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Polk County Genealogical Society, Inc.
Headquartered in Bolivar, Missouri, United States of America

Welcome to Our Organization's Home Page

PCGS Library Hours: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday

EMAIL: info@pcgsmo.com

Merry Christmas!


Behold the work of the Old . . .let your Heritage not be lost,
But bequeath it as a Memory, Treasure and Blessing
Gather the lost and the hidden and preserve it for thy children.

Christian Metz, 1846

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PCGS Home Page
Important Info.
Our Ancestors
Our Archives
Our Friends/Links
Our History
Our Library
Our Lost
Our Meetings
Our Resources
Our Store
Your Queries
You can contact us at:

    PCGS
    PO Box 632
    Bolivar, MO
    65613-0632
  
info@pcgsmo.com
   417-777-2820

BOARD OF
DIRECTORS
President
  Susan Sparks
Vice President
  Teresa Barker
Secretary
  Julie Trout
Treasurer
  Leta Gass
Director-at-large
  Ray Brown


STORY LINKS
*PCGS wins
2008 Jonas Viles Award
Click here

*Visit with Roy Blunt, Sep. 2007
Click here

*Courthouse 100 year time capsule opened, 2007
Click here

*PCGS Library renovation 2007
Click here

*Polk County History Book is available for sale Index online
Click here

*Dedication of First Burial at Greenwood Cemetery, May 2006
Click here

*Television crew films segment at PCGS Library, June 2004
Click here

*Genealogical Soc. gets nearly $5,000 for preservation, 2004
Click here

*PCGS celebrated 10 years, 2004
Click
here

*PCGS Library building declared historic site, July 2003
Click here

 
Click here or on the Important Info. link at left for PCGS membership information.

UPCOMING MEETING--JANUARY 7, 2010
Business Meeting. Speaker: Wayne Holmes, author of "Rocky Comfort" and other books

Election Results-2010 Officers:
Susan Sparks, President
Ray Brown, Vice President
Leta Gass, Secretary
Julie Trout, Treasurer
Ben Gravely, Director at large


PCGS Library will be closed for Christmas Break,
Thursday, December 24-Friday, January 1, 2010!


INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY:
If Bolivar schools are closed because of weather, the library will also be closed.
There will be no night meeting, either, if school is closed on a Thursday. If bad weather
develops on a Thursday afternoon before the regular monthly meeting, members can
call 417-777-2820 to find out the status of the meeting.
Click here for school closings
list at ky3.com

PCGS pictures available on Flickr.com
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcgsmo/
See below for links to particular photo albums.

Annual Group Photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcgsmo/sets/72157622475932100/

Renovation of the Polk County Genealogical Society Library:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pcgsmo/sets/72157622476798784/


"Who are We?" Click here to look at some of the unidentified pictures of PCGS

Celebrate the history of Polk County with a set of Limited Edition souvenir playing cards!
For more information, see below or click here.

GEOCACHING--Geocaching is an activity in which the participants
use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or other navigational
techniques to hide and seek containers (called "geocaches" or "caches")
anywhere in the world. PCGS is now part of the geocaching community.
For more information, please see this website Grandma's Little Stash
http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=48059b6f-fd44-4c45-88ae-07c7d0d0be53


President's Corner

I have many fond memories of taking my son to the park when he was little. It was cheap entertainment to buy a
loaf of 40-cent white bread and spend some time feeding the ducks. To this day my son, now 20, calls all white
bread “duck bread.”

I thought in my “history nerd” way that some might enjoy a brief history of Dunnegan Memorial Park

In December of 1920, Judge T. H. B. Dunnegan offered a 44.2 acre tract of land known as Dunnegan’s Woods to
the city of Bolivar through the Commercial Club. The land had been used for the last two or three years as a
reunion grounds for the old settlers’ picnics, Grand Army of the Republic, and various other groups.

