feet and a three story structure of 70 large rooms besides the office, dining room and many store rooms. $10,000 worth of furniture was placed in it, making it one of the best hotels this side of St. Louis. ..The first exclusive glass and queensware store was opened in 1886 by Locke & Hayden. ..In 1887 the P. C. Grist mill started with Eckert & Co., as proprietors. The capacity was 100 bushels of flour, meal and chop feed perday. ..The first beer depot was erected in 1885 by the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association and that year they shipped about 75 cars of beer and ice to this town. ..In 1888 N. Heisserer bought the interest in the grocery store of Jacob Thielen and assumes control until today. ..The P. C. Bank was established in 1887 with a capital of $10,000. Later it was changed to the P. C. National Bank with a capital stock of $50,000. Today the bank is one of the most reliable in Southwest Missouri, and the building the pride of the citizens of Peirce city and the surrounding country. ..In 1878, the P. C. Baptist College was established, the corner stone was placed Sept. 3, 1879, and by Oct. 7, 1880 the institution was opened with Prof. C. S. Sheffield as president. It has gained wide spread fame over Southwest Missouri and is now under the management of Prof. E. W. Dow. ..About the same time C. A. Raupp built a $40,000 opera house which was the best in this district and many congressional conventions were held in it. ..In 1889 the railroad division was moved east of here about five miles and named the town Monett. At that time our population was 3500 but now it is only 2150. After they left the company said that grass would be growing on our streets in a year, but you can see different, for when a town has enterprising business men like ours, nothing can kill it. Now the company would like to come here to get water, something they cannot get where they are. ..By this way the people have invested their money here of late years and we will always have a good town and maybe in the future a good city that will be the pride of Missouri.