OurOzarks and Ringing s ay id ol H e th ng ti ra eb el C
in the New Year!
This Issue
Pure Decadence! Chocolate & Candies of the Ozarks History and Fruitcakes of Assumption Abbey A Visit with the Spirits of Christmas Past Regular Features
OurOzarks .com
‘Tiques & Fleas Through The Lens Hiking Our Ozarks
The Ozark Mountain region is made up of the St. Francois Mountains, Salem Plateau, Springfield Plateau & Boston Mountains. A gradient area of the Ozarks drifts across the Mississippi River into SW Illinois, and is captured within the Shawnee Hills.
Our Ozarks Magazine
Find Your Way...Find Yourself
Vol 1, Issue 5
Dec Holiday Issue 2016
Editor/Publisher Jeffrey Haskins Staff Photography Jeffrey Haskins Carolyn Thornton
Mission Statement The mission of Our Ozarks is to help preserve the history, culture, beauty and all that is the Ozarks. Our Ozarks Magazine is published bi-monthly. Any correspondence can be directed to the editor at: Our Ozarks 266 Red Cedar Ozark, MO 65721 or email us at OurOzarks@yahoo.com Phone: (417) 209-4872 Find More Great Photos and Information on our website at OurOzarks.com!
In This Issue ‘Tiques & Fleas Page 2-5 Down The Road: Christmas City Noel Missouri Page 6-7 Pure Decadence! Chocolate & Candies of the Ozarks Page 8-14,32-33 Through The Lens Page 15-18 Assumption Abbey, Christmas Spirit In A Tin Page 19-22 Pioneer Newsman Behind Creation of Assumption Abbey
Page 23-25
Journey With The Spirit Of Christmas Past Page 25, 29, 33 Hiking Our Ozarks Page 26-30 A Town Remembered by Traci Crewse Bohannon
Page 31
Our Ozarks Magazine
Our Ozarks Holiday Season Subscription Special!
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Get a One-Year Subscription to Our Ozarks Magazine for $14.95 That’s six issues of our bi-monthly magazine (normally $19.95) Or get a Two-Year Subscription for $24.95 (normally $28.95) You can order online at OurOzarksMag.com and pay via credit card, including Apple Pay, or pay using Paypal. If you wish to pay via check or money order, send payment to: Our Ozarks PO Box 268 Ozark, MO 65721 Include: Your Name Your Mailing Address Your Email
OurOzarks.com
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‘Tiques & Fleas
Our Guide to Antiques, Boutiques and Flea Markets in the Ozarks
Scan the QR code above with your smart phone or tablet to go directly to the OurOzarks.com site for a full listing of Antiques, Botiques & Flea Markets to find your way around shopping, dining and more!
Page 2 Our Ozarks Magazine
COOKIE'S ANTIQUE WORLD 8180 Hwy 160 South. Highlandville, Missouri (417) 443-5000 Hours Mon-Fri: 9AM - 5:30PM Sat: 9AM - 6:00PM Sun: 10AM - 5:30PM Open 362 Days A Year! 8000 Square feet of Antiques & Collectibles with over 80 booths! A traditional Highway 160 stop for antique shoppers since 1999!
Over the years it has been our pleasure to serve our customers locally and those who visit from states near and far. It is our sincere hope that when you visit us your experience will be one that encourages you to return. Our personal love of antiques creates an at home feel to our mall and promotes a relaxed and welcoming atmoshpere. You are cordially invited to Cookie's Antique World to shop, browse, or just to visit.
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Roderique’s Antique Gallery J. H. Roderique 417-859-4408
Marshfield, Missouri
...........................
Selling unique hand blown antique glassware and other small collectibles. We carry bottles from the Civil War era; ranging from $20.00-$100.00. We also have in stock some beautiful glass bowls and vases that would make great center pieces for a holiday party. Like us on Facebook!
Foxwood Antiques
387 N 21st St Ozark, MO (417) 300-4466
Hours M-F 10:00 to 5:00 Sat 9:00 to 5:00 Sun Closed ...........................
Foxwood Local Antique shop specializes in unique and unusual items. From advertising to industrial for stocking the man cave to rustic decor. Find that item for the unusual collection. Located in a great antique & flea market community. Stop by a check out our inventory! Find Us On Facebook!
Now Open in Ozark! 1999 East State Highway 14
Take Walmart Exit on Hwy 65 and find us 1/2 mile east of Murfin’s Market
Antiques, Collectibles, Crafts, Housewares & Furniture Open 7 Days a Week!
Our Ozarks Recommends That You
Mon - Saturday 9:30 to 5:30 Sunday 12:00 to 4:00
SHOP LOCAL!
(417) 324-6714
Page 4 Our Ozarks Magazine
Antiques, Primitives, Collectibles 60 + Booths
Kerry & Brenda May, owners
Antique Shop
(417) 581-5914 Mon - Sat 9:30 - 5:00 Sun 12:00 - 5:00
Tea Room
(417) 582-1331 Tues - Sat 10:30 - 2:00
Find Us on Facebook at springcreekantiquesozark
Spring Creek Antiques & Tea Room 107 South 3rd Street Ozark, Missouri 65721 OurOzarks.com
Page 5
While many will be spending black Friday in long lines at the shopping malls, Santa’s southern elves will be hard at work stamping mail in Noel, Missouri. E.T. Rousselot, a former Noel postmaster, came up with the idea during the Depression. And every year since, the post office there has been stamping Christmas letters.
Down The Road days of operation.
If you want, any mail sent from the small, southwest Missouri town will carry any of about three different special stamps of Merry Christmas from Noel. It is now a Christmas tradition for many, both locally and even from around the world.
Letters or Christmas cards can also be mailed to Noel to receive the stamps. Just be sure to send with adequate postage already applied to each. Personal mail only, the service is not provided for business mail.
You can get your mail stamped starting the day after Thanksgiving and continuing until Christmas Eve during normal postal
Mail to: Noel Post Office 318 Main St. Noel, MO 64854-9998
Better yet, take a day trip to McDonald County, and visit some of Our Picks for dining in the area and enjoy the scenic drives and the Elk River!
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Stamps From Noel
our pick of best food & drink in McDonald County, Missouri
BBQ Junior’s Smokehouse in Pineville The Hog Shop in Noel Redneck Restaurant in Goodman HOMESTYLE The Lodge in Noel Pineville Grill BREAKFAST
Pineville Grill
BURGERS Burger Time in Pineville STEAK & SEAFOOD Haven 55 near Pineville CHINESE Oriental Fusion in Noel Food truck that gets rave reviews! MEXICAN Los Mariachis in Anderson MOST UNIQUE DINING The Cave Bar & Grill in Lanagan Dine inside the cave or out on the patio
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Pure Decadence!