In March of 1921, the city council accepted the land and named it Dunnegan Memorial Park. The city was responsible
for the care and beautification of the new park. The first thing they did was hire a landscape gardener to map out the
park and develop a plan of improvement. The local newspaper reported, “The park [plan] is an ideal layout for a
beautiful city park. It is nearly a half-mile long and extends out midway to almost a quarter mile. It contains 44.2 acres
with a fine growth of native oak covering it all. It includes two ravines that intersect well to the north end. A large lake
has been formed at the north end that is large enough for swimming and rowing. By just a little attention, a fine driveway
can be made.”

The city approved the landscaping plan and put out a call to the citizens of Bolivar for a “Park Working Day” to be held
on Friday, June 23, 1922. The event was to last all day and citizens were invited to bring an “ax, grubbing hoe, scythe,
picks, shovels and rakes” and “everybody works, even Father.”

The official public presentation of the park to the city was held on July 4, 1922. Judge T. H. B. Dunnegan addressed
the crowd at the presentation saying, “Realizing that as the years go, that the people will more and more be in need
of a breathing ground, and as my people have lived among this [sic] people from the earliest settlement of this county,
I have concluded to donate this plot of land to the City of Bolivar and Polk County as a public park to be known as
Dunnegan Memorial Park, to the memory of all who have fallen in defense of our land [and] country[.] [A]nd to you,
Mr. Mayor, I present this plot with the injunction that you, and your successors, preserve and beautify it for the use and
pleasure of all the people.”

The day was filled with fun and games. Events started at 9:30 in the morning with a parade and concerts from the
community band and choir. The day was supposed to end with a “big open air picture show” at the park. Unfortunately,
the electric current was not strong enough to power the projector at the park, so the picture show was moved to the city
square. The day was not without other hitches. The newspaper followed up with this report, “The deplorable and very
unsanitary tank of drinking water which was so grossly polluted at the Bolivar Public Park on the Fourth of July, and
which was not discovered by the Health Officer until he returned from Halfway at three o’clock has caused much
sickness. The tank was dipped into by children’s dirty fingers, cups dropped in the mud were dipped in the water and
water poured back into the tank from the cups… A crawfish was found in the lemonade. We wonder what else was in
it too small to see.”

The park quickly took shape and by 1925, the area was fenced with wire, wood, and concrete posts. Water service and
electric street lamps were also installed in the park the same year. In 1926, a log house was built from timbers from
the land and John A. Farmer, the park’s caretaker, resided in the park. Native stone was hauled to the park to erect a
gateway, which was completed in 1928 and the road in front of the park was graded and improved. One of the uses of
the park in its early days was as a tourist camp. Small signs would point the way from the main road to the park where
tourists were allowed to set up and camp for free. This was later disallowed.

During the summer of 1931, the drive through the park was improved and included the draining of the lake so that the
dam could be widened to a two-track width and concreted. A gravel swimming bar was added to the lake for the children.

The octagon shelter house and bandstand (now known as Pavilion 1) was added to the park in 1933. It measured 30 feet
in diameter and was built by John Woskoski. In the 1940s, improvements such as cooking fireplaces, native stone tables
and benches, a shuffleboard and oversized checkerboard were added. In 1949, the park board improved and blacktopped
the drive and added more children’s playground equipment near the shelter house.

The Polk County Genealogical Society Research Facility has an undated cloth poster of rules on display from the park
that likely dates from the 1940s: “Notice to everyone visiting the Park - All well-disposed persons are cordially invited
to visit the park. In driving into the park, keep to the right. Do not try to turn in the driveways but keep on till you come
out. Owing to depredations committed at night, the Park Board has ordered the gates shut and locked at 9 o’clock at night.
The trees, shrubs and flowers are for all visitors to see and enjoy, so please do not break or pull them. For if you do there
soon will not be any left for anyone to see. No hunting with dogs or guns allowed. Leave your dogs and guns at home.
Be careful with fires. Leave no trash scattered about. Do not molest the birds, squirrels, or other wild animals about the
park. State law regulates fishing in the lake. See the park keeper about fishing permits. No gambling or improper conduct
allowed. Camping in the park is prohibited! This rule will be strictly enforced by the keeper.”

