(Front Cover) THE CHARITON COLLECTOR NORTHEAST MISSOURI HISTORY AND FOLKLORE Winter 1984 $2.95 (Page 1) THE CHARITON COLLECTOR Kirksville Senior High School Kirksville, Missouri Winter, 1984 Vol. 5 No. 1 Issue 9 The Chariton Collector is published by the Local and State History Class of Kirksville Senior High School. This special class attempts to preserve the history and local folklore of Northeast Missouri. COVER PICTURE The beauty that Northeast Missouri has to offer is evident in the fall of the year as shown here, north of Novinger, Missouri. This photograph was taken in October, 1984, by Sharla Fox. EDITOR Sharla A. Fox DISTRIBUTION MANAGERS Nial Belzer Alan Hubbard CONTENTS In the Days of High-Heeled Boots and Tobacco Spit . . . . . 2 Nial Belzer A Tradition Since Forgotten . . . . . 7 Sharla A. Fox More Than 90 Years of News . . . . . 10 Mike Parsons and Jerry Winslow Scenes From the Past . . . . . 12 A Golden Dream Come True . . . . . 14 Lori Owens The Day Baldwin Hall Burned . . . . . 16 Garen Shorten and Alan Hubbard Little Ponies Show Big! . . . . . 19 Jon Williams and Doug Shoop The Presses Have Stopped . . . . . 22 Mike Truitt, Mark White, and Randy Adkins [photo caption] Mr. Elmer Williams is pictured with one of the Hackney ponies he started to raise in the 1970s. This pony, Tutti Fruitti, placed high in several contests throughout Iowa and Missouri. See related story page 19. (Photo by John Greer, courtesy of Kirksville Daily Express) (Page 2) [photo caption] This picture, taken from the coal chute looking north, shows Millard in the early 1900s. (Note the coal trains, with the stockyards and businesses located near the railroad.) Photo courtesy of Jolene Cody. In The Days of High-Heeled Boots and Tobacco Spit Imagine you're slogging through a swamp, with mud up to your knees, carrying a surveyor's tripod. You're plotting the swamp so that the mud and grass will soon be replaced by streets and buildings that will soon be transformed into a town with 20 businesses and one of the oldest churches in that part of the area. Imagine that this town is Millard, Missouri, located five miles south of Kirksville on Highway 63. Much of Millard's history would not be known if it were not for Dorsie Wait, the local historian of the town. She acquired the title of historian because she is a long-time resident of the town and has a great deal of knowledge on the way the town has grown. Mrs. Dorsie (Wolf) Wait, born two miles northwest of La Plata in December of 1904, has lived five miles of where she was born and three miles of where she was raised except when she had lived in Arizona for a few winters with her husband, Porter Baldwin. She moved to Millard in 1946 with her first husband, the late Warren Cody. According to Mrs. Wait, the State of Missouri granted a section of land in south-central Adair County to James Nicholas in 1866. Mr. Nicholas in turn sold the west portion of that land to the North Missouri Railroad Company, knowing that the railroad wanted to go north to Kirksville. The railroad only went as far north as Macon and Mr. Nicholas figured that it would be good land for the railroad to use. In 1867, James Long and his wife moved from Pennsylvania to one mile east of present-day Millard, on what is now the Donald Westhoff farm. Mr. Long was sent by the North Missouri Railroad Company as a purchasing agent for railroad ties and bridge timbers for the future railroad. By July of 1868 the railroad came through to Kirksville and on Saturday, July 18 of that year, the first train traveled to Kirksville. Four years after the railroad came through the area, Mr. Nicholas sold more land to the North Missouri Railroad Company. The railroad then sold the land to Samuel F. and Maggie Miller, who plotted the land into a town and named it Belle Prairie. The name of the town was later changed to Millard in honor of one of the Miller's sons. The Millers did not own the land long though, and transferred ownership of the land to Henry and George Nicholas in February of 1878 because of bankruptcy. It is not known if Henry and George Nicholas are of any relation to James Nicholas. It has long been said that the church is the "cornerstone" of a community. The same is true for Millard. The beginnings of the Millard Baptist Church, the first church in the town, actually began 12 years before there ever was a Millard. In 1860, some men, their names unknown, organized the Dover Baptist Church which was located three miles south of present-day Millard. In 1872, after the town was laid out, the congregation moved to the townsite, bought a plot of land in the southeast corner of town, constructed a building, and renamed it the Millard Baptist Church. The Baptists did not stay long in Millard. For reasons unknown, most of the congregation moved. In 1890 this society disbanded altogether, with most of its members going to La Plata and Kirksville. When the Baptists began moving away from Millard, the Presbyterians moved into the vacated Baptist building and 2 (Page 3) started holding services there regularly. Another group of ten men, their names going down in infamy, organized themselves into a corporation and formed the Millard Presbyterian Church. By 1882, the congregation had grown too large for the church building and two additions were built, one for Sunday school and the other being the bell tower. Services were held there until 1974, when the Hamilton Street Baptist Church in Kirksville bought this church and a brick building on the corner of Route KK and Highway 63. They began holding Baptist services again after a century hiatus, which proves that history repeats itself. There are currently two families attending the church and private school set up there. The church itself is history and is one of Millard's oldest buildings. Built in 1872 at the then expensive price of $1,000, it was constructed with the native lumber of the area. The church was built with oak lumber with pine weatherboarding on the sides and walnut for the ceiling. It was known for its fine walnut wainscoat and the chiming of its bell. A local resident, William Burton, cut the posts and rails from his own timber for the hitching racks for the church. Additional lumber was taken from the land of Levi and James Nicholas and transported to the construction site by horse and wagon. The wagons, due to their height, had "unloading stiles," or stepping ladders, for the ladies to use so they would not get their Sunday best soiled from the dirt roads that lead to the church. The children didn't use the stiles as much because they usually jumped out the back of the wagon. The bell itself has an interesting origin. In the late 1830s, the bell was brought by wagon from Pennsylvania to St. Louis to be used in a St. Louis church. In 1884, the church burned down but the bell was saved by the St. Louis townspeople and bought by the Presbyterian Church in Millard. The bell was used to call people to church services and town meetings and is still in the belltower, but it is not used anymore. Although Millard has had a history of switching from Baptist to Presbyterian and back to Baptist again, it was not the only church in the town for a time. Several years after the Presbyterian Church in Millard was organized, a society calling themselves the United Brethren Church began services in a two-story house where the Pete Roberts residence is now located. The society disbanded in 1950. The house, which held services on the first floor and Sunday school on the second floor, was torn down by Bill Belzer in 1968 to make way for a new home. Like many towns in the Midwest and Southwest, Millard was a railroad