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150 Years of Community History By Neoma Foreman
Schell City, Mo., began as a railroad town The town of Schell City, Mo., was laid out in the early spring of 1871 by the Schell City Town Company after the completion of the MKT Railroad. The association was composed of Augustus Schell, and his brother, Richard Schell, Cyrus Newkirk, J. R.
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Barrett, A.D. Jaynes, R.S. Stevens, O.B. Gunn and others. Land was purchased from J.P. Maus and a Mr. Sturgis. Maus originally bought the land from Jeff Hauser. Augustus Schell, for whom the town was named, donated $1,000 for the erection of a school.
Later, in the spring of 1871, a lot of excitement was created by the arrival of a train bearing a crowd of easterners including the Honorable Richard Schell. When the train arrived, a crowd met it at the depot and speeches were made by several dignitaries.
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In his speech Richard Schell said, “My brother got the bulge on me by having this town named for him. I understand he is to give you $1,000 for a schoolhouse because you called it after him. I will give $1,000 the first living male child born here provided it is christened Richard Schell. I have two objects in view. I want distinction for myself, and I want to encourage the populating of Schell City. Now, go to work, all of you, and may the Lord bless your labors!” Records indicate that qualified couples moved to the village to compete for the prize. Excitement, speculation and anticipation rose as wagers were placed on the most likely candidates. On the day of the blessed event, the tension was high. At two separate homes births were occurring that made the competition really keen. The townspeople and the anxious fathers-to-be waited for the red handkerchief to flutter from the porch if the baby was a boy and a white hand-kerchief if a girl. A Mr. Wood and a bridge carpenter, the hopeful fathers, waited at the depot to send a telegram at the first sign of the signal. Finally, from the home of the carpenter came a white signal. The poor man he went out and “got roaring drunk.” A few minutes later, a red banner flew from Mr. Wood’s home. Schell kept his word and the infant received a $1,000 in cash and town lots. Buildings were soon erected in Schell City, the first being a saloon at the southeast corner of Third and Main. Several
MARCH 21, 2022
