Washington County Tidbits 1920-29

Tidbits are newspaper articles, etc. which mention names, places, and other information possibly useful to the researcher.


E-mail your Washington County, MO Tidbit to Larry Flesher,


The St. Joseph Observer, July 10, 1920


Amanda Galloway, colored, aged about 75 years, died at the home of George Gray in Potosi on Saturday night. The remains were laid out in the home and about 10 o'clock Monday morning the house caught fire and the fire had gained so much headway when discovered that the remains could not be gotten out and were almost cremated, and the contents of the house were burned. The charred trunk was buried Monday afternoon in the Catholic cemetery. The arms and limbs were burned to ashes.

St. Louis Post Dispatch, June 11, 1921


Miss Anna Lachance, 24 years old, of Old Mines, Mo., who has been (unreadable) recently at 3222 Rutger Street, was found unconscious in the rear yard of 1807 Coleman Street, at (unreadable) o'clock yesterday afternoon. She died at the city hospital an hour later. Physicians there ascribing carbolic acid poisoning as the cause. Her sister, Miss Frances Lachance, of 2207 Vista Avenue, told a policeman that the young woman was (unreadable) two weeks ago by her fiance, whose name she gave to police, and who resided near the place where she was found.

St. Louis Post Dispatch, January 12, 1921


John Portell, 50 years old, a farmer of Old Mines, Mo., was found dead from gas asphyxiation at the home of Albert L. Portell, a relative, 4309 Gibson Avenue, at 7:30 a.m. today. He came to St. Louis a week ago and had been staying at the home of a daughter, Mrs. John Enright, 1807 Coleman Street. He went to visit the Portell family yesterday afternoon and remained there for the night.
When Portell failed to answer a call for breakfast a member of the family entered the room. He was dead in bed. The key of a gas fixture was partly turned on. Portell, according to relatives, was not accustomed to gas and he is supposed to have accidently opened the jet after turning off the gas.

Potosi Journal, September 19, 1923

Local Items
William Nephew, an old resident of Old Mines neighborhood, died on September 9. He was buried at Old Mines on Tuesday of last week.

At the Washington County Court House, I found this document for Oct. 3, 1923

Inventory and Appraisement of the Estate of William Ernest Nephew
About 80 acres of land lying an situated in Washington Co., Union Township, Mo. valued at $700.00

1-2 horse Plano mower 20.00
1-2 horse McCormick Binder 25.00
1-1 horse wheat drill 2.50
1 gridstone 1.00
2 grain cradles 2.00
1 hay rake 2.50
1-1 horse Bradley corn drill 8.00
All other personal property:
About 125 tons of tiff at $8.00 per ton 1,000.00
(Can you imagine trying to buy 80 acres today for $700.00?)

The Chillicothe Constitution, Chillicothe, Missouri, December 12, 1925

Poplar Bluff, MO - Dec 12
"I'll get even", was the parting remark of Joe Bone of Salem, Missouri, when Cleo Abbott refused to pay him damages after an auto accident. And Joe did. Abbott was arrested and taken to Potosi on a charge of passing bad checks.

At his hearing Abbott was acquitted when he proved he was in Poplar Bluff on the day the checks were passed and bankers, testifying said that he forged signatures and the endorsements on the backs of the checks. Bone endorsed the checks to pass them it was said and the signatures were the same. It is alleged that he wrote the checks. He is held in jail at Potosi and Abbott is at freedom since Bone's revenge plot failed.

The Chillicothe Constitution, Chillicothe, Missouri, August 24, 1926

Farmington, MO – Aug 24
Prosecuting Attorney Lee F. Kinder announced this afternoon that two men had been arrested, charged with having been accessories in the murder last Monday night of former Constable Samuel Doss, who was shot down in his home by an assassin who fired through a window of the Doss home. Kinder said he expected to make additional arrests tomorrow, which would include a man charged with being the actual slayer. The prisoners are Bart Walker, formerly a deputy under Sheriff Watts and Frank (Brighty) Boesel, a former deputy constable. Walker was arrested at his home here and was taken to jail at Ironton, Missouri, in Iron county, while Boesel was taken into custody in Flat River and was lodged in the jail at Potosi, in Washington County. Kinder said he had not yet issued warrants against the two men and was holding them in jail in different counties so that they could be questioned separately without having an opportunity to talk to each other. While both had established alibis which eliminated the possibility of their having fired the shot which killed Doss, Kinder said he had evidence tending to show that they knew of the plans and who fired the shot. Doss was killed in the dining room of his home in few minutes after he and his wife had returned from a visit to relatives in Elvins, Missouri. A charge of slugs fired through a window from a shotgun, struck him in the face and throat.

A meeting has been called for tonight in Flat River by the Chamber of Commerce of that city at which efforts will be made to raise a larger reward for the conviction of the slayer, than the $1300 now offered by the county court, the state and the National Lead Company, where Doss was employed as a payroll guard.

Flat River and Desloge's ministers urged their congregations to attend this meeting and protest against lack of action by the authorities.