town. When the North Missouri Railroad Company came through in 1868, the town soon followed with a starting population of about 80 families. Most of the businesses faced the railroad tracks to the west. The stockyards were on the east side of the tracks and a coal chute on the west side of the tracks. The railroad has had several changes - mostly in companies serving the area. First came the North Missouri Railroad Company, followed by the Wabash Railroad, then by the Norfolk and Western, which is currently serving the area. Another factor that contributed to Millard's early growth was business. Among the first businessmen in the town were Alexander and John Denniston, who ran a business together, although their business is unknown. Eventually, 19 other businesses soon followed, with the main activity located on Front Street, facing the railroad, and Stukey Street, which is now Route KK.) Mrs. Wait said, "You can hardly believe it now, but back in horse and buggy days, of high-heeled boots and tobacco spit, [photo caption] Mrs. Dorsie Wait, a longtime resident of Millard, is considered the local historian of the town. [photo caption] During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Millard Hotel was one of two hotels in the town. This building, later remodeled as a house, is currently owned by Jesse Gordon. (Photo courtesy of Jolene Cody) 3 (Page 4) [photo caption] The coal chute located on the west side of the railroad tracks in Millard was the highest spot in town. Elmer Miller was the sole worker until the chute was torn down sometime after 1927. (Photo courtesy of Jolene Cody) this little borough had two hotels, three blacksmith shops, a jewelry store, two drug stores, two dry good stores (one with a post office combined), five grocery stores, a poultry house, depot, section house, and a cheese factory nearby." The town was unique in that it had wooden sidewalks, or boardwalks, that ran the length of the main street instead of the concrete sidewalks common today. The businesses were housed in many buildings, but the largest building in the town was the coal chute, located on the west side of the tracks. Mrs. Wait remembered, "The coal chutes were here on the west side of the railroad tracks and trains would come and push a flat car with coal on it way up on those tracks and Elmer Miller , that lived here in Millard, would unload that coal. Then when the train came along, which were all steam engine trains then, they had dumps which would dump the coal into the train for the power to run it." The main business district itself was only two blocks long. A small part of old Highway 63, known as the "slab" by the locals, ran through the district. A singlelane Highway 63 came through Millard in 1926. By 1929 another lane was added. The townspeople wanted the highway, hoping that it might increase commerce in the community. Around 1955 the State decided to reroute Highway 63 and move the road more to the west, clearing the old stockyards to do so. One of the most disastrous events to affect Millard was the Great Depression of the 1930s. Most of the businesses were forced to close sending the people to the larger towns, such as Kirksville and Macon to look for work. Despite all of this, there has always managed to be at least one business in Millard. Within a year after Mrs. Wait moved with her husband, Warren Cody, to Millard in 1946, they had opened a filling station and grocery store. This enterprise was located at what is now the Mabel Scott residence. It was originally a wood structure. A few years after the Cody's opened their business, Jim Baldwin built a metal shop next door and used it as a feed store until 1962. Mr. Baldwin then sold it to Mabel and Lennis Scott. Six years later, Bill Belzer bought the metal shop from the Scott's for storage. The Scott's owned a liquor and grocery store immediately south of the shop, and for a long time, was one of the few businesses in the town. One year later, Leroy and Marty Yadon operated a gas station next to the metal shop for the King Oil Company. They closed the station on July 11, 1970, when the building burned down. On that date at approximately 2 p.m., a tanker truck from the King Oil Company came to the station to fill the two huge gas tanks located behind the station. The day was remembered by Mrs. Marty Yadon as being very hot and humid. The driver of the tanker was filling up the gas tanks when he accidently over-filled one of them. The gasoline ran down the side of the tank, and managed to seep under the station, where it was ignited by a hot water heater underneath the station. The fire caught quickly and spread back up the tanks where it burned on the sides and tops of them. Miraculously, the fire did not filter inside the tanks. The La Plata Fire Department responded first, followed by the Kirksville Fire Department, and the fire was contained within one and a half hours after it started. The firemen feared that the tanks would blow up and tried to clear the block of people. The safety of the town itself was uncertain for a couple of hours. While the tanks were on fire, the driver of the tank truck moved the vehicle east on Route KK to the edge of the town to avoid the truck from catching on fire. The fire was so intense at the scene that Mrs. Yadon, who helped run the station with her husband Leroy, said, "The fire was hot enough to melt coins," which were in the station. Traffic on Highway 63 was blocked a mile in both directions. Fortunately, the fire was 4 (Page 5) only contained to the tanks and the station, it did not spread to the rest of the town. Four months after the fire, King Oil Company moved another trailer onto the lot and reopened the station. Bill Belzer operated the station for them until January 1973. Several years after that, Bud Radford rented the lot from Mr. Belzer and ran a Texaco station there. The latest business to open in that particular spot is McClanahan's Tractor Repair, which was opened this past summer by Charles McClanahan. Recreation and entertainment always seems to bring out the best in people, and baseball was a form of recreation that always did. Mrs. Wait said, "They mostly had to make their own entertainment." Men and boys from around the Millard area in the 1920s would usually go out every Sunday afternoon to the Millard School to play ball. The biggest events in Millard during the twenties were dances. Mrs. Wait recalls that at that time, "John Cunningham had a store building up here. Upstairs, up overhead of the store, why they had dances there, public dances, on Saturday nights back about 58 years ago! My husband and I used to go there to dance and we had our son Gail, who was a baby. We'd borrow a big goods pasteboard box from the storekeeper downstairs and I'd put my coat down in it and make him a bed and put him to sleep in there while we danced." In the late '40s and early '50s, Warren Cody, Mrs. Wait's late husband, cleaned out his garage by his filling station, put a wooden floor in it, and began having dances there. Dances were held every Wednesday for the teenagers, who put money in the nickelodeon, or jukebox, and danced to the music. Saturday nights were for the adults, who paid one dollar to get in and danced to the live bands. These bands were usually local people who played the banjo, guitar, piano, or such, and played country, blue-grass, and favorite songs of the day. During the bicentennial year, 1976, the town hosted various activities. These events included chili suppers, square dances, a carnival (with booths and a concession stand at the brick building at the junction of Route KK and Highway 63), fireworks, barbecues, and a skit put on by the townspeople featuring a wedding - hillbilly style - shotguns were included. The year 1976 was a milestone year for the little hamlet. It was incorporated into a town and had its first town council, elected by a majority vote. The first council consisted of Charles Gerhold, Darrell McMann, Dorsie Wait, Benny Burton, and Perry Dean Bramhall with Mr. Bramhall elected as mayor. Mrs. Wait said, "Not until we were incorporated in 1976 did we have a town council here." The town council is now elected every two years. [photo caption] The Millard Baptist Church, the town's oldest standing structure, was established in 1872. Currently two families attend worship services there. 