If anyone is in possession of the History of Audrain Co. by C.P. Williams, and would be kind enough to do a lookup in it, please email me. Thank you ever so much. Anne

Death Notice from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram dated Sunday, November 27, 1983, page 26A, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. THRELKELD EDNA K. THRELKELD, 88, of Arlington, passed away November 26. Widowed. Survivors: Sons, Garland Threlkeld, Arlington; George Threlkeld, Denton; daughters, Mrs. Anna Kimbrough, Abilene; Mrs. A. E. (Betty) Prince Jr., Odessa; brother, Rudolph Green, Mexico, Missouri; 12 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren. Services: 3:30 Monday, November 28, Arlington, Moore's Chapel. Internment Moore Memorial Gardens, Arlington. End of Death Notice. Note: Edna Kate (Green) Threlkeld was born on August 20, 1895 to George W. Green and Alice Willie Eller of Audrain County, Missouri.

Obituary from the Haskell Free Press, Sunday, January 27, 1979, Haskell, Haskell County, Texas. M. H. Threlkeld Funeral services for M. H. Threlkeld, 82, of Haskell were held January 26 at the Moore Funeral Home Chapel in Arlington. Rev. Dudley Bragg, First Baptist Church of Haskell, officiated. Burial was in Moore Memorial Gardens in Arlington under the direction of Holden McCauley Funeral Home. Mr. Threlkeld died January 25 at 3:15 a.m. at his residence. Born July 3, 1896 in Audrain County, Missouri, he has been a resident of Haskell since August 1976. He was a retired R. C. Can Company employee and served in the U.S. Army during World War I. He married Edna K. Green on February 24, 1922 in Mexico, Missouri. Survivors include his wife; two sons, George H. of Denton and Garland M. of Arlington; two daughters, Mrs. Betty Prince of Odessa and Mrs. Anna Kimbrough of Haskell; 8 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Pallbearers were Dan Roark, Howard Moore, Earl Greenwood, A. J. Stewart , Alvin Clark and Vern Hargrave. End of Obituary. Note: Marcellus Herndon Threlkeld was the son Hiram Threlkeld and Betty Clanton of Audrain County, MO.

I have been given the following information by a nice gentleman on the Civil War genforum, and am wondering if anyone else had any ancestors enlisted with this confederate company: On the National Archives Index of Confederates there is a Confederate soldier named Jacob A. Rice listed as a private in Company H, 5th Missouri Infantry, Confederate States Army. His name also appears on a company roster 5th Missouri Infantry CSA Commanded by Col. James McCown, Lt Col. Robert S. Bevier, and Maj. Owen A. Waddell. This unit served east of the Mississippi in Price's-Little's Division, Bowen's Division, and French's Division. Last Name First Name/MI State Unit Sub Unit Rank Rice Jacob A. MO 5th Inf. Co.H Thanks. Anne

