TIFFIN
Located in Speedwell Township
Tiffin is located on Section 30, Township 37 N, Range 27 W.
Tiffin had a Post Office during the years 1876-1955.
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St. Clair County, MO History, 1883, page 1069:
Tiffin - Clear Creek is quite a large stream here and a mill was put up a few
years ago known as Pape's Mill.
Gideon Pape owned the land and put up the first store in connection with his
mill in 1876.
In July of the same year, the first post office in Speedwell Township was given
it, with Gideon Pape, Postmaster, keeping the place at his store. Gideon Pape is
still Postmaster and keeps a general store.
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Missouri Gazetteer and Business Directory, 1881:
Tiffin – On Clear Creek, in Speedwell Township, St. Clair County, twenty miles
south west of Osceola (county seat court house), and
ten east of Schell City, its shipping point on the M.K. & T. Ry.
(Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway).
Population, 35.
Mail stage to Schell City and Roscoe tri-weekly; fare 50 cents to either.
Gideon Pape - postmaster.
Brown, John – constable
Davis & Hobson – saw mill
Hughes, J.D. – Justice of the peace
Pape, Gideon – drugs & general store
Reed, David – livestock
Russell, Buckner – livestock
Sweet, T.J. – Justice of the peace
Wartman, D.A. – grocer
Waymire, H. & C. – blacksmiths
Waymire, John S. – wagon maker
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From St. Clair County Library Files:
The original town of Tiffin was at the confluence of Little Clear Creek and Big
Clear Creek, several miles north of the present town of Tiffin.
From the “History of Henry and St. Clair Counties we learned that Tiffin was the
only village and post office in Speedwell Township.
At that time, Clear Creek was a large stream and there was a mill known as
Pape’s Mill owned by Gideon Pape. He owned the land and put up
the first store in 1876. In July 1876 the first post office in Speedwell
Township was established and Gideon Pape was Postmaster. Old Tiffin later became
known as Pape.
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History of St. Clair Co., Missouri 1883:
Pape, earlier known as Pape’s Mill, Gordon Pape owned the land on Clear Creek
near Tiffin, and put up the first store in connection with the
mill in 1876. In July of the same year, the first post office in Speedwell
Township was established, with Gideon Pape as post master, keeping the place at
his store. The town was surveyed and platted in April 1878 by Ralph C. Bowler,
county surveyor.
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Early History from St. Clair County Library Records (Condensed):
Tiffin Baptist Church - A meeting was held on December 7, 1883 at the post
office (which was in the general store owned by Gideon Pape),
the purpose of which was to begin work on the measures necessary for said
project. It was proposed to be a non-secretarian meeting house
at the following location: The SW corner of Sec 18, Township 47, Range 27. This
is the location of “Old Tiffin” known in later years as Pape.