5 (Page 6) The drive for Millard's incorporation began around August of 1976, with the first meeting and town council election held at the Bill Belzer residence. During that first meeting, the council decided on discussing whether or not the town should incorporate. This council decided to incorporate the town because it needed a sewer system, and government funding would help cover some of the cost. So, in October of that year, the council petitioned the Adair County Court and had lawyer Harry Farr draft an incorporation document for the town. On October 29, 1976, Millard was officially recognized as a town by the State of Missouri and a chili supper was held in honor of this occasion. Although the town is still waiting for the sewer system to come in, Millard is an example of a town that has reached a peak of prosperity with the railroad and many businesses in the early 1900s and has declined to one business in the community today with a small population of 73. But Millard has survived, and will always be dear to the people who were raised there and to the citizens of Adair County. [photo caption] This store, one of 20 businesses in Millard at its peak of prosperity, shows the false storefront that was popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. (Photo courtesy of Jolene Cody) Mrs. Dorsie Wait best expressed her feelings and other people's feeling in this poem: I was born in Old Missouri Up in the Northern part Its hills, meadows and swamplands Are dear to my old heart. Missouri state is pleasant The corn grows fine and tall The farmers have it gathered Before the frosty fall. Up in North Missouri The streams are clear and wide It's here you'll find good fishing Along on either side. In grand old North Missouri The meadows are so green The wild flowers are blooming The prettiest you've ever seen. I love dear old Missouri There are riches in its farms I guess I'll live forever In Millard, close to where I was born. By Nial Belzer 6 (Page 7) A Tradition Since Forgotten In the late 19th and early 20th centuries a new form of celebration occurred which eventually evolved into a form of Saturday night extravaganza. After the completion of a new barn, workers and their families gathered in celebration of the completed structure. Many times the new barn was decorated and a dance held in appreciation of the workers, families, and friends. The original name for this celebration was "pas de quatre," a French word meaning a dance for four, but this; was misleading as in America "pas de quatre" was known as a dance for two people. Later these will be called barn dances such as square, round, and circle hall. The Northeast Missouri barn dances started in the early, 1930s during the Great Depression. There was not much money then so people could not afford luxuries. Of course, many things that were considered luxuries in those days are: often taken for granted today such as going to see a picture show or going out to eat. [photo caption] During 1925, the porch of Mr. and Mrs. Ivie "Buckeye" Bergman was cleared of furniture many times and the Queen City, Missouri, barn dances originated here. If you lived in Queen City, Missouri, in the early 1930s you might recall a group of teenagers that started a barn dance. This group of about 20 teenagers, referred to as the "gang," began this idea in the home of Ivie "Buckeye" and Mae Bergman about five miles east of Queen City. One night during the fall of 1932 their daughter, Kathleen (Bergman) Yates, and the "gang" decided to pull all the furniture off the front porch of the Bergman's house so they could dance. Little did they know that this porch was going to become so full of friends that they would have to move into the house, and later the barn. Preparing the barn took approximately half an hour according to Mrs. Yates. She said, "My parent's barn was mainly used because it was the newest and probably the biggest barn belonging to a member of the 'gang.'" Her father was a carpenter and had built a stairway up to the hay loft and then placed two wind propellers on each side of the loft to circulate the air. "The propellers were [photo caption] Part of the "gang" from Queen City are being entertained by their mascot, Poode, during one of their common get-togethers. [photo caption] Young sweethearts, Kathleen Bergman and Noel Yates, dressed and ready for one of the many barn dances held in the 1930s. 7 (Page 8) [photo caption] The Bergman's barn as it stands today, 52 years after it held many dances for the Queen City residents and those of surrounding towns. attached to a gas engine which did not make much noise and did not interfere with the music at all," stated Mrs. Yates. The lights in the loft came from Coleman lanterns. She said, "There were three lanterns which hung from the ceiling, one sat on top of the piano and one hung downstairs, which at that time was considered to be a nice bright light." Her family swept the hay and dirt out of the barn loft. Corn meal was applied over the wooden floor and was scattered by the dancers' feet as they danced. "The more that was applied the slicker it got!" replied Mrs. Yates. The dances were held from around 7 p.m. until midnight every Saturday during the summer months. It was an invitation by word-of-mouth to friends and family. The charge was 25 to 50 cents each, which was enough to pay the band for five hours work. However, there was not enough money left over to pay for decorations or refreshments. The crowd learned to do without, but that never interfered with the fun. Part of the "gang," Carl "Doc" Bernizer, Paul Vanmeter, Paul Yearns, Edgar Johnson, C. C. "Bun" and Nellie Figge provided most of the music at the dances. Mr. Bernizer played the mandolin, Mr. Vanmeter was on banjo, Mr. Yearns played the accordian, while Mr. Johnson and C. C. "Bull" Figge played violins, and Nellie Figge played the piano for a number of callers. Some of the most remembered songs were "Sweet Jenny Lee," "Wagon Wheels," "Silver Haired Daddy," "Springtime in the Rockies," and "Take me Back to my Saddle." "A platform was built along the south wall to hold the band, while along the north wall bales of hay were placed so people could sit," remembered Doc Bernizer and Paul Vanmeter. They also said, "The barn could hold three squares of dancers at once." The members of the band dressed in their regular work clothes and looked like the dancers. Many men wore overalls and their black or brown Sunday shoes while the young girls wore plain cotton dresses or flowered prints. Instead of pantyhose the girls wore white knee highs or bobby socks and loafers, others wore tie shoes. Queen City, Missouri, was not the only city to provide this kind of entertainment. At the same time people in Kirksville, Missouri, were paying a quarter every Saturday night from April until November to attend barn dances held at Carter and Mary Patton's home just east of Kirksville on Highway 11. Their barn, built in 1925, held 