jamesreedbooks

Weekly News & Family Histories from McDonald County, MO
This series of books is a WEEKLY history of McDonald County, following the lives of its citizens,
above and beyond anything produced by any other county of the state.
1883-1942

About The Author

For 33 years, James Reed split each week evenly between his charming, rustic home at Powell, Missouri, overlooking Mikes's Creek, a cold, clear, spring-water stream, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he was born, and worked as a mainframe comptuer operator, for a major hospital, there.
     In the late 1970's, Mr. Reed had the privilege to assist Missouri State Archeaologists in the excavation of Bee bluff Indian Site, 1/2 mile north of Powell. He wrote several newspaper articles, at the time, about the excavation, and subsequently excavated other sites in the area. He has an impressive collection of local Indian artifacts, gathered over the years.
     Between 1980 and 1986, Mr. Reed produced a hand-written, 3,000-page work called "Pineville and It's People", which follows the lives of over 80 families of Pineville, during the 60-year period 1883-1942. He gleaned this information from his colleciton of newspapers left by his great-grandfather, publisher Claiborne E. Duval. During this period he was building his home at Powell as well.
     Through the 1990's, Mr. Reed made 5 month-long trips to Poland to acquire one of the largest collections of Baltic amber in Missouri. On his last trip there, he met a friend of a friend, and they married at Powell in 1998. He and wife, Galina, take great pride in their wine-cellar.
     Among his other interests are Geology, Paleontology, Astronomy, and shooting (he has two cannons). Through the years many newspaper articles have appeared, documenting these many interests and activities.
     Now retired to Powell, Mr. Reed has time to make one las pass through his old and fragile newspapers, to produce sequential, yearly histories, covering the same 60-year period, for all of McDonald County. Mr. Reed hopes to produce four volumes per year, making this a 15-year endeavor.

About the Volumes

Each volume tells the story of McDonald County in a rather unique way, by letting the people of the times tell the story.
The information was gleaned from the writer's collection of the "Pineville News", and later the "Pineville Hearld", published from 1883 to 1942 by Claiborne Duval, the writer's great-grandfather.
Since the "News", and later "Herald", were published in Pineville, each volume will be most represented by PIneville items and have different mixes of towns represented, as writers drift away and others arrive to tell of their town and times.

Included in each Volume
*About the Author
*To the Reader - Identifies the well represented and other towns mentioned
*Highlights - A list of interesting news in the book. This is not a complete list.
*Pineville Town Items - The news is listed in date order, including advertisements from that year, and a Name Index (names are listed in alphabetical order at the end of each town. This makes it easier to know which town your ancestor was living in at the time)
*List of Towns Well Represented in alphabetical order
*Each Well Represented Town has their news in date order with a Name Index
*List of Towns of Mention in alphabetical order
*Each Town of Mention has their news in date order with a Name Index
*Towns of Mention Index - Person index with town

Each Volume is $20 and can be purchased through the McDonald County Historical Society
To order please call 417-223-7700, email mcdonaldcohistory@olemac.net
or send inquiry to
McDonald County Historical Society
P. O. Box 572
Pineville, MO 64856

Checks are to be made out to McDonald County Historical Society

If the Historical Society is short of a particular book, or if further research is desired for a particular family, James Reed can be reached personally by:
                                            Mail: 139 Creekside Road, Powell, Mo. 65730
                                            E-mail: claibornecastle@hotmail.com
                                            Phone: (417) 435-2241


Vol 1 1883		Towns Well Represented Indian Springs, Rocky Comfort, Saratoga Springs, Southwest City Other towns mentioned Bethpage, "Big Sugar Creek", Buffalo, Cobble Hill, Elk Mills, Erie, Mountain, Powell, Twin Springs, White Rock This volume contains information from 1880 & 1881. Claib managed to acquire about six-months worth of the earlier editions. A Peek at some pages	Highlights of 1883 The Great Flood of July Dr. A. W. Chenoweth Assassinated (Pineville) Capt. A. M. Dillin's Trip to Montana A Little Feud Between J. F. Dabbs and James Gooldy (Rocky Comfort) J. M. Wisdom Kills Wm. Judy (Saratoga) The Southwest City Academy Paddy Hanna Kills Brother Jerry Hanna (Southwest City) Valedictory Address by Ella Lanier (Southwest City) Railroad Fever Continues The County is Prosperous and Growing