This park is truly one of the “Gems of the Ozarks”, so pack a lunch and enjoy, as Judge Dunnegan said, “the breathing ground.”

Susan Sparks


Orphan Train comes to Bolivar

The Children’s Aid Society of New York was founded in 1853. The mission being that they could take
children from the streets and orphanages of New York and send them to a better life in the Midwest. The
orphan trains, which ran from 1853-1929, were designed to transport orphans and half-orphans to a better
life in the Midwest. This must have been a culture shock to children that had never experienced the hills and
hollows of the Ozarks. Most had never seen such wide-open spaces, cows, deep woods, orchards and ticks.

In December of 1889, the first train of orphans from New York arrived in Bolivar. The trip was a success
with seventeen of the children being placed in homes around Polk County. The process for taking in the
children was, as follows: committees of men were chosen by the Society to screen potential families. The
Polk County committee consisted of D. W. Faulkner, T. H. B. Dunnegan, J. J. Akard, J. W. Ross and F. A.
Affleck.

The families had to agree to the following conditions: children fifteen years old are expected to work until
they are seventeen years old for their board and clothes; then they are at liberty to make their own arrangements.
Children between twelve and fifteen are expected to work for their board and clothes until they are seventeen,
but must be sent to school for a part of each year, and after age fifteen they should receive some wages. Children
under twelve are expected to remain until they are eighteen and must be treated by the applicants as their own
children.

When the train reached Bolivar they had seventeen children on board, thirteen boys and four girls, ranging in
age from seventeen to four years. An agent accompanied them from the Children’s Aid Society of New York,
Mr. E. Trott. The citizens of Bolivar, who met the train, were pleasantly surprise by the appearance of the children.
Instead of being rough, uncouth and ignorant the children appeared well-dressed and intelligent-looking. The
newspaper reported "It is to be feared that the impression made upon the children by the citizens was not so
favorable, for one little fellow exclaimed, as he stepped from the car and looked at the crowd, "Well, is this
Bolivar’s best! "

The children were transported to the courthouse and seated in a row of chairs within the railing of the courtroom.
When applications for children were called for by the Mayor, the responses were so numerous that it soon became
evident that there were not enough children to go around. The names of the applicants were given to the local
committee whose approval had to be obtained before a child could be awarded. The approved applicants were
then allowed to make their choices. It fell to Mr. John F. French of Rondo to make the first choice. He picked
out a "bright thirteen year old boy" named Henry J. Smith.

The following is a list, as it appeared in the Bolivar Free Press, of the children spoken for:

Robert Hicks, ten years old, taken by S. S. Carrier, of Bolivar;
Mary Hicks, nine years, taken by R. J. Gage, of Bolivar;
Sarah Hicks, ten years, taken by W. R. Spoon, of Bolivar;
Mary Hicks, eight years and six months, taken by F. W. Adams, of Bolivar.

(The first two children named above are brother and sister, and the next two are sisters, and cousins of the first.)

Willie Gardner, nine years, taken by H. F. Caldwell, of Bolivar;
James Gross, seven years, taken by W. W. Lusk, of Halfway;
Frank Buck, aged five, taken by C. M. Bowman, of Bolivar;
Geo. A. Owens, aged six, taken by E. S. Bronson, of Bolivar;
James Devine, aged six, Ira P. Warren, of Bolivar;
Wm. J. Brooks, aged seventeen, E. F. Mayfield, of Goodnight;
James Jackson, aged sixteen, taken by S. A. Griffin of Shady Grove;
John L. Davis, twelve, R. B. Lee of Bolivar;
Arthur Van Orden, aged ten, W. H. Branham of Halfway;
Annie Schlinder, eight years and three months old, taken by Alexander Griffin of Brighton;
Freddie Wodruff, four years, taken by W. J. Wallace of Bolivar;
and Jacob Good, aged six, taken by Rev. J. F. Martin of Bolivar.

After the children were awarded to a local family, they were encouraged to write to the Society about their
care and could be removed if it was not adequate. The Society also planned yearly trips to check on the children.

