Cedar County Historical Society News

by Connie Maupin

The Society met at the museum in Stockton on Monday, Jan. 31 The meeting was opened with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Bob Phillips gave a short report on the third Brooks Blevins’ book, “A Story of the Ozarks.” Blevins relates, among others, a story of one of the most infamous women from Cedar County, Kate Austin. She apparently did not feel that a woman’s place was in the home raising a brood of children and being a good farm wife. She was, among other things, an anarchist and a believer in sexual liberation. The book also makes mention of Leland Fox, a lifetime resident of Cane Hill who wrote locally related stories in the book, “Tall Tales From the Sage of Cane Hill,” many of which concerned the building the lake and the toll it took on surrounding landowners.

A number of the society’s carved stones from the old 1888 Cedar County jail building have been moved to the new Veterans Memorial Park under construction at the Visitors Center above the Stockton Dam. The concrete pad has been poured, but no other progress has been made due to the weather.

Kelly C. Sartorius, Ph, D., Director of Advancement, Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area will be presenting a program on pioneer women during the Civil War along the Missouri-Kansas state line. The program is scheduled for Monday, May 23, at 1 p.m. at the Museum and will be open to the public.

The State Historical Society of Missouri and the Missouri Humanities Council are again offering their Missouri Speakers Bureau programs. Available subjects will be explored for future programs.

Recent Donations: Anna Hopkins donated a framed copy of the charter of VFW Post 5525. Bob Phillips donated two vintage family letters, several Sons of Confederate Veterans certificates presented to Eldon Stewart and two poll books from Madison township from the years 1954 and 1956.

Judy Nichols donated a publication, “The First 200 Years of Missouri Highways.”

Beverly Arlene Larson donated two books of records about the Trent and Routh families

The Society will only be able to provide minimal look-ups for patrons. They will no longer be able to fulfill requests for genealogy due to the lack of available staff. The museum research library is still open for those wishing to complete their own research. Society members can suggest other resources, libraries and internet sites. Society publications, that contain a multitude of information, are always available for purchase.

The next Society meeting will be Monday, Feb. 28, in the Stockton museum at 106 West Davis Street. The museum will be open that day from 1 to 4 p.m. Meetings are always open to the public. Free coffee is provided.

Check-out the Society Facebook page for local history, open dates and special events at “Cedar County Mo Historical Society.” For information, appointments or to purchase publications, call 417-276-1142, E-mail cedarcomohistsoc@gmail.com or by mail at P.O. Box 111, Stockton, MO 65785.