Chocolates & Candies of the Ozarks
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Grandpa Joe’s Chocolates at Rosewood Farms Grandparents, chocolates and a visit to the country. Two words that can bring a smile to about any face. Grandpa Joe’s Old Fashioned Candy brings not only a smile, but also a bit of heaven to the taste buds. California born in 1911, Joseph Wallace Hawkins lost his father before he was eight-years old. His mother would take him back to live with her family in Mesa, Arizona and he would eventually work for the postal service. Yet, there was an inner yearning that finally tugged at him long enough, and in 1948 he loaded up the family for a two-month excursion to Long Beach, California. It was there that Joe studied at a candy school. The dream was to open a candy store someday, but Grandpa Joe never got to live out that desire. He spent years making candies for family and friends, all the while perfecting his recipe until his death in 1965. A couple generations later, his grandson John Boyster Continued on Next Page
OurOzarks.com
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Grandpa Joe’s
Cont’d from Page 9
used the recipes from Joe’s journal to make the dream finally come true. There was no business plan at first, it was just making a few wooden, home décor products on the side for extra money while John and his wife, Melody, ran the dairy farm in Mesa. The products included inspiration quotes and hand-painted roses, and so the name of Rosewood Farms was chosen as a business name as sales grew. The side business quickly grew into fulltime work and more. The long hours in creating the popular home décor pieces ultimately made them to decide to sell the farm and go into the business fulltime in 1990. Another change came in 1998.
So, what makes Grandpa Joe’s chocolates and candy so good? The recipes and processes are closely guarded by the family, but Melody will tell you this, “We use only the finest ingredients and make chocolates that cannot be found anywhere else. We currently make over 100 varieties of chocolate.” The amount of chocolates available at the shop are a bit overwhelming, so the best suggestion is to head for a sample. A specialty coffee bar is provided and one of the family will be found behind the counter and more than eager to make shoppers a frappe, latte, smoothie or a choice of other refreshments. You can enjoy those while you tour the shop. In addition to the candy, Rosewood Farms has added many other product lines and creates a full experience
“We moved our family to the Missouri Ozarks to get away from the hustle and bustle of big city life in Arizona,” states Melody. Long hours of production and weeks on the road selling products made that decision easier. Research finally brought them to the quiet and out of the way spot on north hwy 5 out of Hartville, Missouri. In business the old phrase of “location, location, location” would appear to have been lost in the decision. But, then again, I guess if you build it, they will come. Rosewood Farms Country Gifts is now a popular destination. A 10,000 square foot emporium for the senses is how to best describe Rosewood Farms. Even before you get to the shop, the drive down country roads begins to let you put the busy world behind. And as you pull into the parking area, the outside grounds of flowers and decorations beckon you to fully relax. While the sweet aroma of chocolate pulls you inside as you open the door, any number of smiles from three generations of the family will likely greet you. It is absolutely a treasure trove for the senses and an eclectic shopping experience. Grandpa Joe’s California trip had struck a bit of gold in those delicious recipes.
for visitors. You will find a large array of other products made by them such as candles, room spray, bath and body items, dip mixes, soup mixes, dessert mixes, and inspirational tee shirts. You’ll also find a dazzling array of beautiful clothing, jewelry, home decor, toys, baby items, inspirational signs, kitchenware, dishes, and many gourmet food items including their exclusive line of jams, salsas, bbq sauces, dressings & more. The grounds are available to rent for weddings, and they offer baby and wedding registries. Ample parking is available for the multitude of tour buses that pull in throughout the year, as well as school and church buses. Gift cards are available, and online shopping is available for their products.
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Rosewood Farms Country Gifts Located 30 miles south of Lebanon, Missouri on Highway 5 (six miles north of Hartville) Store Hours Monday-Friday Saturday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone (417) 741-6915 Website www.grandpajoeschocolates.com or find them on Facebook Email orders@rosewood-farms.com
Patriarch of Arkansas Candy
Looking Back At Martin L. Greer, Sr
When it comes to candy making in the Ozarks, you must look to Martin L. Greer, Sr as a founding father for modern times. While any who visit Silver Dollar City in Branson likely stop to watch peanut brittle being made at the candy shop, or grab a bag of taffy, it was Martin L. Greer who provided the candy for the tourist stop during its early years. Same for the once popular attraction, Dogpatch USA. Nowadays, his sons carry on the tradition at their respective candy stores, Martin Greer’s Candies and Kopper Kettle Candies. Martin Leverette Greer, Sr was born in 1907 and grew up the son of a farmer and helping work the fields near Texarkana, Arkansas. As a teenager, Martin began making candies to sell along with the family produce that he hauled into town. A year later, in 1925, he was hired by Greek candy makers, James and George Bathis, to work in their Texarkana store. The teen learned the art of making stick candy under the tutelage of the Bathis family, but later moved on to other candy operations throughout Texas. Each new store constantly added to his candy making repertoire as he graduated from the stick candies and into soft candies, and then finally into chocolates. Coming of age during a vibrant time of the 1920s, Greer was truly looking at the world like‌well ex-
cuse the phrase, like a kid in a candy store. The end of that decade brought the Great Depression, and it became a matter of finding a way to eke out a living. The young man found jobs working in the oil fields. As the 1930s began to close out, Greer found himself back in the candy business, this time in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the same time, he proposed marriage to Betty Brewer, whose father worked as a hauler for the oil industry. The pair would marry in 1938 and begin a life in Childress, Texas. A son would be born the next year, and so would M.L. Greer and Son Candy Company. Greer and Son Candy would not last long as World War II began and food rationing soon followed. Sugars and corn syrup was too limited to continue candy production for the father. Too old to enlist, he joined the Coast Guard as a security guard in Oaklan and worked his way up to supervisor of the yard. He soon bumped himself back to Texas and worked the switchyard of the Southern Pacific Railroad, working as fireman and engineer. The 1950s found Greer working for Price Candy Company and operated inside the Stripling Department Store in Fort Worth, Texas and it was there that he perfected his soft candy skills under the guidance of long-time candy maker, Melvin Young. By 1956, Continued on Next Page
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Patriarch of Arkansas Candy
Cont’d from Page 11
Greer felt Arkansas calling to him and he moved the family to the Van Buren area. Kopper Kettle Candy was opened on Highway 65 between Van Buren and Alma. It would be Betty who found the large copper kettle that would become an icon sitting outside the storefront for the decades to come. By this time, sons Martin L. Greer, Jr. and Thomas, had learned the candy making trade from their father. The eldest son, Martin, was in college at the time, and put himself through school helping make and haul the candy to buyers. At that time, Silver Dollar City had just opened and the Greer’s supplied the new tourist attraction with its candy. Greer’s later also provided candy to Dogpatch USA near Harrison, Arkansas and other tourist sites in Arkansas and Missouri. Martin Leverette Greer, Sr passed away on September 29, 1978. Betty would continue the business, and sons Martin and Tommy jumped in to help. Martin had become a teacher by this time and was also working on his graduate work. Kopper Kettle Candies continued under the management of Tommy and Betty Greer until her passing in 2002. Tommy and his family continue the candy making at Kopper Kettle in Van Buren, as well as a location in Fort Smith. In 2001, after retiring from the educational field, Martin L. Greer, Jr opened his own candy business along Highway 62 in Garfield, Arkansas (between Pea Ridge and Eureka Springs).