8 to 12 squares of dancers at a time. "People came from Moberly, Missouri, Quincy, Illinois, Ottumwa, Iowa, and Centerville, Iowa," said Mrs. Patton. The barn was decorated with balloons and streamers. For special occasions like Halloween or the Fourth of July the barn's decorations complimented the special occasion. To pay for these decorations, Mr. and Mrs. Patton charged the males but the females were let in free. They rented the barn to the public for private parties at the cost of $10. A refreshment stand was available with soda pop for 5 cents and candy bars for a quarter being sold at both the private parties and public dances. From the night's receipts, $3 to $4 went to the band. John Lawson played the piano, Willis Welt was on drums, while Loren West and Arthur Harbur played their violins. The only way onto the dance floor was up a ladder from the outside of the giant white barn. Benches were built along the east and west walls for those not wanting to dance or waiting to be asked. "Parents would come and sit on the benches while their children danced all night," said Mrs. Patton. "Everyone could come as long as they 8 (Page 9) [photo caption] One early morning in October, 1984, almost 60 years after its completion, Mr. and Mrs. Carter Patton's barn still contains much warmth. [photo caption] The entry way into Mr. and Mrs. Patton's barn was by pushing a ladder up to the door on the second floor. behaved themselves. There were no signs of misconduct, but everyone knew how to behave," she added. But just to be sure a muscular man, named Bob McClanahan, was the overseer. Mrs. Patton commented that people still come up to her today and say, "You're the ones who had those 'good' barn dances!" So, if people enjoyed these barn dances so much, why did they stop? Was it money, growing families, or were times just changing? Mr. and Mrs. Patton stated that the reason they stopped having their barn dances was that their family was growing and they wanted to spend more time with their children. Mrs. Yates remarked that everyone in Queen City, Missouri, was growing up and moving away. It is a shame that this tradition which was such clean fun for our parents and grandparents faded away with the passing of time. by Sharla A. Fox [photo caption] Mr. and Mrs. Bergman didn't realize that their daughter's few friends would fill the new barn. 9 (Page 10) [photo caption] Rinehart News Agency, located at 112 South Franklin, looks the same today as it did over 50 years ago. [photo caption] Mr. Rinehart displays the cane he hit the would-be robber with. MORE THAN 90 YEARS OF NEWS Rinehart News Agency has brought news to the Kirksville area for more than 90 years. It is and has been the only store in Kirksville which has carried, at one time or another, franchises on all available news publications in the United States. When you walk into Rinehart's today, you find it looks much the same as it did over 50 years ago. Rupert Leroy Rinehart owned and operated the business, until his death in 1970. Mr. Rinehart, or "Rupe," as he was known to most people, was born in Knox County, Missouri, on July 29, 1878. After his father's death in 1888, his mother and family moved to Kirksville. His daughter, Mrs. Mabel Willbanks, stated that her father often said, "The family moved to Kirksville at five o'clock in the afternoon on the day before Thanksgiving." She went on to tell that the same day he got a job at a local newsstand working as a delivery boy. He sold his first newspaper to a local blacksmith for 3 cents. Mrs. Willbanks remembered her father's first news agency was in the Old College Inn Hotel on East Harrison Street. She said he started this business at the young age of 18. Mr. Rinehart received 75 cents a week working for Tom Sublette on The Weekly Graphic newspaper. Mrs. Willbanks found among her keepsakes a stack of Kirksville Daily Express newspapers all dated October 27, 1913, which stated "Rinehart Sole News Agent in Kirksville." After a short engagement, Mr. Rinehart was married to Gertrude Jane Upright on November 4, 1897. They had seven children: Mrs. Norman (Mabel) Willbanks, Kenneth L. Rinehart, Edwin L. Rinehart (deceased), Charles R. Rinehart, Richard W. Rinehart, John S. Rinehart, and Mrs. Ralph (Martha Jane) Jones. Gertrude Rinehart and the children were a great help in the store, especially the oldest daughter, Mabel, who had as much love for the store as her father. The children helped deliver papers, clean up, or do other little things that needed to be done. Mr. Rinehart attributed his good health to his walking every day. "By his estimates," said Mrs. Willbanks, "he walked 21 miles a day." Mrs. Willbanks also said that her father walked 15 miles on Mondays and 10 miles on Sundays for about 40 years. He always carried a pedometer to keep track of the miles, and in 40 years he had walked close to 312,000 miles. He moved his newsstand from East Harrison Street to the College Inn at 109 South Franklin Street, where he had his news agency in half of the store and a soda fountain and ice cream parlor in the other half of the store. Mr. Rinehart had his office near the post office where his papers came in daily. From the College Inn, he moved to the Princess Drug Store at 120 South Franklin, then in 1922 he moved to the Owl Drug Store at 117 South Franklin and then to his present location at 112 South Franklin. Mrs. Willbanks said, "Dad worked from five in the morning until 10 or 11 at night, seven days a week. He didn't miss one day of work until he was 72-years-old." In 1961, Mr. Rinehart was honored with a plaque from the International Relations and Geography Clubs at the Kirksville Senior High School. The plaque was inscribed, "...for your record of accomplishment as a public spirited citizen, your devotion to duty, your unique personal knowledge of the history of your community, and your willing 10 (Page 11) ness to share it with others, and your interest in the welfare of youth, ..." Along with this honor, many people considered Mr. Rinehart an authority on history, especially Adair County history. Mr. Rinehart was often quoted by local newspaper reporters as he reminisced about events that had taken place in Kirksville. One of the best remembered that appeared in the Kirksville Daily Express was the big Fourth of July celebration in 1925 which was attended by approximately 25,000 people. The occasion turned out to be a gigantic Klu Klux Klan gathering at Ownbey Lake, which is the lake in the College Park addition. When Mr. Rinehart was in his early 70s, he was much publicized for his experience with and encounter with a man that tried to rob him. He was only a few blocks from home when a young man poked a gun in his spine. According to the Kirksville Daily Express dated February 2, 1954, "The robber asked, 'How do you like that?' Mr. Rinehart replied, 'Are you kidding? If you are this is very serious so make yourself known.' The robber said he was serious so Rupert replied, 'Then I'm going to have to pop you.' Mr. Rinehart swung his cane and broke it in two on the robber's head." Mr. Rinehart waved down a car to try to catch the bumbling robber. The robber was never caught. Mrs. Willbanks stated that her father handled all Chicago, St. Louis, and Kansas City newspapers and that Rinehart's was the only source of news for the northeast part of Missouri. A story that got a two-column headline was a really major story. The first banner headline, like the ones used today, was run by the Chicago Tribune headlining the beginning of World War I. By Mike Parsons Jerry Winslow Many boys were hired to help run the routes, but Mr. Rinehart always wanted to keep a route for himself. Mrs. Willbanks said the boys always like to work for him and enjoyed visiting with him. The Rinehart News Agency has been at the present location, 112 South Franklin, since 1930 when Sholly's Book Store was purchased for the location of the news agency. The store specialized in newspapers and magazines. At the age of 72, Mr. Rinehart had to give up his walking route because he had to use a cane after his illness. Mr. Rinehart died at the age of 91 on January 22, 1970. His daughter, Mabel Willbanks, returned to Kirksville from her home in Colorado after his death. Mrs. Willbanks owns and operated the store until she became semi-retired in 1983. Today her brother, Charles Rinehart, manages the store. Mrs. Willbanks is proud to be able to say she believes Rinehart News Agency is the only store in Kirksville which has remained in the same family for more than 90 years. [photo caption] Rupert Rinehart was well-known for his knowledge of Adair County. [photo caption] Mr. and Mrs. Rupert L. Rinehart standing in front of the many magazines the newsstand carried. 