Ralls County Historical
Volume 2- Issue 2, March 2003

RALLS COUNTY MISSOURI HISTORICAL SOCIETY
P.O. BOX 182
CENTER MISSOURI 63436

http://www.rootsweb.com/~morchs/

Dear Members and Friends of the Ralls County Missouri Historical Society:

The March meeting will be at the Perry MO VFW with doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the meeting will  begin at 7:00 p.m.. There are a number of subjects to be discussed and we will elect ten board of Directors and the vice-president position is still open. The present board is Debbie Allen, Joy Briscoe, Sue Delaporte, Sally Polc, Fran Watts, Bert Howard, Marsha Knudsen, Minerva Howard, Mike Hayden, Billy Cearley. I will be contacting the present board of Directors before the meeting to see if you wish to stay on the board.  If you have   someone you would like to nominate or you are interested  let us know at the meeting or before

Courthouse
Funding for the cost study of the Ralls County Courthouse restoration is in the 2003 budget and has already begun by Klingner & Associates. The project may be completed by the end of March and the report ready.  This is the first of many steps to get our countries historic landmark restored for it's 150 year birthday.

2003 Dues
The 2003 dues now passed do, so if you have not yet renewed please send a check or bring your payment to the meeting. They remain at $10.00 per person or $15.00 for a family membership. Please if possible fill out a membership form or include a note of your address, phone number (optional), e-mail address and family members if you get a family membership. Payments can be mailed to Ralls County Historical Society Inc., P. O. Box 182, Center MO 63435

As discussed in the November "old Newsletter" E-mail updates will begin to be sent between the bimonthly "Ralls County Historical" Newsletters. These E-mail updates will be for events, inquiries, project results & updates, local events, and more.  These E-mail updates will be for current society members only. The "Ralls County Historical" will continue to go to both members and nonmembers with E-mail addresses, but members only by mail for those without an e-mail address. Our website is now on "Cyndi's Listings" a website that features where to find Historical and Genealogical sites and will soon be on Ralls County GenWeb website. This has and will increase the hits on our website; we have had more than 710 hits on the site. Because of the popularity of the website and other source I have received many inquiries about and contributions of Ralls County history and genealogy in past few weeks. With the E-mail updates   this information can be sent out to most of our membership as it comes in.  The system can also work both ways, if you have information or a question it can be sent out over the system too.

Ralls County Missouri Historical Society: Regular meetings.
January 20, 2003 at Center Christian church Basement
March 17, 2003 at Perry VFW
May 19, 2003 at New London courthouse basement
July 21, 2003 at Center Christian church basement
September 15, 2002 at Perry (annual meeting/picnic)
November 17, 2002 at New London courthouse basement
Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and meetings beginning at 7:00 p.m. except September meeting which is being planned.
Please send your groups events and date so we can add them to the calendar

Fagan School Project
On February 17 I, committee persons' John Roy Chipman and   Deborah Carey meet with Principle Delores Woodhurst and membership of the Perry Grade School Boosters Club to present the proposal below to move to Fagan School to the school grounds. The Booster said they would discuss the plan and discuss it with the Ralls County School board at the first opportunity.

Proposal to Perry Elementary School and The Ralls County R-2 School District From the Ralls County Historical Society for The Restoration and Preservation of Fagan School

Fagan School is one of the best remaining examples of a one room county school. It is our best opportunity to save and restore a piece of Ralls County rural history. The Ralls County Historical Society would like to locate the Fagan School on Perry Elementary property and enlist the help of the Perry Elementary Booster Club in restoring and preserving the school. The Ralls County Historical Society would be responsible for moving the school to the Perry Elementary. The building is 30 feet long X 21 feet wide plus a front vestibule which is 8 feet long and 12 feet wide. A possible location for the school would be the front, southwest corner of the Perry Elementary property. Should the Booster Club choose to participate in the project they would be responsible for the restoration. The Ralls County Historical Society would provide manpower and historical information for the restorations. Financial support from the Historical Society would be forthcoming when possible. Members of the Historical Society would also be available to present historical programs to the students. The Fagan School would become the property of the Ralls County R-2 School District. If in the future the school district did not want the building on their property any longer, the Ralls County Historical Society would be given the opportunity to take over the ownership of the building and move it from the school property. Fagan's best chance for love and care in the long term is for it to be useful and used regularly. This project would provide that love, care and use as well as be of educational value to the students of Perry Elementary. Students would have the opportunity to work in a one room school house and learn the history of Ralls County. Another possible use of the building would be for community meetings.Thanks for your consideration of this proposal. Sincerely, The Ralls County Historical Society Fagan School Committee: Wayne Clark, John Roy Chipman, Deb Carey, Ron Leake President

Help
Member Dave Pohl is preparing material for a reunion for Ilasco School District and could use your help with picture and other information from the following schools which made up the district:   Marble Creek, Saverton, Centenary, Oak Hill, Flint Hill, and Mills Creek

More Help
I have spoken to Fredrick Tucker below who sent the following letter "Ralls County Herald-Enterprise" cause me to contact Mr. Fredrick Tucker. If you can be of any help to him, I know he would be grateful.
Dear Editor
I am researching the life and career of stage and screen actress Alice Pearce (1917-1966) who is best known for her role of Gladys Kravitz on the "Bewitched" TV series.
Miss Pearce had family roots in Perry. Her grandparents were Joe and Sallie LaFrance Clark. Mrs. Clark was a member of the Perry Christian Church at the time of her death at 95 in 1961. Miss Pearce was the Clark's only grandchild. The Clarks had for children: Mrs. Mary Emma Ward, Mrs. Margaret Pearce, Mrs. Joseph Strode and Dr. LaFrance Clark, Mrs. Clark was related to many folks in your area. I am hoping that someone in the area will have some memories of Miss Pearce visiting Perry. She never lived there, having been reared in New York and Europe and later becoming a Broadway and Hollywood comedienne, I am interested in gathering any photos taken of her in Perry and any memories anyone might have of her family, this research is all for a book I am preparing about Miss Pearce. Any communication will be appreciated. Thanks very much.