Martin L. Greer, Sr
Martin Greer’s Candies,
A Son’s Return To His Roots The 1960s ushered in some of the better times for the Martin L. Greer, Sr family. Tourist traffic in the Ozarks was hitting the fast lane as people became attracted to the lakes of the region, and the beautiful hills and hollows. Silver Dollar City had just pushed open the gates at the new family park, and Martin L. Greer, Sr and family were hauling out five hundred pounds or more of candy a day to the tourists. Eldest son, Martin L. Greer, Jr., put the candy making skills he learned from his father to good use. He hoped to be an art teacher and attended what was then called College of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Arkansas (not to be confused with College of the Ozarks at Point Lookout, Missouri. The Arkansas campus is now called University of the Ozarks). To help pay for the schooling, he helped make and haul the candy to Silver Dollar City in Branson and other tourist locations. Martin expresses gratitude towards his father and his teachings. “Dad was an inspiration to me. He always told me it was important to learn a trade, and said you can always make money making candy.” Martin notes that there were hard times as they grew up relatively poor. During his younger years, the family moved often during World War II because of his father’s work with the railroad, transporting troops and equipment in the U.S. And later there were struggles as Martin Greer, Sr sought to get his footing in his own candy business. In 1965, young Greer graduated college and began realizing his teaching career. Candy making seemed to be in the rearview mirror, at least for Martin Jr. Martin became a teacher for Van Buren High School in Arkansas and most of his free time was spent trying to find creative ways for students to earn money to help supplement the school’s art budget. He and his students designed puppet shows, and then extended the show business into creating animated features using their artwork. Admission fees, some at ten cents a person, started filling the coffer…not bad for a group of high school students using an inexpensive camera, antiquated splicer and school film projector. The animated films were adaptations of various subjects, including music by Ray Steven. The films can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/user/ drmartingreer/videos Continued on Page 14
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Martin Greer’s Candies
22151 US Highway 62 in Garfield, AR Store Hours Monday-Saturday Sunday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Phone (479) 656-1440 Website www.martingreerscandies.com Email info@martingreerscandies.com Facebook www.facebook.com/martingreerscandies
OurOzarks.com
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Martin Greer’s Candies
Cont’d from Page 12 In addition to the public shows, Martin Greer, Jr and his students would design parade floats. The prize winnings from 16 first place awards helped the cash flow as well. Martin continued his studies, gaining a masters and doctorate and went on to become principal and superintendent. He is also an author with publication of art books and short stories under his belt. After retiring from the school system and seeing most their own children off to college and careers, Greer and his wife, Jeanette, decided to turn the burners back on. In 2000, Martin Greer’s Candies opened their doors in Garfield, Arkansas along Highway 62, not far from the Pea Ridge Battlefield. The company specializes in chocolates, pralines, brittles and hard candies made from recipes dating back to the 1800s. The recipes are derived from such sources as the chocolate cookbook from 1897 titled Rigby’s Reliable Teacher, and from other dating back to the 1820s, as well as others from the Civil War era with the focus on Old World methods.
school. Jeanette, does the hand dipping of the chocolates, and hand rolling of the cremes and caramels. Martin notes that a focus on quality is very important to their business. “We hand roll and dip everything. You will find over 200 different kind of candies here, all made by us. The only thing here we do not make any more is the taffy. The taffy puller we had was over a 100-years old and stopped working, so we quit making it.” The family tradition of candy making continues at Martin Greer’s Candies.
Read about how another Greer continues the family candy making tradition at Kopper Kettle Candies on Page 32
The Greer’s son, Uriah, works for the company while he attends college and their other son, Joshua, pitches in with the candy cooking as he finishes up high
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Through the Lens TM
Our Ozarks spotlights local photographers in each issue Lee Walsh is from Marshall, Arkansas and has lived his life in Searcy County, Arkansas with his wife Julie and sons Ethan and Landon, and now granddaughter Sadie. Walsh is the owner of Ozark Custom Country Homes and Ozark Hardwood Flooring. He interest began at an early age and purchased his first camera before he was sixteen. An avid outdoorsman, Walsh’s photography focuses on the Ozarks’ outdoors, and in particular, Searcy County. You can find more of his work at https://www.facebook.com/LeeWalshPhotography
through the lens of
Lee Walsh
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Assumption Abbey
Christmas Spirit in a Tin
Tucked away in the hills of Douglas County, Missouri is a monastery where you will find not just Trappist monks, but also their gourmet fruitcakes. Assumption Abbey is just a few miles east of the county seat of Ava and one of seventeen Trappist monasteries in the United States. From there, the Cistercian Order of Trappist Monks not only practice their spiritual vows, but also provide a gourmet fruitcake that provides for the Abbey’s financial needs. Fruitcakes? These are not the fruitcakes that many may remember from childhood. These are perfectly aged, gourmet fruitcakes developed from the recipe of a chef, and created with the patience of a monk. Assumption Abbey came to life on September 24, 1950 when six monks arrived to begin the monastery. The first abbey was a fieldstone Swiss Chalet styled house that had been the summer home built by Joseph B. Pierson and his sons during the World War II era. Joseph and his wife, Josephine, decided to donate the property to the New Melleray Abbey in Iowa, with the condition that a monastery be established on the Douglas County property.