11 (Page 12) Scenes from the Past Using horses and hand labor in the early 1900s made farming slow and inefficient. As you look around the countryside today, you will find farm machinery sitting abandoned out in some field or maybe by the old barn. These have been left to deteriorate due to people leaving the farms and the modernization of machinery. The picture to the right is of a two-row planter used in the late 1800s and early 1900s. It could only plant two to three rows at a time and was pulled by teams of horses or mules. Compared to the present-day machines, these older models were small. Tractors like the one to the far right came into use around 1925. The new style of tires, rubber instead of lugs, on tractors, air conditioning and radios on the equipment of today were not dreamed of then. The hay equipment of yesteryear as pictured to the bottom left, contrasts with the more modern equipment of today. The bales have increased in weight from 75 pounds to approximately 200 pounds. With the baler in the center photo, the bales are bigger but much easier to take care of today. Grain, such as soybeans or corn, was hauled in small wagons over short distances to market. Many, like the deteriorated wagon to the bottom far right, were used for hauling grain and other farm products. Today grain is hauled to market in larger trucks and travels much farther distances. All farm machinery has changed in one way or another from years past and will probably continue to change to help the farmer in all areas of his farming. 12 (Page 13) Photos by Mike Parsons (Page 14) A GOLDEN DREAM COME TRUE [photo caption] Ray Armstead rounds the curve at the Drake Relays which take place annually in May in Des Moines, Iowa. His teammate, Marty Sprague, (with his legs crossed) cheers him on. (Photo courtesy of NMSU men's track coach Ed Schneider) He wore a dark nylon track uniform at the U.S. Olympic trials in Los Angeles, California. He was a new and unfamiliar face in the nation's track circle of stars. No one seemed to know who this truly dynamic athlete was or where he came from, but he had the talent and the qualifying times to make him a part of the U.S. Olympic track team. At the U.S. Olympic trials, Ray Armstead, of St. Louis, Missouri, considered himself a "dark horse," because of his anonymity. However, this Northeast Missouri State University senior's smiling face, bubbly personality, and unique humor were a familiar sight to the students and faculty of NMSU. His running career started while in high school at Northwest High in St. Louis. Ray did not go out for track until his senior year. "I used to watch the track team practice, but I never felt I could get through a whole practice session. When I finally tried it, everything was alright." It only took Mr. Armstead a short period of time to establish himself as one of the top track athletes of the State. Because of his successful college running career at NMSU, Mr. Armstead had the experience and had 14 (Page 15) [photo caption] Rodney Scott, Ray Armstead, and Mike Shelton cool down after a hard workout at the NMSU track. acquired the confidence that it took to become an Olympic hopeful. His second place finish in the open 400 meter sprint at the NCAA Division II National Meet in Cape Girardeau, held in May 1984, officially qualified him for the Olympic trials. Ray Armstead was on his way! On August 11, 1984, at the Olympic trials in Los Angeles, Mr. Armstead's dreams became a reality. His fourth place finish in that race won him a spot on the Olympic 4 x 400 meter relay. He was not disappointed at being chosen as an alternate, "Calvin Smith (a world record holder) might be disappointed at being chosen as an alternate, but not Ray Armstead!" he said. A whole different world awaited Ray as he arrived at the Olympic Village in Los Angeles. Everything was free of cost for the competitors: food, recreation, doctor services, hair dressers, computers, and the ever popular video games. "Every country represented, seemed to pretty much stay in their own section of the Village," he said, "except the Americans, they were all over, having fun!" The important day, the opening of the Games, finally dawned, the day when nations unveiled their finest athletes; to compete against the world. The day the 4 x 400 meter relay was to take place was rather hot but Mr. Armstead I said the whole situation made it even hotter. When Ray Armstead and his teammates, Alonzo Babers, Antonio McKay, and Sunder Nix, were finally at the starting line for their race on August 11, 1984, Mr. Armstead found it hard to concentrate on the starter's directions as he was getting last minute instructions from his coaches. During the race he said that his anxiety grew so that when he received the baton it enabled him to run his fastest, but also gave him the urge to want to throw the baton in hopes that the next runner would receive it faster. "I just wanted to get rid of it fast," he said. The winning time was 2 minutes, 57.91 seconds, the second fastest time ever recorded for a men's 4 X 400 meter relay. The Olympic Gold Medal belonged to the U.S. Olympic relay team consisting of Ray Armstead, Alonzo Babers, Antonio McKay, and Sunder Nix. After winning the gold, the relay team took the traditional victory lap waving the American flag for everyone to see. It was a happy and emotional time for Ray Armstead, his teammates, and for his family who sat nearby. Life for Ray Armstead has slowed down considerably since winning the gold medal, but possibly, it will never be the same. After some traveling and much fanfare, Mr. Armstead has settled back into his former life, as an NMSU student in which he left so abruptly. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in the commercial arts field while working towards and dreaming of another try for a gold medal. By Lori Owens 15 (Page 16) The Day Baldwin Hall Burned [photo caption] A fire changed the complexion of the Kirksville State Teachers' College campus in 1924. The remnants of the old Baldwin Hall and the Library shown here are no longer a part of the present-day Northeast Missouri State University campus. It was a calm day with snow on the ground of the Kirksville State Teachers' College. Students walked to class unaware of the tragic event that was about to take place on that Monday, January 28, 1924. One such student, Miss Pauline Dingle, now Mrs. Pauline Knobbs, was sitting in Dr. Joseph L. Kingsberry's classroom studying American Social and Economic History. On May 17, 1871, the ground breaking ceremony for the first Baldwin Hall Building took place. In the middle of 1873 the building was completed and the following January it was utilized for classrooms and faculty offices. There were several classes in session in the new building, Sociology, English, Speech, and History. The front of Baldwin Hall faced north with the Laughlin Building to its direct west. The Library Building joined the northeast corner of Baldwin Hall. Kirk Auditorium was east of the Library and Ophelia Parrish School was north of the Kirk Auditorium. The Laughlin Building, Kirk Auditorium, and Ophelia Parrish are still part of the college campus today. The Normal Lake was where the large grassy area, now known as the quad, is today. At approximately 3:30 that afternoon, Mrs. Knobbs recalled a man running down the corridor of Baldwin Hall frantically yelling, "Everybody out right now! There's a fire on the third floor of Baldwin (Hall) and we don't think we can put it out!" Grabbing her books and running out of the building, she paused for a moment to look up and she saw a wisp of smoke coming out of one of the windows in the mansared roof. She heard Dr. Kingsberry say, "Oh my God we've been expecting this for days!" When recalling this incident with Dr. Kingsberry, Mrs. Knobbs chuckled and said, "Some of the students would slip up to the drama department and smoke and also try on clothes." After saving their own books, the students helped carry anything out of the building they could get their hands on, books, papers, chairs, desks, anything on the first floor or in the museum which was located in back of the Modern and Medieval History room. Dr. Kingsberry stopped by the offices of Mr. Eugene M. Violette and Miss Lucy Simmons to notify them of the fire in Baldwin Hall. Mrs. Knobbs recalled Mr. Violette saying, "When I'm finished getting my papers out of my desk, I want you to come in or you may go now and carry out what you can from the museum." 16 (Page 17) [photo caption] The Baldwin Hall fire raged out of control for 15 to 20 hours. This photograph taken during the fire was reprinted from a snapshot in the Eugene M. Violette scrapbook. The students and Mr. Violette carried his books and collectables out of the building and set them on the front lawn of Baldwin Hall. The students were afraid that someone might carry the items off, so Mr. Violette appointed one of the male students to stay and guard the books and collectables. While Mr. John Gill, head janitor, was frantically trying to clear the first floor hallway, people were doing the same in the second floor. They were telling everyone about the 3,000 pound radiators that were on the third floor of Baldwin Hall. At this time, everyone was beginning to wonder about the library. Mr. Violette and Dr. Kirk, president of the college, debated on whether or not they should dynamite the crossway between Baldwin Hall and the Library. This would keep the enormous flames from going through to the library. By this time, the flames had maneuvered their way down from the third floor to the auditorium in Baldwin. The burning beams in the auditorium weakened the ceiling and the second floor fell through. Mrs. Knobbs remembered hearing Dr. Kirk say, "No, we can't dynamite the crossway because it would cancel our insurance policy if someone should happen to take any books out of the library." The hundreds of students and faculty were yelling and crying saying, "No, no, please don't let the library burn, it is such a marvelous piece of art work!" Dr. Kirk then said, "I can't help it, but we'll have to!" One young man did not pay any attention to Dr. Kirk and organized a group of about 50 young men to help him carry out books and collectables. They were stopped at the door of the library by Dr. Kirk, who spread himself across the library door saying, "No! You can't do this, we won't get any insurance on any of this if you carry anything out." Mr. Violette who was listening to all of this was crying because he knew all of the materials he collected in Europe were going to be destroyed by the fire. Mr. Violette had collected maps, coins, books, and artifacts while traveling through Europe after World War I. Dr. Kirk did not know that there were a few students on the third floor of the library throwing out books, magazines, and newspapers, anything that wouldn't break, through the window. All of this happened in a short period of time. Suddenly the big mansared roof of Baldwin Hall fell through to the third floor and the 3,000 pound radiators brought the whole flaming mass of flames and wood down to the basement. Fortunately no one was injured during the fire. The city fire department responded quickly to the call of the fire. It had just purchased a new pumper truck, a 1923 Stutz six-cylinder fire engine. The firefighters were not familiar with the new pumper truck and had to call the Moberly Fire Department for help getting it to start. The Moberly Fire Department had earlier trained the Kirksville Fire Department how to operate the pumper. In order to help them, the Moberly Fire Department had the railroad track cleared for a special train to bring a man to Kirksville. Mrs. Knobbs recalled that when the fire department arrived and hooked up hoses to a fire hydrant, the water looked like what would come out of a garden hose, it would not even reach the top of the first floor windows. Unfortunately the fire hydrants were of no use to the firefighters so they had to use the water from the Normal Lake. The lake level went down quickly because the water was used to put out the fire which lasted 15 to 20 hours, even with the additional help from surrounding communities. The heat was so intense that even standing in front of the Ophelia Parrish Building people could hardly tolerate the heat from the fire. Miss Elsie Shuman stood on her back porch at 805 South Florence Street and watched the fire. She described it as "high flames, intense heat, and a lot of smoke and flames." Her sister, Mae, sat on the back porch with Miss Shuman and drew a picture of the fire which can be found today at the Northeast Missouri State University Museum. The flames extended beyond the rising tower of Baldwin Hall and people who lived outside of Kirksville were to have seen the flames for miles around. Mrs. Knobbs said that she was standing in front of Baldwin Hall thinking of her senior year, intending to graduate in the spring, yet wondering what the outcome of 17 (Page 18) [photo caption] The campus of the Kirksville State Teachers ' College as it looked before the fire in 1924. The center building is Baldwin Hall. To its right is Laughlin Hall, which is still on campus today. To the left of Baldwin Hall is the Library Building. The lake was drained in fighting the fire and this area is known as the quad. The fire would be with no library and not much left of the campus except the Kirk Auditorium, the south part of the Ophelia Parrish School and the Laughlin Building. The second and third floor fire doors saved the Laughlin Building. Although the Baldwin Hall Building was beautifully constructed, Mrs. Knobbs said that the building was a fire hazard because the janitorial crew oiled the floors to keep them shiny and also to keep the dust down. She also said it could have been a fire hazard because of the tangled mass of wires on the third floor of the drama department. The day after the fire was quite a day according to Mrs. Knobbs. The college administration asked everyone, faculty, students, and town folk, over to the Kirk Auditorium. Dr. Kirk spoke and several members of the faculty said a few words. Dr. Kirk then gave the floor to several of the students, especially seniors, who