Dear List Members, Here it is the end September and time for the Third Quarterly Report for 2001. This past month has been a difficult time for all of us, but we made it through it and each of us are trying to get back to normal, or as normal as we can again. Part of that getting back to normal is our quarterly reports. Again, for your information, the MOAUDRAI Mailing List has 180 members, 145 on the Regular list and there are 35 members on the Digest List. If you are interested in knowing about other mailing list out there, one of the very best inventories of genealogical mailing lists is John Fuller’s Genealogy Resources on the Internet located at http://www.rootsweb.com/~jfuller/gen_mail.html If you ever need to unsubscribe from this list or any rootsweb list all you need to do is visit Password Central located at http://passwordcentral.rootsweb.com/ Follow the instructions and you will received an e-mail of all lists you belong to and from it you can unsubscribe from the ones you want to. Always know that I will be more than happy to help you if you are having problems unsubscribing, you only need to ask. If you would like to visit the Archived messages of this list, go to http://archiver.rootsweb.com/ and type in the name of the list you would like to search. There are a few items I would like to suggest for the benefit of each of us. 1. If someone posts a message to the list that should not have been posted, please just delete it. Know that I am taking care of the problem. If you post your unhappiness, then you just continue on the problem. I know it is hard when your heart has been offended, but for my sake, and the sake of the list, please just delete it. Rootsweb has a wonderful Spam Detective and it stops most of it. You should see what comes across my screen. I have to look at each of them to make sure that what was stopped was truly Spam. Once in a while, one slips by though and if this happens, just delete it and go on with what we all love, genealogical research. 2. If you would put the subject of your posting in the subject line it might give you a better chance to attract the attention of someone who has the information you are looking for or the attention of someone who is searching for the information you are posting. 3. Remember to change the Subject line when you change the topic of the posting. It is confusing to me and the member when your subject line has nothing to do with your posting. Most likely it will get deleted and you will not get the response you are looking for. 3. Please remember to delete the tags and un-needed words when you re-send a message to the list with your answer. If you don't check this, your responses can become quite large and may cause problems with some of our member's servers. This member who might not be able to receive your message because of its size, just might be your long lost second cousin with all the answers you are looking for. 4. The wonderful relationship that develops between list members is also one of a Mailing Lists Problems. I encourage you to respond to the entire list with genealogical responses, you never know who your response will help. In the same thought I would like to ask you to not respond to the entire list with personal responses. Such as, the first message from a member says "Happy Birthday Mary" and then Mary says "Thank you” and then about 60 of our members also send "Happy Birthday Mary". Mary then sends out 60 more "Thank You" messages. This is what I mean by personal messages. Just keep in mind anything is ok to be posted as long as it has to do with the subject of the list. If you have a doubt ask me. KathleenBurnett@earthlink.net 5. Remember to keep your Virus protection up to date and never open any attached file unless you are 100% sure what it is and even then you are taking a chance. Please remember, so that this list is better for each of us, the posting of virus warnings, test messages, chain letters, political announcements, current events, items for sale, personal messages, flames, etc., in other words Spam is NOT ALLOWED and will be grounds for removal. Consideration for exceptions, contact me at KathleenBurnett@earthlink.net If one of these items come across the list, just delete it, do not respond to it. I am taking care of the problem, quietly behind the scenes. I want to thank each of you for your continued support of me and your willingness to help make this list the success it is. Kathleen Burnett List Mom KathleenBurnett@earthlink.net

Thanks so much for responding to my posting Dawn. I do not believe that this church was affliated with the Presbyterian denomination, with the Salt River Presbytery that Rev. Rice ministered within, so I doubt these files would mention him; however you never know! Thanks again. Anne ----- Original Message ----- From: <slo_taft@juno.com> To: <MOAUDRAI-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2001 3:22 PM Subject: Re: [MOAUDRAI] Mt. Olivet Presbyterian Church > Anne, > > I found this under Audrain - Church History in the LDS Catalogue. There > are no film notes for this file, so the book is at Salt Lake, but as this > was published by the Audrain Co. Genea. Soc. in 1992, it should be > available through interlibrary loan from the library in Mexico, Audrain > Co., OH. > This might give info about him. > > Title Salt River Christian Church and cemetery : Audrain County, Missouri > > Stmnt.Resp. by Frances Quisenberry > Authors Quisenberry, Frances E (Main Author) > Salt River Christian Church (Audrain County, Missouri) (Added Author) > > Notes Includes index. > > Salt River Christian Church was organized about 1844 in Wilson Township > along County Road #243. The cemetery adjoining the church was established > the same year. This survey of the headstones in the cemetery was done > between June and September 1992. > > Subjects Missouri, Audrain - Cemeteries > Missouri, Audrain - Church history > > Copies > Call Number Location > 977.8332 V3q FHL US/CAN Book > > Format Books/Monographs > Publication Mexico, Mo. : Audrain County Area Geneal. Society, c1992 > Physical 30 leaves > > Subject Class 977.8332 V3 > > > Hope this helps you on your search, > Dawn Perry-Taft > Central Coast, Ca > > On Tue, 25 Sep 2001 14:55:37 -0400 "crice" <crice@panetworks.net> writes: > > If anyone knows of anyone still living who might have heard stories > > regarding the Rev. George Rice who served Mt. Olivet Presbyterian > > Church > > 1849-1851, I would love to know about them. > > > > He is buried in this church's cemetery, after having served churches > > in the > > Salt River Presbytery in Audrain, Pike, Montgomery, and Ralls > > counties from > > 1848 until 1864 when he left for ministry in CO, KS and TX. He > > returned to > > the area c1886 and died Oct. 4, 1887. His wife was Mary Gill Rice. > > > > Or, if anyone knows of anyone who attends this church, would they > > please ask > > this person to ask around the congregation to see if there are any > > older > > members that might know something about George. > > > > Thanks ever so much. > > Anne Rice > > PS: He is my husband's great great great grandfather. He was the > > great > > grandfather of Ellis Rice who married Ora Mae Smith. They attended > > Mt. > > Olivet before her death. > > > > > > ==== MOAUDRAI Mailing List ==== > > If you wish to subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Audrain Co. MO > > list, use > > MOAUDRAI-l-request@rootsweb.com or MOAUDRAI-d-request@rootsweb.com > > if > > you are on the Digest list. > > To learn more about my world visit > > http://dwp.bigplanet.com/kburnett > > > > > > > ==== MOAUDRAI Mailing List ==== > NOTICE: Posting of virus warnings, test messages, chain letters, political > announcements, current events, items for sale, personal messages, flames, > etc. (in other words - spam) is NOT ALLOWED and will be grounds for removal. > Consideration for exceptions, contact Kathleen Burnett kathleenburnett@earthlink.net > To learn more about my world visit http://dwp.bigplanet.com/kburnett > >