Assumption Abbey employee Michael Hogue loads thefruitcakes into the oven
Pierson’s grandson, David, is resident caregiver of the guest house at Assumption Abbey. A retired priest, David recalls that his grandfather was an agnostic and it was the grandmother, Josephine, who instilled the Roman Catholic faith in her children. “It was not until he was near his death and the family circled about him in tears that Grandpa first spoke Our Father prayer.” David notes that “the ranch”, as they called it, was a dream of Joseph Pierson and that he had always loved the Ozarks. Even though he attended the official ceremonies of the transfer, the grandson was only six at the time, so he doesn’t know the exact reason or circumstances of why the donation was made. Now over seventy years of age, David does recall that his grandmother missed Chicago and being close to people, so she did not care for staying at the ranch. It then seems logical that perhaps it was Mrs. Pierson who pushed for the land to be donated. Joseph had visited the ancient monasteries of Europe as part of his newspaper work during both world wars. It has also been noted that Pierson was also inspired by reading Thomas Merton’s Seven Storey Mountain, an autobiographical account of Thomas Merton’s life as a Trappist monk. The book was printed in 1948 and became a bestseller. During that same time period, the diary of Father Kiernan Mullaney, one of the first monks at the New Melleray monastery, had also been recently unearthed. One is led to wonder if there was an inner yearning for Pierson to Continued on Next Page
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Cistercian Monks decorate the morning cakes at Assumption Abbey
Assumption Abbey Cont’d from Page 19
rick’s Day of 1971.
follow Merton’s footsteps, if not permanently, at least for some spiritual retreat for himself.
After the move, vandalism and the ravages of time took their toll upon the original buildings and they were eventually demolished. All that remains now are the remnants of the small mill dam and pond, and a couple of rock pillars. Down the road and along the small bluff overlooking Bryant Creek, you can still see the old concrete piers of a foot bridge that stretched across the stream to the old block plant that still stands.
The Ozarks’ monastery would be named Assumption Abbey, as Pope Pius XII had just proclaimed that same year the Dogma of Our Lady’s Assumption Into Heaven. It was Pius’s hope that by releasing a new dogma, it would help heal the wounds of the last decade of violence and despair of World War II, and provide some example and direction. Having been on the forefront of news reporting during WWI and WWII, Pius’s proclamation probably hit close to home for Joseph Pierson. The first decade presented trials and tribulations for the monks as they sought to gain a foothold in the Ozarks’ hills. Attempts becoming self-supportive included raising sheep and dairy cattle, as well as orchards and vineyards. Droughts hampered those efforts, and they eventually turned to the salts of the earth. Using the sand and gravel of neighboring Bryant Creek, they opened a concrete block business. It provided adequate monies for operations and also blocks for a new abbey that was moved into on Pat-
That is where we found Jackie Cornelius. He provides security for the Abbey properties and has lived in the area his whole life. Jackie was anxious to show us some of the old photos of the early monastery and the old block plant when in operation. Pictured amongst the stacks of blocks was the one-room schoolhouse called Diamond. Unfortunately, nothing now remains of the old schoolhouse. The recession years of the late 1970s and early 1980s were hard on the abbey, and competition only added to the dwindling block orders. Attention turned to other methods of making money. The monks considered operating a bakery and sought the advice of
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Assumption Abbey as seen now amongst the woods of Douglas County, Missouri
world class Chef Jean-Pierre Auge’ of St. Louis, who had once served the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. A recipe and process was soon devised for Assumption Abbey to begin baking their world-famous fruitcakes. Michael Hampton is one of four employees at the monastery and manages the bakery. Originally from Poplar Bluff, Missouri, the father of four once had his own computer business. He was first introduced to the monks eleven years ago when he worked on their computers and web designs. They convinced him to become an employee shortly afterward. From mid-February through December the monks are busy baking. Although a few fruitcakes are sold throughout the year, the majority are produced for the holiday season. Again, one might be tempted to think of fruitcakes as a bygone holiday tradition, but Michael is quick to point out that they have caught on with the younger generations and sales have continued to grow every year. “Sales have been up the last ten years. In 2005 we were around 22,000 fruitcakes being sold and last year we sold out the second week in December at 29,000. There hasn’t been a year we didn’t sell out, and we expect to do so this year with right at 30,000 fruitcakes going out the door,” states Michael. The gourmet fruitcakes begin their journey in a nice bath of California wine. The raisins, pineapples, cherries, lemon and orange peels all ferment in burgundy wine for about a week. The monks spend mornings mixing a batter that includes English walnuts. The fruit is then added before the cakes are popped into the oven. After baking, the cakes are removed for cooling. Later that day they will get a light, corn syr-
up glaze to hold the decorative pecans and cherries on top. Oh, and don’t forget the infusion of Puerto Rican rum within the cakes! The two pound fruitcakes are packed in decorative metal tins and aged no less than two months before they can be shipped. So, there is no way to cook up a quick batch for shipment when they sell out. Michael Hogue, another employee and head baker, also used to be in the computer field. He explains, “I had moved out here to get away from the city. I was just working on houses when I was approached by the monks to work here.” The cakes are expensive to make, but the result is well worth the guilty pleasure. Sale price for the fruitcakes, including shipment within the U.S., is $34. Another $18 shipping is charged for those going overseas, and Michael notes that about ten percent of the fruitcakes do get sent overseas. If you are up to a day trip to Douglas County, they can also be purchased at the Abbey. Guests are welcome to visit the Abbey. Nine rooms are available for spiritual retreat (no charge, but donations are welcomed). The public is also welcome to attend religious services held at the monastery. Seven services are held each day, with five being open to the public and two are kept private for the monks. The spiritual neighborhood has Assumption Abbey at the center, with the Nazareth Hermitage of Diocesan nuns west of it, and Our Lady of the Angels Friary to the east. The Family Guest House is to the south of the monastery. Hermitages may be found at times of Continued on Next Page
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Assumption Abbey Cont’d from page 21 those deciding upon the solitary life of a hermit. Father Albric explains the life of a monk: “A monk is completely dedicated to God, without any public ministry. Other churches have an active ministry. We are contemplative, not apostolic, meaning that we do not go out into the world to teach. Our life is about praising and singing to God. A person seeking to be a monk has six years to discern that is the life you wish to live and become proficient.” If it is decided for the person to accept fully the life of a monk, the following vows are taken: The Vow of Obedience, The Vow of Stability, and The Vow of Conversion of Life. To keep these vows the practices of poverty and celibacy are observed. What about the vow of silence that so many envision as the way of a monk? The Second Vatican Council in the 1960s implanted a change in the monasterial life. The vows of silence had previously sealed the lips of Trappist monks to only speak “out of necessity”, however with the changes, those reins were loosened, and as Father Albric explains, “Silence was restrictive of the full relationship of God and healing of the psychological and spiritual
wounds by interaction. Before, it was just a relation of you and God, but to reach those wounds, it is important for it to be a relationship of you and God, and the other monks.” Originally from the Philippines, Father Albric worked for the National Irrigation Administration that helped build dams and structures for rice paddies. He then gave his life to God and joined Assumption Abbey’s sister monastery in the Philippines in 1986. The Trappist monks of Assumption Abbey no longer accept novices, and it is an aging group with Father Ablric being the youngest at 50 years old. The oldest monk is 91. To keep the abbey going, it was decided in 2012 that a group of Cistercian monks from Vietnam would join the abbey and eventually take over management. As Father Albric states, “For now we (Trappist) are the hosts, and they (Cistercian) are the guests. At some point, as more of us leave or die, they will become the hosts, and we will become the guests.” But Assumption Abbey will remain.