Vol 2 1884		Towns Well Represented Fort Scott, Kansas, Indian Springs, Rocky Comfort, Southwest City Other Towns Mentioned Bannock, Bethpage, Buffalo, Bunker Hill, Cobble Hill, Elk Mills, Muskogee, Okla., Powell, Saratoga, Siloam Springs, Ark. A Peek at some pages	Highlights of 1884 The Neosho Fire The Harshest Winter In Decades John Kirby Kills Joe Godwin (Pineville) The G. A. Mann Trial And Sentence The Normal Institute of Pineville An Election Year W. P. Judy Kills Son-In-Law, Pat Boyle (Southwest City) Railroad Fever Continues The County Continues to Grow and Prosper

Vol 3 1885		Towns Well Represented Exeter, Indian Springs, Southwest City Other Towns Mentioned Bethpage, "Big Sugar Creek", Buffalo, Caverna, Elk Horn, Elk Mills, Harper KS, May, Powell, Rocky Comfort, Saratoga, St. John KS, Twin springs A Peek at some pages	Highlights of 1885 County Still Trying to Get A Railroad Garland Mann Trial Saga Continues J. M. Wisdom's Death Sentence Commuted Valedictory Address By May Farmer and Ida Pascoe Good, Descriptive Write-Up About McDonald County The Murger Of Dorson Anderson, by Irwin Grubb The Lynching of Irwin Grubb

Vol 4 1886		Towns Well Represented Bethpage, Indian Springs, Saratoga, Southwest City, White Rock Other Towns Mentioned Beaver Springs, Benton Co., AR, Buffalo, Cobble Hill, Coy, Cyclone, Elk Horn, Elk Mills, Elk River, Erie, Flat Wood, Harper, Hart, May, McMillin, Noel, Oyler's Grove, Powell, Prairie, Rocky Comfort, Stella, Twin Springs A Peek at some pages	Highlights of 1886 Recession seems to bring in the new year The county looses Prof. J. C. Ryan to Chicago A double murder in Barry County An election year Talk of a telephone line James Meranda commits suicide Emma Brown poisons her two-weeks-old baby A Steamboat plies "Lake McNatt", at Indian Springs Arrest at Southwest City, involving a 30-year-old murder "Beaver Springs" gets it's first Postmaster, Robert Anderson, for which the town will later be named "Coy" comes into being James T. Williams, of Noel, continues to raise the finest horses in the county Tornado hits "Oyler's Grove, Prairie Township

Vol 5 1887		Towns Well Represented Benton County, AR., Noel, Southwest City, Splitlog, White Rock Other Towns Mentioned Anderson, Beeman Hollow, Buffalo, Coy, Cycloe, Elk Horn, Elk Mills, Erie, Indian Springs, Jane, May, McMillin, Powell, Prairie, Rocky Comfort, Saratoga, Tiff City, Twin Springs A Peek at some pages	Highlights of 1887 A Nice Write-up of the County, as of 1887 1887 was a Year of Drought The Railroad Fever continues "Gold" was Discovered in Southwest City McDonald County Gets it's First Telephone Line The Murder of Deputy Marshall Dan Maples, (Benton County) Outlaw But Trainer and Gang Reek Havoc, (Benton County) James T. Williams Gives a Quality Horse and Colt Show, (Noel) 1887 was the Year of Mathias Splitlog, Hit Town and His Railroad Ben Newall Stabs William Russell, at Church, (Whtie Rock) and of course, so much more................
Vol 6 1888		Towns Well Represented Indian Springs, southwest City, Splitlog Other Towns Mentioned Anderson, Benton County, AR., Bethpage, Buffalo, Caverna, Coy, Cyclone, Elk HOrn, Elk Mills, Erie, Noel, Powell, Prairie, Rocky Comfort, Round Grove, Saratoga, Seneca, Tiff City, Tribulation, Twin Springs, White Rock A Peek at some pages	Highlights of 1888 McDonald County Decial Society Formed The " 'Wood' Local Option Law" voted down Sturdivan Family Losses Four Members In One Month, To Pneumonia Pineville's Memorial Day Parade Goodspeed's History is Researched and Published Prominent Southwest City Businessman, Harmon Dustin, Slain Splitlog Railroad Finally Completed From Joplin to Neosho

