Madison
Madison, Mo. Pop. 481
Madison at one time had
two banks - the Madison Bank which was owned by the Atterbury family
and the Farmers and Merchants Bank. The Farmers and Merchants Bank has not
existed for some 60+ years, but the Madison Bank is now the Madison Honeywell
Bank.
Early bank information was revealed to me by my aunt Willie, who will be 100
years old in
February, 1999. She told me she and her husband used to bank at the Farmers and
Merchants Bank because it was smaller and her husband knew the president
personally.
(Submitted by: Barbara Lusk Savalick, St.
Louis, MO,
formerly of Woodlawn,Monroe County Missouri)
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It is also a quaint town that at one time not so long ago had a bank, Rexall Drug, and beauty shop. The friendliest little restaurant," D&J's.", have daily specials with catfish noted to be the best in the area. It is surely one of my very favorites! Beecher's fine evening dining and cocktails adds to this list of small town favorite areas for shopping or business needs. (submitted by Cathlene Stewart)
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The town of Madison was named by James Abernathy, who came to Monroe Co., in 1817. It was named in honor of James Madison, President of the United States. Mr. Abernathy entered 40 acres of land where the town was located. The first house in the place was put up by Henry Harrison, who came from Madison Co., Ky., and used as a tavern in 1837. James Eubanks, from Tennessee, opened the first store in 1838. George Cunningham was the pioneer blacksmith. The town contained a population of 500 to 600, and had a public school, 2 churches, 2 general stores, one harness shop, three drug and grocery stores, 1 grocery and meat market, 1 flouring-mill and a saw-mill, 1 furniture store, and 1 wagon shop.
--Directory of Towns, Villages, and Hamlets, Past and Present, of Monroe Co., Mo. , p. 173, 174;
--Campbell's Gazetteer, p. 380 (submitted by Robin Gatson)
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From the
MADISON TIMES, Madison, MO.
"Recalls Early Days Around Madison"
Blackwell, Okla., July 13, 1931
I notice in your number of July 9th, a write up of early days of the city of
Madison, which was read by me with much interest. Being an Old Settler
myself, I was born and raised about three miles northwest of Madison in the year
1843. Am now 88 years old, my name is Monroe DAVIS. My fathers name
was Madison DAVIS, was generally known as Mat DAVIS, who settled where I was
born in 1833.
James R. ABERNATHY was an uncle of mine by marriage. I can recognize the name of all the Old Settlers mentioned, however, I only find one name that I can recognize that is living among all of my acquaintances, that one is John Dunaway. Probably he would remember me.
Among the
old industries you failed to mention the old grist mill, that was owned by John
DAWSON, that was run by the power of an incline wheel and was driven by horses
walking on the wheel and the weight of the
horses would revolve and which would also run the millstone. The parties
that brought the grist to mill had to furnish the horses. The miller that
run the mill was named WYSINGER.
Just
to show the younger boys how milling was done at that mill, I will explain just
how it was done. The mill was equipped with a set of mill stones that was
used to grind either corn or wheat. If it were corn the meal was scooped into a
sack and if it were wheat it was scooped into another sack and carried upstairs
and put through a bolt that was run by hand. It took two men to do it. One
man would turn the reel while the other fed the stock into the reel. The flour
would fall into a chest below. The miller, Mr. WYSINGER, would take a
turkey wing in his hand, open up the chest and divide the fine flour from the
middlings by drawing a line between the fine flour and the middlings and shorts
also. He then would put the shorts on the bottom of the sack then tie a
string around the sack, then do likewise with the flour and middlings. All
three then would be in the same sack.
The bran was then put into a separate sack.
by: MONROE DAVIS
This is a letter written by my GG-Grandfather, Monroe DAVIS who was born in
Madison, MO Nov 8, 1843 to James "Madison" DAVIS and Elizabeth (Evans)
DAVIS.
Submitted by: Marla Andrus
E-mail: Paulnmarla@juno.com
Web Site: Marla's Tree House
http://www.angelfire.com/on/davisfamilytree