To order fruitcakes, visit their website or read more about the Abbey: http://www.trappistmonks.com/
Older generations give way to the younger monks at Assumption Abbey
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The Pioneer Newsman Behind Creation of Assumption Abbey Joseph Brelsford Pierson was born in Iroquois County, Illinois in 1885 to William Frank Pierson and Ella (Brelsford) Pierson. His father had been an attorney in the area, but passed away when Joseph was just 15. Joseph’s grandfather had been sheriff of Iroquois County. Pierson attended and graduated from nearby Illinois Wesleyan University in 1905. Pierson would go on to be editor at small papers across the country, including Minnesota, where he met and married his wife Josephine. The couple would raise three sons and three daughters. Pierson moved the family to Chicago in 1910 when he became copyreader and assistant city editor at the Chicago Tribune. As World War I continued in 1917, the young newspaperman made the pitch that the paper should start an armed services version of the Tribune overseas. The idea was accepted and he was soon on his way to France to get operations started. Pierson was praised by then editor and publisher, Col. Robert McCormick for getting the Paris office and presses rolling without any knowledge of the language. Pierson would finally return to the U.S. in 1921. Pierson hit the U.S. soil running and involved himself helping to organize the American Newspaper Public Committee on Cable & Radio Communications. The committee pushed for American licenses on using the shortwave radio technology used by the Navy during the war. The goal was to provide an avenue for news correspondents to communicate quickly across the oceans using the wireless channels. With the backing of the Chicago Tribune and stock interests from several other large papers across the country, Pierson founded Press Wireless, Inc (also known as PreWi). The days of slow news from abroad were over. Press Wireless received competition from RCA during this time as RCA pursued its own line of wireless communications across the globe. Despite Press Wireless claiming 2/3 of the wireless news broadcasting, the competition pressed the company and Press Wireless dove into product development. Great strides were being made in the electrical transmissions work and Pierson’s company was fully involved in much of that work and peak news stories from around
Joseph Brelsford Pierson in 1940
the globe. Press Wireless had expanded into manufacturing by wartime, and had produced improved communication devices not only for itself, but also for the military. Perhaps the military contracts and involvement is why Joseph Pierson’s occupation status changed temporarily on government documents from Press Wireless president to that of ‘Art Dealer’…who knows where the enemy lurked. Joseph’s grandson David, a retired priest who lives at Assumption Abbey, remembers days spent watching his father and grandpa rocking on the front porch of the Pierson home in Springfield, Missouri and listening about the past. He remembers a story of when his grandpa once met Hitler. “He described him (Hitler) as ridiculous. Grandpa had gone to Germany in 1938 to negotiate with Goebbels on possible Press Wireless operations there. Hitler came into the dining hall of the hotel, and of course, the staff stood and did the Sieg Heil.
Continued on Next Page
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Newsman Cont’d from Page 23 Grandpa described Hitler as striding about in a very exaggerated manner, with his head and back pulled back straight and just overall, a very exaggerated manner.” Things would not evolve as Germany plunged the world into hell later that year as attacks on the Jews began, and in 1939 the German military mobilized. During WWII Press Wireless was the only American communications carrier in France as the Germans invaded, and as the enemy approached the press offices moved ahead of the front. Press Wireless (also known as PreWi) also operated a station in Shanghai and were in operation when the Japanese invaded in 1939. It had been noted during that period that “as the Japanese came in the front door, the radiomen went out the back door!” Pierson and Press Wireless continued development of operations and equipment, and in December 1942 Press Wireless began sending facsimile photos to China via letter sent by President Roosevelt to Chiang Kai-shek, Generalissimo of China. This would be the first radio-photo service between Asia and America. Press Wireless also handled the first radiophotos ever
received from the Antarctic when Admiral Byrd’s third expedition made its way to the South Pole in 1940. The company’s communication channels for war correspondents enabled them to communicate directly with their offices back in the U.S. during the D-Day invasion at Normandy on June 6, 1944. This was done by use of a portable radio station set up at the front. Despite his vigorous pursuit for intercontinental news, Pierson is quoted in one textbook on journalism as stating “when we dropped foreign news for a few days, we got only three complaints. But when we dropped the comic strip ‘Little Orphan Annie’ for a day, 50,000 complaints followed.” Pierson had seen the news through two world wars by the time he left the news industry in 1944. He became Vice President of the Raytheon Corporation in charge of communications. During his tenure with the company the focus was on radar systems. Raytheon had developed a specialized microwave generating electron tube that improved radar systems ability to detect enemy aircraft. That technology would then be used in 1945 to develop microwave ovens, and in 1947, the Radarange was born. It was also during this period that Raytheon developed the first guided missile systems.