Vol 7 1889		Towns Well Represented Benton County, Ark, Indian Springs, Saratoga, Southwest City, Splitlog Other Towns Mentioned Anderson, Buffalo, Cobble Hill, Coy, Cyclone, Elk Horn, Elk Mills, Elk River, Erie, Hart, May, McMillin, Mitchell's Prairie, Mountain, Neosho, Noel, Nubia, Powell, Prairie, Richwood, Rocky Comfort, Seneca, Sulphur Springs, Tiff City, Twin Springs, White Rock A Peek at some pages	Highlights of 1889 Courthouse Yard Gets A Public Well Railroad Frustration Continues The Pineville Cornet Band Cleaning Up the Pineville Cemetery The Neosho Fair The Growing Feud Between Cloud, Caldwell, and The News Private, Family Christmas Trees Begin to Appear In Homes and of course, much more......

Vol 8 1890		Towns Well Represented Buffalo, coy, Greenwood, May, Neosho, Southwest City, Splitlog, Tiff City Other Towns Mentioned Barry County, Beeman Hollow, Benton County, Cyclone, Elk Horn, Flat Rock, Hart, Indian Springs, Noel, Pierce City, Posell, Rocky Comfort, Salt Peter Cave, Saratoga, Stella, Sugar Fork, White Rock A Peek at some pages	Highlights of 1890 Drought turns to Monsoon Political Battles w/Democratic Landslide Death of C. W. Warren family The Drowning of Little Charley The Burglary of John C Baber's Store Children's Day The County Normal Wife and Son of John A. Wilson killed by Lightning Two Children of William Barton, Burn to Death Miss Minnie DePew Kills John Lewis Robbery of the Saratoga Post Office

Vol 9 1891	Photo Coming Soon	Towns Well Represented Anderson, Neosho, Rocky Comfort, Southwest City, Tiff City Other Towns Mentioned Barry County, Benton County, Buffalo, Coy, Cyclone, Elk Horn, Erie, Flint, Greenwood, Hart, Indian Springs, Lanagan, McMillin, Mountain, Noel, Pleasant Valley, Powell, Roland, Saratoga, Seneca, Splitlog, Stella, Twin Springs, White Rock	Highlights of 1891 Deaths of Col. J. L. Barr and Mrs. Bertenia McGhee Renewed Railroad Hopes for Pineville Respected Citizen, John C. Barbaer Embezzles County Funds Another Killing at Tiff City A Shootout East of Rogers, Ark. A Sad Tragedy at Erie The Dance at Rocky Comfort The Killing of C. E. Garritt, (Neosho) A Sad Accident at Seneca

Vol 10 1892	Photo Coming Soon	Towns Well Represented Buffalo, Coy, Indian Springs, May, Neosho, Noel, Powell, Roland, Southwest City, Slitlog Other Towns Mentioned Anderson, Barry County, Cyclone, Elk Horn, Erie, Flint, Hart, Lanigan, McMillin, Monett, Nubia, Patterson Creek, Rocky Comfort, Tiff City, Twin Springs, Wade, White Rock	Highlights of 1892 A Severe Winter Countywide Flue Epidemic (La Grippe) Wet, Stormy Spring The Saga of Bud Blunt The New Besserman Mill (Pineville) Pineville's Final Gasp for a Railroad Much of Southwest City's Business District Burns Attempted Murder of Atry, J. W. Brunk (Neosho) The Drowinging of Nannie Braithwait (SW City)