Since the children were dispersed in 1889 and the 1890 census does not exist anymore, I turned to the 1900
Federal Census of Polk County to try and find these children. I did not have much luck but did find three of
them still living in the county in 1900. One of them was embraced by the family and even took their surname.
The other two were listed as laborer and servant under different families than the ones that originally took them
in.

I found it interesting how small towns like Bolivar helped a huge city like New York take care of their
cast-off children. I can only hope they found peace and happiness in our Ozark Hills.

Susan Sparks


Fossils and Footprints (See The Rest of the Story below)

Bolivar's first streets were made of mud and crushed rock. At each of the crosswalks around the
square there were large flat rocks so that people using the rudimentary sidewalks of the time would
not have to dirty their feet, or the ladies their long dresses, while crossing the dirt street. The streets
surrounding our courthouse were paved for the first time in 1912. The entire project cost $9,000,
with the county paying $5,300 and the business owners on the square picking up the remaining amount.
As soon as the paving was completed, the city crew started tearing up the crosswalks so that they could
also be cemented. While tearing up the crosswalk on the northwest side of the square, a geological
discovery, of great importance at the time, was made. When one of the large flat stones was turned over,
the underside was found to contain two impressions of a child's foot. One of the tracks, the one made by
the right foot, was very distinct. All that remained of the other was the heel mark, the balance having
eroded away or having been chipped off when the stone was quarried. The footprints were shod in
moccasins and were as clear as if they had just been made. The stone was quarried about 20 years
previous to its discovery. This stone was taken to a local expert, J. M. Leavitt. Leavitt had been a
collector of Indian artifacts for years and had a house full of items that he had collected in Polk County
during his lifetime. Local photos were taken of the stone and then the U. S. Geological Survey was
alerted to the find. Where are these today? No one knows but they may have been sent to Washington,
D.C. or used as a doorstop until lost to time.

Susan Sparks

THE REST OF THE STORY

By Jean Pufahl Vincent

I received my monthly edition of the Polk County Genealogical Society's newsletter and, as usual, read
it with great interest. I found Susan Sparks' article about the "Moccasin Rock" to be the most interesting
thing I had read for some time. She mentioned that the rock had been given to J. M. Leavitt and that no one
knows where the rock is today. However, David and I do know where the rock is, and here's the "rest of the
story."

I grew up in a neighborhood populated by many family members. My Grandparents Pufahl lived across the
street in one house, and my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin lived next to them. They all lived in wonderful, big old
houses--ours wasn't nearly as big as theirs, but we all had free access to the houses, the yards, and the fields
out behind. My uncle, Pete Leavitt (son of J.M. Leavitt), had marvelous things in his back yard-all kinds of
animals in cages (including skunks) that he took in when they were injured and 'doctored' them, and he also
had a fascinating rock. It had a depression in it that looks just like what a moccasin-clad child's footprint
would look like if the child stepped in the mud. I always thought the rock was a wonderful thing.

When Uncle Pete and Aunt Helene died and my cousin, Lorraine, moved to a smaller home she took the rock
with her. In time, the rock came in to my possession. I've tried to keep it under the eaves and protected from
the weather. When I moved to Maryland the rock stayed here on the farm. The folk who rented the place also
cared for the rock until we moved back in 2006. The rock was in residence when we moved back; there was
a lot of remodeling and landscaping still going on at that time. David and I were afraid the rock would get
covered up, and talked about moving it to a safer place. Then we went back to Maryland to conclude some
business and pick up our car. We didn't think about the rock for some time except to wonder, now and then,
"where could it be?". Then we read Susan's article and that set things in motion. Up to that time I had no idea
about the history of the rock… I only knew it hadbelonged to Uncle Pete. I went out and dug a trench around
the porch where I thought the rock should be. It wasn't there. Uncle (Mynatt Scott) brought out a probe, and
between Uncle, David and myself we probed the whole flower bed and dug up about half of it. We found
bricks, rebar, all kinds of rocks and several sections of the foundation of the house that used to be here, but
no moccasin rock. We were all afraid it was gone forever.