The summer home of John Brelsford Pierson and added buildings of the old Assumption Abbey. These buildings no longer stand after being demolished once new abbey constructed
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Pierson left Raytheon at the end of the decade, seeking a final retirement in Missouri. There is not a clear picture of why he chose the Ozarks, but those of us who live here can understand perhaps why. Pierson’s daughter Mary noted some memories in a 2010 article by Robert Mercer for the Tulsa World. She stated, “my brothers made their own pilgrimages for two summers, where they served as a ‘captive’ workforce constructing what later would become the first abbey.” That work would have been during the 1930s, when Joseph Pierson was still with Press Wireless and apparently preparing for a future of peaceful retirement in the Ozarks’ hills. Mary also noted that “the stone house” was made of poured concrete and steel, with a veneer of local sandstone, and featured massive fireplaces and was referred to by the locals as “The Castle”. Despite those fireplaces, Mary noted that the house was not used during the winters. After a brief layover in California, Joseph Pierson would retire to Missouri in the 1950s, but not to the “stone house”, at least not the one in Douglas County. The couple donated the house and land for a monastery to be built. Joseph and Josephine would then live in a modest, field-stone house on Fremont Avenue in Springfield, just across from Pythian Castle. Pierson would have his stone home and his castle, at least in a token manner. The retirement would be short lived. Mary Pierson
had also worked for Press Wireless, and had been stationed in the Uruguay offices. It was there that she would meet and marry David Garrick, an engineer who hailed from the Chicago area. The couple would move to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1952 and David would introduce a system of using ground nut shells in oil well “mud”. “Mud” is used as a lubricating and cooling agent for the drill bits, as well as a measure to force rock and debris up away from the drilling area. It also creates a barrier to keep water and other liquids and gases from entering the drilling pipe, helping to prevent blow back into the pipes. David coaxed Joseph back into the business world, tapping into that business mind and the aging Pierson would become CEO of Cherokee Chemical Labs in 1956. Three years later, David died in a plane crash in Republic, Missouri as he travelled to a business trip in Indiana. A year later the family would see Josephine Pierson also pass away. Mary and Joseph would oversee the sale of the chemical company shortly after the losses. Joseph lived in Tulsa for a short time before moving back to Missouri and taking up residence in Ozark. Joseph married Ruby Geary, a school teacher, but it would not be for long as his health failed and he passed away in 1967 at the age of 82. Grave markers can be found at the Assumption Abbey cemetery for Joseph, Ruby, as well as for Ruby’s first husband, Edward Geary. Half of Joseph’s ashes are spread here, and the other beside Josephine in Watseka, Illinois.
Journey With The Spirit of Christmas Past Christmas time these days can find us caught up in the bright lights and excitement of shopping. Even reflections of the simpler holiday moments that our parents, or their parents shared may not really let us appreciate how well our lives have become. There were times past, when the pioneers of the Ozarks were just thankful with a little extra food on the plate at Christmas. We share a handful of those stories here.
Variations of spellings and errors can be found in the writings, and we have left them as written by Turnbo. We have added some paragraph spacing for ease of reading.
A JOLLY TIME FOLLOWING A WOUNDED DEER ON A CHRISTMAS DAY by S. C. Turnbo
One of the pioneer citizens of Boone County, Ark., who settled in Carrollton Hollow in the early part of 1854 is Dave Dunlap. One of his interesting stories of hunting is the following which he related to me some years ago. “I never had a great deal of experience in hunting,” said he, “but I will give you a story that you may jot down if you wish to. When Christmas time of 1854 come it brought plenty of snow with it. On
Silas Claiborne Turnbo lived from 1844 to 1925 and was an aspiring writer who took to traveling about the Ozarks in the late 1800s and gathering stories from those who lived there. While the stories were simple vignettes, they captured a lot of everyday life and tales of the early Ozarks. His works were collected in a book entitled Tunbro Tales.
Following are simple Christmas Day adventures and recollections, a couple of the many stories written by Turnbo.
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Continued on Page 29
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Hiking Our Ozarks Petit Jean State Park
The focal point of this Adirondack-style park architecture is historic Mather Lodge, the park’s mountain lodge on the bluff of rugged, scenic Cedar Creek Canyon. Nearby are the park cabins, campsites, picnic sites, swimming pool, Lake Bailey, boathouse, and other facilities and resources. Hiking trails lead through forests, canyons, meadows, and along streams and mountainside. See where nature over time formed sheer bluffs, Cedar Falls, and the Seven Hollows, such distinctive features as Bear Cave, the Grotto, and the Natural Bridge, and other formations sculpted geometrically by nature called Turtle Rocks and Carpet Rocks.
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Pettit Jean State Park was the first state park in Arkansas. You will find fantastic overlooks of the Arkansas River, as well as Cedar Falls which cascades down 95 feet.
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Legend of Petit Jean and French Exploration
(Courtesy of Arkansas State Parks)
The Legend of Petit Jean, and how the mountain received its name, begins in the 1700s with the story of a young French Nobleman, Chavet, who lived during the period of the French exploration of the New World. He requested permission to explore a part of the Louisiana Territory, and for a grant to claim part of the land. The King granted Chavet’s approval.
Adrienne refused to accept his answer, and disguised herself as a cabin boy and applied to the captain of Chavet’s ship for a position as a cabin boy, calling herself Jean. The girl must have been incredibly clever in her disguise, for it is said that not even Chavet recognized her. The sailors called her Petit Jean, which is French for Little John.
Chavet was engaged to be married to a beautiful young girl from Paris, Adrienne Dumont. When told of his plans, she asked that they be married right away so she could accompany him. Thinking of the hardship and danger on the journey, Chavet refused her request, telling her upon his return if the country was good and safe, they would be married and go to the New World.
The ocean was crossed in early spring; the vessel ascended the Mississippi River to the Arkansas River, to the foot of the mountain. The Indians on the mountain came to the river and greeted Chavet and invited the sailors to spend time on the mountain. Chavet, Petit Jean, and the sailors spent the summer atop Petit Jean Mountain until fall approached and they began preparations for their voyage back to France. The ship
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was readied and boarded the evening before departure. That night, Petit Jean became ill with a sickness that was strange to Chavet and his sailors. It was marked with fever, convulsions, delirium, and finally coma. Her condition was so grave at daylight that the departure was delayed. During the illness, Petit Jean’s identity was, of course, discovered. The girl confessed her deception to Chavet and begged his forgiveness. She requested that if she died, to be carried back to the mountaintop that she had spent her last days on, and be buried at a spot overlooking the river below. The Indians made a stretcher out of deerskins and bore her up the mountain. At sundown, she died. Many years later a low mound of earth was found at the point we now call Petit Jean’s Grave. Her death, and the legend that followed, is said to give the mountain and the overlook an enchanting quality that draws visitors back again, and again. For lodging and additional information, contact the park at:
1285 Petit Jean Mountain Road Morrilton, AR 72110 Phone: 501-727-5441
Spirit of Christmas Past
Cont’d from Page 25 Saturday before Christmas day my brother Loranzo Dunlap went out in the snow to kill a deer to have fresh venison for Christmas. Near 5 miles southwest of the present site of Lead Hill he shot a big buck which fell at the report of the gun but when my brother walked up to him and plunged the blade of the knife into the fallen deer’s neck to make it bleed freely it began to struggle into life again and floundered down the hillside into the bed of the branch where it rose on its feet and staggered off out of sight. Loranzo went back home and got his dog and took it back with him and followed the deer’s trail in the snow until nearly nightfall when he left it and returned home again. On the following day which was Christmas and Sunday, too, a bunch of us agreed to go out and hunt the wounded buck. As it was Sunday we left our guns at home. My four brothers, Loranzo, Adam, Jess, and Wash Dunlap, John McCord, Jess Parish and two of Col. Wm. C. Mitchell’s sons, Bob and William, and myself constituted the party or nine men in all.