Vol 11 1893/94	Photo Coming Soon	Towns Well Represented Anderson, Buffalo, Neosho, Southwest City, Splitlog, White Rock Other Towns Mentioned Barry County, Buzzard Glory, Cowskin Prairie, Coy, Cyclone, Donohue, Elk Horn, Erie, Hart, Indian Springs, Lanagan, Madge, May, McMillin, Mountain, Noel, Nubia, Powell, Rocky Comfort, Rutledge, Saratoga, Seneca, Simcoe, Stella, Tiff City, Tribulation, Union Chapel, Wade	Highlights of 1893/94 The Splitlog road is sold and abandoned, and teh town begins to wither Nov 1893: Pineville News ceases publication Nov. 1894: Pineville Herald is introduced

Vol 12 1895	Photo Coming Soon	Towns Well Represented Anderson, Barry county, Donohue, May, Neosho, Rocky comfort, Southwest City, White Rock Other Towns Mentioned Coy, Cyclone, Elk Horn, Erie, Hart, Indian Springs, Lanagan, Madge, Marionville, Maysville, Ark., Noel, NW Arkansas, Powell, Seneca, Simcoe, Splitlog, Stella, Tiff City, Wade, Webb City, Wylie	Highlights of 1895 Pineville gets a new schoolhouse (This was the old high school, torn down in the 1980's, to make room for the present library) Creations of the Odd Fellows's Lodge at Pineville The Temperance Movement Flourishes countywide. The Teachers Institute at Pineville. The Suicide of Sim Luster (Barry County) The 6,000 acre Ozark Orchard Company (Donohue) The Killing of Alex Zane (May) A Tragic Railroad Accident (Neosho) A Train Robber Shot and Captured (SW City) Another Shootout in Southwest City Thanks to "Moon Shine", White Rock is Very Well Represented in 1895. A Train Wreck in Madge A Fatal Accident at Seneca.

Vol 13 1896	Photo Coming Soon	Towns Well Represented Anderson, Donohue, Lanagan, Neosho, Noel, Pursell, Rocky Comfort, Southwest City, Tiff Ctiy, White Rock Other Towns Mentioned Barry County, Big Sugar, Coy, Cyclone, Elk HOrn, Erie, Indian Springs, Powell, Saratoga, Seneca, Splitlog, Stella, Webb City	Highlights of 1895 Complete History of the W. C. T. U. in Pineville. Laying of the Cornerstone for the New M. E. Church, South. Rev. Coffelt and Family injured by Run-a-Way team The Shooting of B. F. Worthing. The Free-Silver Movement The Noel Robbery The Killing of Jack Tillotson (White Rock)

Vol 14 1897	Photo Coming Soon	Towns Well Represented Anderson, Elk Horn, Lanagan, Neosho, Powell, Parsell, Rocky Comfort, Southwest City, Tiff City, White Rock, Wiley Other Towns Mentioned Coy, Cyclone, Donohue, Erie, Indian Springs, King's Hollow, McMillin, Noel, Saratoga, Splitlog	Highlights of 1897 The Great Drought of 1897 Three Pineville Pioneers Die in a Single Day The Old Wave Hotel Burnes Still Waiting For a Jail McDonald County Bank Robbed Pineville Gets Two Banks George Smith Killed at Old Bethpage Church Neosho Gets Electric Lights W. C. T. U. Continues to Organize in County George Croddy Killed in Hunting Accident

Vol 15 1898	Photo Coming Soon	Towns Well Represented Anderson, Indian Springs, Powell, Pursell, Rocky Comfort, Southwest City, Tiff City, White Rock Other Towns Mentioned Barry Co., Caverna, Coy, Cyclone, Elk HOrn, Erie, Lanagan, McNatt, Neosho, Noel, Sarcoxie, Simcoe, Splitlog, Stella	Highlights of 1898 The Arnold murder Case Pineville Bank Robbers Sentenced Tour of the Pineville Roller Mills Tour of the Pineville Sawmill J. W. Shields trip to Cape Girardeau Death of Will Gardener 4th of July at Pineville Still Wanting a Jail A Flooding Year 4th of July at White Rock

Not in Business in 1899, 1900, 1901





1901-1906 books available