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Ralls County, Missouri Lost & Found |
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This page last updated 17 Jan 1998
(This was found in a scrap book bought in Puyallup, WA.
On the cover is written - Ethel Weir June 27, 1935)
June 9 - 1st day - Sunday
Notes from my visit to Perry Mo. - June 1935
Saw high water & flooded districts, rivers swollen and overflowing banks.
2 miles from Perry saw road leading to Mark Twains home (birth) at
Florida Mo. - Crossed Lick Creek - got out of Santa Fe Trail Bus at Perry
near Richards Store - went to Sam & Debbie McElroys (large 2 story house
with porch in front) - Sam took me in car to see all the sights -
saw cousin Annie, Marie, Floyd - Polly Jane & Dr. Caldwell (Marie's husband).
Went passed Gill Moore Farm & saw big archway sign - then to Lick Creeck
church yard - acquired more land to the south and east, land owned by
Harry Cleaver. Cemetery about as large again as when mamma was here.
Old part just about filled up. Lick Creek has 3 branches. Old Fagan place
burned & rebuild by Bill Wright. Went on south to Jim Crocketts, up that
road to Chas. Westfalls place - then turned west to old Crockett place -
then south to Piddletown. Then west to the county line. Turned down county
line to John Cleavers. Stopped and had a visit with them in the yard.
Looked up Richards history in three big volumes of books. On to Underwood
place on to Shoults place. Drove passed - picked up Eg Clark - back to
Shoults place went inside. Eg Clark lives at old Josh Clark place. Then on
down to Bill McElroy place. Virgil Clark lives there. Then on to Homer Moores.
Met his wife, son & friends. Lives on part of Old Richards place. Then back
to Old Clark place & picked up Eg - on thru a boggy field to site of Old
Richards home site. Only 3 old Locust trees set out by Grandfather Richards
left. Sam found spot where room was where my father was born. Old pear tree
that mamma & the Richards girls used to climb was dead & gone. Came back by
McElroy place - turned north to Fagan School - then on to Sams farm. His
sister & family, Mary Biggers lives there. Has for 10 years this spring.
Then north to cross roads - to May Gill corner on down road to Coon Whites -
she didn't know me at first, but when I laughed said I was Mandie's daughter.
Then to Norte & Lena McElroy. Nort kissed me and thought I was Grace. Then
on home to a wonderful supper. Sam & Debbie look much younger than they are.
June 10, 1935 - Monday - Second Day
Sam took me in car again - to Post Office - saw Alice Martin Danmark (Dora &
Lock Martins daughter) - Went to Richards store. Met Jimmy Richards (Floyd's
boy). Said it had been a long time since he had seen me. (Had a big laugh) as
he had never seen me before but was trying to be nice - is sherf? of Perry &
about Elmo's age. Saw Floyd with customer - on to Perry Enterprise office -
Met Mr. Fishback (the one who put the item in paper & relation of DeWit
Masters - has sister who taught in Emmerson School in Phoenix, who married &
lives at Jerome, Ariz.). Met Chas. Masters who took me all through plant.
Saw paper all laid out in print - all the machines. Saw them make my name in
lead - gave it to me as a souvenir. Went to Hardware store - saw Ben J. Coil
& daughter Artie Mishie Coil - Met Chas. Vaughn who asked about the Painters
etc. Back to Perry Enterprise - saw DeWitt Masters. So glad to see me. Asking
all about mamma - said for me to kiss her for him as he knew she wouldn't let
him. Saw Gill Richards. Went to Alice Crocketts - Has 4 sons - With tears in
her eyes, said she just had to kiss me for I looked so much like Mandie &
Mary Shoults. Debbie had been trying to locate Sam & I. She telephoned that
I was to eat dinner with cousin Arnie & supper with Nort & Lena. Had fine
dinner & cousin Arnies Marie picked cherries off her own tree for she said
she knew we didn't have fresh cherries in Ariz. Went in front room & talked
& had music. Marie liked "Quintuplets Lullaby" let her borrow it so she could
give it in her club. She mailed it back to me in Terra Haute. Lena McElroys
sister named Elam came in for a while & listened to my music. Told Marie &
cousin Arnies fortune. Then to Nort & Lenas for supper. Had fresh cherry
cobbler. Nort had gone out in the rain that morning and picked them. After
supper, Laura White & Dora & Lack Martin came over. They all said they en-
joyed Ethel to the fullest extent. Talked over old memories & days of long
ago and thought Amanda was here. Dora sang some old song she & mamma used
to sing. Lena said she used to sit back in corner & listen to such as "Where
is my Wandering boy tonight" and cry. Said she used to spend days & weeks
at the Shoults place. Also said every Decoration Day she places flags (got
them out & shoed them to me) on Grandfather Shoults & Uncle Jakes graves.
Laura White went home & got a picture of my father & also Uncle Thomas &
gave to me. Nort put his arm around me & told me he liked me every bit as
well as Grace - ha, ha. Nort said he helped haul the lumber for Shoults barn
from South Fork over 50 years ago. Lack is kin to the Armstrong family.
Laura told me to ask mamma if she remembered when they made Etta Elam Priests
wedding dress. Played piano & entertained them; then told their fortunes.
Hated to see me leave & wanted me to stay longer. Nort walked with me to
Sam & Debbies.
June 11, 1935 - Third Day - Tuesday
Sam took me out again in his car. Saw Mr. Waterson down town also passed
Alice Crockett on street. Went out to May & Lena Gills at Gill Moore Farm.
On to Mr. & Mrs. Waterson and Nellie Yancy & daughter - At Gills saw John
Nichols. Said I looked like the Shoults. Sam said I looked like Ida Richards
Lowe. Had fine dinner at Debbies - Sam & Debbie gave me a $5.00 bill for a
gift & Sam took me to the bus.
(At the back of the scrap book is the following family group)
Children of James Richards and Sarah Moore Richards
1. Mary m. John Goodviu
Children:
Mary
James, deceased
Robert
Edward
William
Garfield
Minnie
Jessie
Yreka
Tom
2. Elizabeth m. ----Bray
Children: (These names are handwritten and hard to figure out)
Talbert T. Edward Lola Julia
Bing? And Allene (deceased)
3. Julia m. John Briggs
Children:
Lee briggs, Kelley -
Mary - Sadie, Alma, Jimmie
4. Ida m. William Lowe
Children:
Brooke Lowe
a son (Harry-Los Angeles) lives in San Francisco. Married
5. Sarah Kate m. John Stephen Cleaver
Children:
Maggie Lee
Thomas
Sarah "Sadie"
James Richards
all above deceased
Ben Hill
Harry McClure
6. Thomas m. Emma
Children:
Thomasyne - now Mrs Woodwarth Vancouver, Wn.
7. Jessie m. Lee Mundy
Children:
Ethel - deceased - died in Old Mexico - My Ethel's namesake
8. Nora m. William Curry
No Children
9. John m. Amanda Shoults
Children:
Ethel - Mrs Ethel Weir (Johnson)
- son Lyle Elmo Earl I; married - no children
Roy Thomas; married - no children
Has a cat named Pinkie
Your Ralls County CoordinatorPolly A. Menendez