We went to where my brother had quit the deer’s trail the evening previous and we followed its trail through the snow near 10 miles but it did not go straight forward but traveled in a roundabout way, and while we were passing over a blackjack flat of land we came onto a herd of deer lying down on the snow. The deer leaped up and ran in every direction making the snow fly up as they ran beyond our view. While the deer were jumping up and running it seemed that the entire flat of woods was lined with deer. The wounded buck had fell in company with them on this flat. One bed where a deer lay the snow was stained with blood indicating that it had been wounded and we supposed that it was the same deer. We were unable to count them but we all guessed at the number and our estimations ran from 150 to 250. The sight of seeing such a large number of deer together while snow lay on the ground was as surprising as it was interesting to us.”
EARLY TIMES IN ST. CLAIR COUNTY, MO by S. C. Turnbo One of the old timers of St. Clair County, Mo. who lived in that section in the pioneer days is R. J. (Dick) Drake who has lived a number of years near Protem in Taney County. Mr. Drake is a son of Jefferson and Millie (Roberts) Drake and was born in Green County Kentucky March 2, 1837. His parents left Kentucky when Dick was an infant and with five other families including his grand parents on his mothers side crossed the Mississippi River at St. Louis and reached St. Clair County in a big ox wagon when he was 9 months old. His father settled on government land on the south side of the Osage River 7 miles below Oceola. His nearest neighbors were 4 and 5 miles apart among them were George Estes, Dan Perrin, Jimmie Cole. The last named lived on Warbleau Creek that runs into the Osage. Cole was a Baptist preacher and moved to Taney County after the end of the Civil War where he died near Pro-tem and is buried on a small grave yard on the Dick Drake place. Mr. Drake says that his father Jefferson Drake died in Henry County, Mo. and lies buried in what was then known as the Breshy Knob Grave Yard. “My grandmother Mrs. Millie Roberts lived to be 87 years old and is buried where my mother is” said Mr. Drake. Continued on Page 33
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Cedar Gap Conservation Area Cedar Gap Conservation Area is 431 acres atop the Cedar Gap Plateau, the second highest point in Missouri. The plateau is the starting point for the watersheds of Gasconade, Bryant Creek and Finley River. The Missouri Department of Conservation manages the area, and notes its practices are an attempt to stimulate native plants and flowers, and to improve collared lizard habitat. A 3/8 mile trail will take you down a modest grade along a gravelled path to an overlook of the surrounding woods and hills. A marker commemorating the donors and founders of the area can be found here. The trail loop continues beyond this point, along some steeper and rockier pathways, as you eventually come to the bottom of a hollow that crosses the headwaters of Bryant Creek. After recent rainfalls, one will find numerous rock shelves dancing with small waterfalls, but even during drier times the stream pools and trickling falls are a serene beauty. The loop is 1.6 miles long and takes you back up a long,
wide trail. Overall the trail is moderate to difficult, depending on your physical abilities, as you will be either going downhill or uphill a majority of the hike. Footing is moderate. Those used to bushwhacking offtrail hikes will find it leaning towards being an easier hike, while those used to state park trails will find it more of a difficult rate. Cedar Gap is located south off Highway O in Wright County, Missouri near the Webster County line and off Highway 60 between Mansfield and Seymour. Hunting is allowed within this area, so use caution and consideration of hunting seasons. Nearby railroad lines are still in use, so also be aware of approaching trains. Depeninding upon your exploration off trail or time for breaks, photographry, etc., the trail can provide a good two to three hour hike without pushing yourself for speed. There is a privy restroom available at the parking lot.
(Above) The headwaters of Bryant Creek form from several small streams and springs within Cedar Gap Conservation Area. Eventually Bryant Creek flows past Assumption Abbey in Douglas County, and later past Hodgson Mill in Ozark County, and eventually joins the North Fork of the White River. (Upper Right) A Prairie Lizard, aka Northern Fence Lizard, enjoys a warm autumn day. (Lower Right) Remnants of days past hangs near a cool spot of water
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...a town remembered
CEDAR GAP is a small town in southwestern Wright County, Missouri and was originally one of the railroad towns to spring up from the building of the Gulf Railroad in the early 1880s. It was so named from its position on a gap in the ridge, surrounded by cedar trees. But before it was called Cedar Gap, it was known as the “Little Memphis Settlement” due to the large number of railroad workers coming in to build the railroad from the Memphis, Tennessee area. A trestle 900 feet long was built by these workers to bridge the gap between the hills. Then a 40 acre lake was built a mile north of town to supply water to the steam locomotives and was pumped from the lake to the water tower near the tracks.
Traci Crewse Bohannon is a genealogist and
By 1882, George Nettleton surveyed the land for a town just north of the railway would skirt. Bluff and Commerce streets ran parallel to the rails. Nettleton named the intersecting streets Cedar, Flores, Center, Spring and Vine Avenues. The first business in Cedar Gap was a store and post office run by J.S. Wilson.
wanted to get out of the city and enjoy the country. This came to be known as Erb’s Memphis Summer Colony.
That same year, a man by the name of Louis Erb of Memphis was riding on an excursion train to mark the completion of the railroad through that area, when he decided the land around Cedar Gap would be the perfect place for him to build his own business. He left Memphis, returning to Cedar Gap, where he bought and leased more than 1000 acres of land, then hired workers who cleared the land and helped him plant peach and apple orchards. While the trees matured he built a warehouse, a cold storage building, a cider mill and an evaporating plant that would produce dried apples. When the trees began bearing fruit, Erb began hiring local workers and as many as 200 people were employed by “Erb Fruit Farm”. Louis Erb, proving very successful in his business, built for his family a large, 12 room house, and then also built 15 cabins on some of his property that he rented out during the summer to old friends from Memphis who
historian from Wright County, Missouri. She has a passion for sharing the history and heritage of our beautiful Ozark Region.