Later that same day, David and I were walking across the barn lot when a particularly square-shaped rock
caught our eye. Susan had mentioned that the rock had been quarried. We walked over to it. David turned
it over, and there was the moccasin print! Rarely has such excitement ensued in Polk County over the location
of a rock! After we found the rock David remembered moving it to keep it safe before we went back East. As
soon as he said it I remembered him telling me about it while we were on the trip. We shall use the excuse
of having too much on our minds at the time. We're just glad this piece of Polk County History is still safe
and secure.

Note : The rock is now on display at the PCGS library for all to see. Come visit us!


SPECIAL ITEMS FOR SALE

Limited Edition Postcards are now available from PCGS! Two versions--one with a picture of
the PCGS Library; the other stating "Greetings from Polk County, Missouri" with a picture of the
Polk County Courthouse in the background. Postcards are 50 cents each or five for $2.00.
More information and pictures coming soon.


Polk County
Souvenir Historical
Deck of Cards!

Limited quantities. Get yours today!
Only $10.00 per deck plus $3.50 shipping.
For more information, click here.





Polk County
Souvenir Military
Deck of Cards!

Limited quantities. Get yours today!
Only $10.00 per deck plus $3.50 shipping.
For more information, click here.



Polk County Souvenir
Deck of Cards!


Limited quantities. Get yours today!
Only $12.00 per deck plus $3.50 shipping.
For more information, click here.






A set of all three decks is available for $25.
That is a $7 discount off buying them separately.

This is a limited time offer, so buy yours today.
Shipping charge on the set of 3 card decks is $5.
For more info., please contact the PCGS at
info@pcgsmo.com or 417-777-2820



Polk County Courthouse Centennial Print . . . $25.00 + $10.00 s/h

(For more information on the Courthouse print, click here


RECENT PUBLICATIONS!
Poems by W. J Cox . . . $15.00
A collection of poems composed by Polk County resident W. J. Cox and published in the Bolivar Free Press
between 1911-1925. There are over 200 poems in the book. Indexed. 297 pages
Humansville Star-Leader Polk County, Missouri Obituaries 2007. . . $10.00
Complete collection of published obituaries from the year's Humansville newspaper.
Indexed. 37 pages.
Polk County, MO Plat Map 1881 . . . . . $25.00 for book;
. . . . . $15.00 for 3' x 3' black/white copy of map
. . . . $35.00 if purchased together (savings of $5)

Hanging on the wall in the PCGS Library is a map of Polk County dated 1881. This large
plat map takes up a floor to ceiling section of the library near the elevator. This map has been
scanned and indexed and put into book form, each page containing a section of the map. Many
volunteer hours from PCGS members went into the making of this book. Thanks to all helpers!
The book is regular size, 8 1/2 x 11 with fold-out pages in the map section.
It ships via Priority Mail.


Will Book Index new April 2009
To see the list of wills, click the link above.

This is an indexed list of the wills that have been filed in the Polk County Probate Court from the mid-1880s to 1979.
The books contain a transcribed copy of the will. PCGS has microfilm of Probate Records that may or may not include
an actual copy of the will.
For a digital image of the will book page or a complete transcription, the charge is $5.00.
WE WILL NOT PHOTOCOPY FROM THESE BOOKS AS IT WILL DAMAGE THEM.
For more information,
please contact PCGS at info@pcgsmo.com

INDEXES OF LIBRARY HOLDINGS AND OTHER RESOURCES
UPDATED APRIL 2009

Library holdings, archival holdings, obituary files, microfilm--all updated.
Includes new sections on archival finding aids and index to Polk County History Book
To see the updated listings, click
here




PCGS Library Hours : 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mon., Wed., Fri. and Sat.


Business meetings are the first Thursday of every month at the
Polk County Genealogical Library, on the square in Bolivar, MO

You are our 58419 visitor since the page was redesigned February 2003 -- thanks for stopping by!

Copyright 2003-2009, Polk County Genealogical Society, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Last revised: December 09, 2009

Located on the southeast corner of the courthouse square in Bolivar, MO

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