said that they would stay at the college and would not go to another school. According to the Kirksville Weekly Graphic dated February 1, 1924, the fire "originated from the defective wire in the old Philemathein room in the northeast corner of Baldwin Hall." The estimated total loss of the building and equipment was about $240,000. Insurance covered $110,000 ($60,000 on Baldwin Hall and $50,000 on the Library Building). There were 40,000 volumes of books destroyed and only 1,000 books were saved, but many of these were in damaged condition. Among those lost were many one-of-a-kind magazines and books collected by Mr. Violette during his European travels. The heat melted the ice off the Normal Lake that was in the middle of the campus and also blew out several windows of the Kirk Auditorium. After the Hall and Library burned, their remains were used to fill in the lake that was drained after the firefighters had pumped it dry fighting the fire. The only remains of the old Baldwin Hall are the sunken gardens which used to be its basement. The college campus changed its complexion completely on the day Baldwin Hall burned. Photos courtesy of Pickier Library at NMSU. By Garen Shorten Alan Hubbard 18 (Page 19) LITTLE PONIES SHOW BIG! Elmer D. Williams is best remembered in Northeast Missouri for his national champion Shetland ponies. His Sunny Acres Pony Farm is located one-quarter mile north of Kirksville on Highway 6.3. Mr. Williams' interest arose when his father, Ira Williams, bought a small Shetland pony for Elmer's 2-year-old son, Robert. Mrs. Williams recalled her husband telling her that Ira bought the pony because "he felt every Williams should have a horse." The Williams' first ponies were kept on a two-acre lot at 1304 South Cottage Grove. His ponies soon outgrew the small acreage. Wanting a larger area, Mr. Williams established the Sunny Acres Pony Farm in 1946. The farm consisted of 57 acres of land and one barn approximately 140 feet long. In 1949 Elmer and his wife, Frances (Evans) Williams, bought their foundation stock, six registered mares, from the Fred Willmant herd in Richards, Missouri. That same year, they also bought one stallion from the Ted Welch farm in Exline, Iowa. The Williams' first contest was hosted by Dr. R. O. Stickler in 1947. This show was held on Route 11 East approximately where the Kirksville city limits are now. Their son, Robert, wasn't old enought to show yet, so Mr. Williams asked some neighbors to show their ponies in this contest. Mrs. Williams said, "Among those recruited were Tex Findling, Sue Allen, and Barbara Clark." The Williams' interest soon grew from raising their registered ponies to showing their Shetlands in different contests throughout the Midwest. When the Williams' started going to shows, Mr. Williams would have to take time off from work. He was managing the Mackie-Williams Grocery Store on Highway 63 South, where Cash Saver is today. The store opened in 1947, and ran under this arrangement until 1962. In 1962, Elmer purchased the store from Mr. Mackie and Mrs. Mabel Williams after the death of her husband, Minor, and changed the name to Elmer's Hy-Klas. In 1970 he sold this store to Jim Welch. In the 1950s, two of their ponies, Kings Color Flash and Society Man, carried the color flags for many shows throughout the Midwest. The color flags officially started the show. The ponies were shown by the late Roy Sutton and Mr. Williams' son, Robert. Kings Color Flash and Society Man were two fine examples of the Williams' stock. Selection of the ponies was a very important factor. The selection was a family affair with each member looking the herd over and discussing what they did and didn't like in a pony. Some specific traits they looked for were big bold eyes, sharp ears, a long neck, and a short back. However, in spite of the physical traits Mrs. Williams stated that, "If the pony doesn't have the personality and heart you can't make him a winner." [photo captions] Elmer Williams is pictured here showing the incomparable Billy Jack. Billy Jack won the National Championship in-hand twice with Mr. Williams showing both times. [photo captions] Modern Aire was sold to a Texas millionaire for a staggering $30,000. 19 (Page 20) [photo caption] This aerial photo shows the layout of the Sunny Acres Pony Farm located on the outskirts of Kirksville. Note the length of the barn, the training track and arena behind it. The Williams family started training their ponies at about two to three weeks of age. Mr. Williams and Robert, or Richard, would get the colts in the training area with their mothers and teach them to line up and pay attention to the trainer. Richard, the Williams' second son, had an infinite amount of patience with the colts. "Showing the colts was his speciality," Mrs. Williams said. Richard would sit on a bucket for hours teaching a colt how to pose in the ways he wanted for showing. "Thanks to Richard, we won many blue ribbons in colt classes," Mrs. Williams said. Richard began showing when he was 12-years-old at surrounding state fairs, mainly Iowa, often beating the professionals. The next stage of training was for yearlings shown-in-hand. Showing-in-hand involved posing the ponies in the ring, where they would be judged, and then the handler would lead them along the perimeter of the ring at a walk, then back in a trot. The third year the pony would be shown in harness, which involved dressing them up in their attire and entered into the ring at a trot, then judged. In this class, the harness had to be immaculate and the pony spotless. Mrs. Williams said, "Ponies are just like children, they all have a different personality. Some will do exactly what you want, while others need much more training." Showing their ponies wasn't always easy. There were many, many long hours spent training the ponies and grooming them for competition. Late spring and summer were the high points of the year. This was when the hard work during the fall, winter and early spring paid off. The entire family went to the shows, because exhibiting the ponies was a family interest. The Williams' would attend shows as far away as Ft. Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma. As a rule, they would get to the shows a day or two before the actual contest and stay in a motel. Ponies they had sold entered many state fair contests in Nebraska, Texas, Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, California, Oregon, Iowa, South Dakota, and Michigan. Mrs. Williams said, "Our ponies nearly covered all of the shows in the Midwest." The American Royal in Kansas City and the International Horse Show in Chicago, Illinois, were two of the more prestigious shows at which the Williams exhibited their ponies. They entered twice at the International Horse Show placing very high each time and winning the highest award, the National Futurity Award in Harness, in 1962. Mr. Williams received countless ribbons, trophies, and silver items such as platters, bowls, and cups. One item didn't necessarily mean more than the other, it just depended on what the show officials wanted to give as the prize. Not all of the Williams' ponies showed turned out to be winners. Those ponies that did become champions were Modern Aire, Bugle Ann, Witchdoctor, Kings Rhaspody, Marvel Maid, Airborne Rocket, Velvet Touch, and the incomparable Billy Jack. Billy Jack was their favorite of all the ponies, simply because he was the best the Williams' ever had. He won the National Harness Championship in 1968 and 1969, being shown by Richard. Also, he won the National Championship in-hand in 1963 and 1965 with Mr. Williams showing both