More of her research can be found at: facebook.com/familytreeshake
Between 1882 and 1890, Cedar Gap had blossomed into a thriving community with several businesses; the Rippee Drug Store, two general stores (Washburn Company and the other Carrick Company), Wilson’s sawmill, Neiswanger’s flour mill, Kilroy’s hotel and the Mingus Hotel, Charles Davis’s blacksmith shop, and building contractors William Bacon and G.P. Davis. The Reverend M.A. Burgess, a Methodist minister, also ran a livery stable. Paul Ellis owned the hardware store, selling a wide variety of items that even included railroad ties. According to Goodspeed’s (1889), Ellis shipped as many as 500 railcars of wood products a year. A Presbyterian Church and a two room schoolhouse were soon also built. By 1888, six years after it’s formation, the town had a population of just over 300 inhabitants. In 1896 the town organized it’s first annual singing to be held the first Sunday in June. It became a huge event, with folks arriving by horse and buggy and jammed packed passenger railcars, with folks traveling from as far away as Seymour, Mansfield and Hartville to take part. Festivities included a morning singing, a picnic, and then an afternoon of baseball games between various town teams.
Cedar Gap, MO 1909
In it’s boom years, Cedar Gap had six passenger trains making stops during each day. But with the invention of the diesel train engine, the cancelling of passenger trains, and the availability and use of automobiles, which made it easier for folks to shop in larger towns with bigger stores that had more merchandise, small towns like Cedar Gap began to feel it, eventually dying out. In recent years the only thing left of Cedar Gap is a few private homes, a small group of singers gathering on the first Sunday of June, the winding trail of the rails, snaking through the cedar lined hills and sometimes, the call of a lonesome train whistle.
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Kopper Kettle Candies Continues Traditions of Martin L. Greer, Sr What is better than one family of Greer chocolatiers in the Ozarks that carry on the tradition of Martin L. Greer, Sr? Well, having two such candy makers, of course!
Coming back to the family tradition of candy making has been enjoyable for Tommy, and he is glad that the wish of “not seeing another piece of candy the rest of his life” did not come true.
Tommy Greer, and his wife, Berry Ann, operate the original Kopper Kettle Candies in Van Buren, Arkansas that opened in 1956 along Highway 64 between Van Buren and Alma. The same store started by Martin L. Greer, Sr. They also own a second location in Fort Smith. With grandkids tallied into the mix, they boast a tradition following through four generations.
Those who visit Kopper Kettle Candies are also grateful that the candy making tradition continues!
As you browse the Kopper Kettle candies, will find a few more items of interest at the Van Buren store. There are added candies from more commercial lines of jelly beans, gift products and more. But don’t let the other trappings fool you…the Greer family holds to the tradition of quality made chocolates and candies. Their recipes have been handed down from Martin L. Greer, Sr. While most kids would love the thought of growing up in a candy store, Tommy is quick to note that the new wears off soon when you are doing the work. “When I got out of school and entered the service (Navy), I remember thinking I didn’t want to see another piece of candy in my life!” Time would pass as Tommy and his wife began a family. And in 1978, Martin L. Greer, Sr passed away. Martin’s wife, Betty, continued operating the store and Tommy would join in operating the candy making operation until her death in 2002. Now, as he finds himself at seventy-years old, he looks to a future retirement as a possibility and hopes his children will continue the tradition. His daughter (Teresa) helps run the Van Buren shop and his granddaughter (Alicia) takes care of the Fort Smith store. Tommy remembers his father was like a lot of people who lived through the Depression, “People who lived through that, they look at life differently…his thoughts were that you worked, and then when you were not working, you read the Bible, and then you worked some more. What we did together as a father and son was to work together.”
Sadly, the iconic kettle at Kopper Kettle was stolen in 2013
Kopper Kettle Candies
6300 Alma Highway Van Buren, AR Store Hours Monday-Saturday p.m. Sunday p.m.
10 a.m. to 6 1 p.m. to 5
Phone (479) 474-6077 Website www. http://kopperkettlecandies.com/ Email mailto:info@kopperkettlecandies.com Or find them on Facebook!
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Old postcard image of the original Kopper Kettle Candies in Van Buren, Arkansas
Spirit of Christmas Past Cont’d from Page 29 In referring to the manufacture of wearing apparel Mr. Drake said “My mother and my sister Martha made nearly all of our clothes. We raised flax, pulled it up when it was ripe and let it lay on the ground in bunches until it was rotten enough to be broken which was done on a frame made for the purpose which worked up and down until the flax was thoroughly broken then it was twisted and stems mashed and the rubbish all taken out until there was nothing left but the lint. Then it was made Into threads on a small wheel and the thread was manufactured into pants, shirts, ropes and other articles that could be made out of flax. I have wore shirts made of this stuff called two shirts. I well remember the first school taught in our neighborhood but I disremember the name of the teacher. The citizens including my father got together one day and cut logs and hauled them into the edge of Wableau Prairie and built a small house and cut out a door and wide fire place and In the course of a few days they put a roof on it and built a low chimney. Blocks of wood and benches were used for seats and the ground was used for a floor. The teacher was a very old man. Two young men who attended this school were Bob and Marion Cobe sons of Jimmie Cobe both of these were killed during the war. Also one of Jimmie Coles daughters of the name of Sarah went to this school. Sarah came to Taney County with her
father and married a man of the name of John Cobe that was no kin to her. John Starkey son of Jimmie Starkey, Jerry Martin son of Billy Martin attended this same school. Also three children of the widow Poaster Sarah, Jennie and Billy. Mrs. Poaster lived on the Osage River and was a sister of Tom Allin who lived many years near Pro-tem Mo. and died in Kansas in 1903. During my earliest recollections” continued Mr. Drake, “the town of Oceola contained only one store and a liquor shop that was owned by Tom Dosier. I was 9 years old when I put on my first pair of shoes. This was on Christmas day in 1848. My sister Martha was 18 months older than I and my two brothers John and Carter were younger than I. A tanner of leather lived 12 miles from our house and my father pealed a wagon load of tan oak bark and after drying it in the sun he hauled it to the tannery and swapted It for enough leather to make us all shoes when he got back home which was several days before Christmas. Father went to work and made our shoes which were square toed and we put them on Christmas day.”
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Our Ozarks!
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