Sincerely; Fredrick Tucker, P.O. Box 214, Duncan, SC, 864-439-4195, E-mail frex59@bellsouth.net.

Mystery Log Cabin
A two-story log cabin which was built by a group of Swedish families south of Perry was bought by George Lewis of Quincy Illinois a few years ago. Because research found that the cabin was like the cabin built be John Wood, the founder of Quincy the cabin was donated to  be used by the "Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County"  as part of their museum. I contacted Mr. Lewis and he stated that purchased the cabin from a Mr. Johnson and that the log was under a frame house. No more information or the exact location is unknown yet, if you have any information on the cabin let us know. On his next trip thorough Ralls County Mr. Lewis said he thought he could find the location and would get back to us. 

Internet Sites
Grandview Burial Park south of Hannibal in Ralls County has a website that allows you to search all the burials at the park. Go to website below and check the burial park to begin a search. http://www.grandviewfuneral.com/

For excellent information on Missouri Civil War see this website.
http://www.civilwarstlouis.com/

For maps of Northeast Missouri as early as 1814, which includes Ralls County, go to the site below. It also has Civil War Maps, Railroad maps and many other sources for Missouri history and genealogy research. http://www.geocities.com/willik_1998/

THANKS
Steve Chou has given us a Catalogue for "Ralls Country Academy" for the years 1869-1870. It not only has information abut the school, but also list students and has local advertising for merchants in New London and Hannibal

Laura Anne Hamm has sent old photos, stories, maps and clippings of Cincinnati a former village on Salt River in Ralls County. Mary Daniel has also sent a photo and map of the same village.  Thanks ladies for sharing the valuable information on an important part of Ralls County History.

Ralls County Cemetery
McGee Cemetery; township 54 west, range 7 west, section 10

Jackson; Catherine B., born November 19, 1821, died 19, 1888, wife of J. H. Jackson

McGee ; Conrad, died July 28, 1893, age 57 years, 6 months, 29 days

McGee; J. W. B., 39th MO., Inf., no dates

McGee; Mary, died February 28, 1884, age 79 years, 7 months, 23 days

McGee; Mary, died 13, 1880, age 47 years, 8 days, wife of Conrad

Shepherd; Solomon B., born 1, 1800, died August 17, 1866

Presidents Views;
The items listed in the thanks section of this Newsletter is only part of the growing list of photos, maps, books, stories, clippings and items we have collected over the past year. In addition a number of people have expressed interest in donating many more items if we have a place to store and display them.  I have been acting the archivist on these items, but with me living in the St. Louis area, local members do not have access to the material. I believe that these items should be stored in the county courthouse till a permanent site can be found. The Ralls County Library does not have the space now and have no plans for us when and if they get a new building.  If we can get a location at the courthouse to store the material and mark the items as property of the Ralls County Historical Society and specify that if the Society should dissolve or no longer be active that these items would go to the Missouri State Archives or such an organization. We coud display copies and photos of the items at the courthouse and other locations to be shared with the public. By showing copies and photos the originals could be preserved. A detailed inventor would be needed of all the items and papers prepared to document the item's usage  and disposal. 

Bit of Ralls County History
While searching the internet, I found the following letter Green Dewitt to Stephen Austin. Elijah Stapp was a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. He was a Ralls County Court Judge in 1822 and seems to have lived in the area that later became Marion County Missouri. He was also the Presiding Judge the first term of the Marion County Court on March 26, 1827. I have collected more information on Elijah Stapp and William Duncan and would be glad to share it with one interested in doing more research.
On March 9, 1826, Green DeWitt, in New London, Ralls County, Missouri, wrote to Stephen F. Austin:
New London Ralls County Mo March 9th 1826 DEAR SIR Permit me to Introduce to your attention Col Elijah Stapp and Mr William Duncan; who come to Texas for the purpose of selecting lands for a number of families; who intend to megrate from this County to that Country, they are particularly bound for the Guadalupe or San Marco, as their intention is Mills Cotton Gins etc---I did not pass by the way of Mine a Burton on my return home---but I sent your letters to Mr. E Bates, by your Cousin (Mr Austin) he also told me that Mrs Perry and the rest of your friends in Mo. were well. Any favors you render the above Gentlemen will be gratefully remembered and acknowledged---I shall leave Missouri the first of next Month with my family for Texas for the news of the day I refur you to Col Stapp. G. DEWITT Col STEPHEN F AUSTIN
Green DeWitt was the first sheriff of Ralls County, who later formed the DeWitt colony in the 1820's in Texas, dying May 18, 1835.  His wife was Sarah "Sally" Seely, who was the daughter of  Jonas & Elizabeth (Quick) Seely.
The second sheriff of Ralls County also moved to Texas and was known as the "Last massager from the Alamo" and became another hero in Texas.