times. Once the ponies made a name for themselves, they were either sold or kept as breeding stock to sire future champions. Billy Jack was sold to Roy Strawhacker of Ottumwa, Iowa, and shown by H. D. Harrison, Jr. of Kirksville. At the height of the breeding business, the family had approximately 150 ponies, selling only about 25 to 30 ponies each year. One champion pony, Modern Aire, sold for $30,000. Not all of the Williams' ponies sold for this much, in fact, few came close. Other ponies were sold to breeders all over the United States and Canada. Mrs. Williams stated that those ponies did just as well for the buyers as they did for them. The family was very pleased to see this. 20 (Page 21) By Jon Williams Doug Shoop Mr. Williams served as National Director for the Shetland Pony Association from 1960 to 1970. He was Area Director of the Central State Pony Association which made him responsible to help organize and run pony shows throughout the Midwest. In 1970, Mr. and Mrs. Williams slowed down with the showing of their ponies. It was around this time that Richard, Elmer's youngest son, left for college. Mr. Williams continued to breed and raise ponies even after both boys were gone, but he never showed them like he had earlier. The Williams' purchased a linen rental service, Sun Brite Laundry, in Kirksville. This linen service was operated by the Williams until 1979. Mr. Williams also bred Dalmation dogs for show and sale. He sold many puppies, but never showed any himself. Mrs. Williams recalled that in 1979 the Budweiser Clydesdales were touring the northeast Missouri area. She said, "Budweiser had their Clydesdales stabled in our barns, it was at this time they saw the puppies." The trainer for the company in St. Louis, purchased 12 to 15 Dalmations from Mr. Williams. Mrs. Williams stated that her husband had started raising Hackneys, another breed of ponies, about this time. She said, "Elmer had dreams of showing these ponies like he had the Shetlands." But this dream was cut short when Mr. Williams passed away in December of 1983. [photo caption] The Williams' family was actively involved in a local western riding organization, the Northeast Missouri Trail Riders Association. Shown are a few of the charter members: (from left to right) Elmer Williams, his wife Frances, his brother Clifford Williams, his parents Zula and Ira Williams, and (in front) his son Robert. [photo caption] Elmer and Frances Williams are shown with their Dalmations, Calhoun and Samantha, on a jog cart which was pulled by the Williams' ponies. 21 (Page 22) THE PRESSES HAVE STOPPED What William Kernodle began as a small publishing firm in Kirksville, Missouri, in 1865 evolved into a large-scale publishing company known as The Journal Printing Company. The Journal Printing Company published various types of printed materials such as this very magazine, The Chariton Collector. The company earned a respectable reputation as a publisher of books and periodicals dealing with osteopathic medicine, such as the Autobiography of Andrew Taylor Still and Principles of Osteopathic Techniques. For years, it served as the official printer of osteopathy. [photo caption] In 1887, Robert Miehle, a Chicago pressman, invented the Miehle Press. The Journal Printing Company owned two of the hand-fed presses, one shown here in the basement of the building. 22 (Page 23) [photo caption] Charles F. Link managed The Journal Printing Company from 1922 to 1940. In 1865, The Kirksville Journal was a weekly newspaper printed by The Journal Printing Company. It competed against two other weekly papers. The Weekly Graphic and The Kirksville Democrat, while the Journal was in publication from 1865 to 1923. The Journal was located in several places over the years. From about 1885 until 1905 it was located on the south side of the square and then moved into a new building in 1905. On March 15, 1890, a mysterious fire destroyed the better part of the buildings on the south side of the square. Three stores were saved from the blaze. Those saved were the Savings Bank Building (where Footsteps is today) and the two buildings east of it. However, the fire didn't keep the Journal from publishing its paper; the newspaper was printed and distributed on time, but was in condensed form. According to the Kirksville Fire Department the cause of the fire was never known. Personal property and the Journal's files were destroyed by this blaze. The Journal Printing Company was rebuilt in the same location as it was before the fire occurred. After 20 years of business on the square, the Journal chose to build a new building on the corner of Elson and McPherson Streets. It has been at this location since 1905. In the 1890s they printed the newspaper on a two-revolution Lee Press that was operated by hand. Later it was powered by steam engine. After the Journal began books, they used two hand-fed Miehle presses. In 1943, these presses were replaced by two Kelly presses. The Kelly presses were half the size of the Miehle, but they were several times faster and much easier to operate. Later, three offset presses, camera equipment, and an electronic typewriter were added to compliment the monotype system of type setting. Long years of employee service was a characteristic of The Journal Printing Company. For instance, Frank W. Towne was employed by the Journal for 53 years, first as foreman and later served as company president. He put his knowledge into the printing business and was very helpful in the operation's success. Other employees put in an average of 20 to 40 years of service. In 1939, Frank Buckingham was hired as a press-feeder. His job included hand setting the type and feeding the paper through the presses. He was employed by The Journal Printing Company for 40 years. In 1942 he left to serve in World War II. Upon his return in 1945, he went back to work at the Journal. That same year he was promoted to compositor. Mr. Buckingham formally retired in 1981. He said he stayed with the company for so many years because, "I like the work, it was interesting. I like the challenge and the satisfaction of knowing I did good work." He said he retired because, "I reached retirement age and I never got tired of staying at home." There have been few managers with the printing company over the years. It seems to be a tradition for the Link family to be managers. The first was Francis Link who managed the company from 1887 to 1922. His son, Charles, was manager from 1922 to 1940. Charles' son, Robert, took over as manager in 1940. During World War II the Links purchased the company from the other 22 stockholders. The building is still owned by the Links 23 (Page 24) today. Robert was assisted in the plant operations by his two brothers, Francis and Carl. Robert Link managed the business until it sold in 1979 to Jack Emerick. The Journal has served many customers all over the country, some as far as Washington, D.C., California, and even as far away as Chile. After 119 years of service, The Journal Printing Company, the oldest business in Kirksville, printed its last book, The Grand Masters of Masons of North America, in June of 1984. After more than a century of service to the community, the sounds of the presses have been silenced. By Mike Truitt Mark White Randy Adkins [photo caption] The city streets and surrounding businesses have changed since this picture was taken during the early 1930s. The car in front of the Journal Building was Charles Link's 1928 Buick Sedan. [photo caption] The Journal Printing Company, as shown here in 1960, was once considered the largest printing operation in Northeast Missouri. 24 (Back Cover)