Baxter Springs, Kansas - Sept. 24
The body of Jack Oral Irwin, 28 year old miner, of Potosi, Missouri, formerly of Baxter Springs, who was killed at 5 o'clock Friday afternoon when he was caught in a cave in while tiff mining about 30 feet underground in a mine near Potosi, was returned to Baxter Springs today for funeral services and burial under the direction of Wene funeral home. Irwin and two other workmen were buried alive when walls of the mine collapsed. Irwin's body was recovered at 10 o'clock Friday night. Irwin formerly lived in the Sunnyside district, south of Baxter Springs, most of his life. He attended the Quapawa schools. He and his family moved to Potosi about a year ago.

He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Glenda Irwin of the home; his father, C. O. Irwin of Springfield; a daughter, Louise, and a son, Wayne, both of the home. His mother, Mrs. Lilly Irwin, east of Baxter Springs; five brothers, Wesley, Boyd, Lloyd, Dan and Roy Irwin, all of Potosi; two sisters, Mrs. Edna Pearl Stroyick of Lincolnville, Oklahoma, and Mrs. Betty Vaughn of Baxter Springs; and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. John Bingham of Potosi. Funeral services will be held at 2:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at the Bethel Community Church. Burial at Baxter Springs Cemetery.

The Davenport Democrat and Leader, Davenport, Iowa, Oct. 21, 1926

Announcement is made of the marriage of Miss Marianne Elizabeth Horine, daughter of Mrs. Blanche C. Horine of Richwoods, Missouri, and Ray Willis Chamberlain of Davenport, the wedding having been a ceremony of Sunday, Oct. 17, at high noon in Marlin Chapel, Richwoods, Missouri. The Rev. C. J. Belbick, the pastor, officiated.

The church was filled with relatives and friends for the ceremony and was prettily decorated with flowers and the autumn foliage. The bride was attended by her sister, Miss Alice Horine, as maid of honor, and her bridesmaids were the Misses Blanche Suiter, Geraldine Schultze, Ella Horine, another sister, and Mrs. David McCormick. The ushers were Frank Schultze, John Horine, David McCormick and Frank Tesey.

Edwardsville Intelligencer, Edwardsville, Illinois, January 20, 1927

John C. Huskey of Old Mines, Missouri, was here Saturday to attend the funeral of Allan Huber. He was a pal of Allan during their service in the World War and Mr. Huber had visited him several times since.

The Constitution Tribune, Chillicothe, Missouri, March 27, 1928

Potosi, MO, March 27
Dewey White, an army deserter from Fort Spelling, Minnesota, sought for connection with the killing of Martha Smith, 83 year old resident of Rising Sun, near Des Moines, Iowa, was arrested Sunday when visiting relatives at Shirley in the county. He denied any knowledge of the murder. White's home formerly was at Shirley and he is wanted there for a statutory offense. He will be returned to Iowa to face the murder charge. The body of Mrs. Martha Smith was found in her burning home March 5. She had been shot to death. An army overcoat and pistol were found nearby. White's return to Iowa will be sought says a message from the Des Moines sheriff.

Submitted by Thomas Fea

THE WEEKLY INDEPENDENT, Potosi Mo. Oct 11, 1928

PEOPLE and EVENTS:
Mrs. H. C. Bell is visiting in St. Louis.
Charlie Ganim spent Sunday in St. Louis.
Russel Elsey had business in St. Louis Sunday.
Miss Beula Smith was a St. Louis visitor Saturday.
Sam Richeson spent Sunday with friends in St. Louis.
Percy Portell and wife visited Mrs. Annie Portell last week.
Mr. and Mrs. John L. Patterson were in St. Louis, Tuesday.
Prof. and Mrs. Fred Ricketts were St. Louis visitors Saturday.
Dr. and Mrs. Geo F. Cresswell were in St. Louis the first of the week.
Jerry Essmeyer and son Jesse and Jesse Essmeyer were in St. Louis, Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Campbell and Mr. and Mrs E.B. Robinson were in St. Louis Sunday.
Jime L. Wall, age 2 years 8 months son of Arthur Wall and Florence Wall, died Oct 1, 1928, at Cadet.
Miss Eliza Dollar, age 98 years; died Oct 4, 1928 at the home of James Turnbull at Pleasant Hill.
Mrs. Edward Zdvorak and daughter of St. Louis are visiting Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hopkins on Courtois.
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Blount are diving a new Buick coupe . . .
Submitted by Thomas Fea

The Sullivan news, (Sullivan, Mo.) 1929-01-10

Thomas Fea of near Potosi sold one of the best veal calves last week se have heard of. This calf was six weeks old, weighed 210 pounds, and sold for 16 cents per pound, or a total oF $32.16.

Havre Daily News Promoter, Havre, Montana, April 1, 1929

At Mineral Point, Missouri, near Bismarck, the roof of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Station was blown off and ten or more houses were wrecked. Peter Rulow (NOTE: spelling per news article), a farmer, suffered a fractured skull when his home was demolished and probably will die. Six or seven other residents of Mineral Point were injured. The storm also hit at Forest Park Community, 3 miles west of Poplar Bluff, where several homes were demolished.

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Larry Flesher, Washington County, MO

lflesher@yahoo.com