Hello, I'm responding to anyone who might have a chance to look at this book. I have Wilsons that lived in Salt River Twp. Audrain co., MO. Could you please take a look at the index for Wilson. The Wilson that came over is David A. Wilson. And he had many sons. My husbands line comes off of John S. Wilson. Charlotte slo_taft@juno.com wrote: > Anne, > > I found this under Audrain - Church History in the LDS Catalogue. There > are no film notes for this file, so the book is at Salt Lake, but as this > was published by the Audrain Co. Genea. Soc. in 1992, it should be > available through interlibrary loan from the library in Mexico, Audrain > Co., OH. > This might give info about him. > > Title Salt River Christian Church and cemetery : Audrain County, Missouri > > Stmnt.Resp. by Frances Quisenberry > Authors Quisenberry, Frances E (Main Author) > Salt River Christian Church (Audrain County, Missouri) (Added Author) > > Notes Includes index. > > Salt River Christian Church was organized about 1844 in Wilson Township > along County Road #243. The cemetery adjoining the church was established > the same year. This survey of the headstones in the cemetery was done > between June and September 1992. > > Subjects Missouri, Audrain - Cemeteries > Missouri, Audrain - Church history > > Copies > Call Number Location > 977.8332 V3q FHL US/CAN Book > > Format Books/Monographs > Publication Mexico, Mo. : Audrain County Area Geneal. Society, c1992 > Physical 30 leaves > > Subject Class 977.8332 V3 > > Hope this helps you on your search, > Dawn Perry-Taft > Central Coast, Ca > > On Tue, 25 Sep 2001 14:55:37 -0400 "crice" <crice@panetworks.net> writes: > > If anyone knows of anyone still living who might have heard stories > > regarding the Rev. George Rice who served Mt. Olivet Presbyterian > > Church > > 1849-1851, I would love to know about them. > > > > He is buried in this church's cemetery, after having served churches > > in the > > Salt River Presbytery in Audrain, Pike, Montgomery, and Ralls > > counties from > > 1848 until 1864 when he left for ministry in CO, KS and TX. He > > returned to > > the area c1886 and died Oct. 4, 1887. His wife was Mary Gill Rice. > > > > Or, if anyone knows of anyone who attends this church, would they > > please ask > > this person to ask around the congregation to see if there are any > > older > > members that might know something about George. > > > > Thanks ever so much. > > Anne Rice > > PS: He is my husband's great great great grandfather. He was the > > great > > grandfather of Ellis Rice who married Ora Mae Smith. They attended > > Mt. > > Olivet before her death. > > > > > > ==== MOAUDRAI Mailing List ==== > > If you wish to subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Audrain Co. MO > > list, use > > MOAUDRAI-l-request@rootsweb.com or MOAUDRAI-d-request@rootsweb.com > > if > > you are on the Digest list. > > To learn more about my world visit > > http://dwp.bigplanet.com/kburnett > > > > > > ==== MOAUDRAI Mailing List ==== > NOTICE: Posting of virus warnings, test messages, chain letters, political > announcements, current events, items for sale, personal messages, flames, > etc. (in other words - spam) is NOT ALLOWED and will be grounds for removal. > Consideration for exceptions, contact Kathleen Burnett kathleenburnett@earthlink.net > To learn more about my world visit http://dwp.bigplanet.com/kburnett

If anyone knows of anyone still living who might have heard stories regarding the Rev. George Rice who served Mt. Olivet Presbyterian Church 1849-1851, I would love to know about them. He is buried in this church's cemetery, after having served churches in the Salt River Presbytery in Audrain, Pike, Montgomery, and Ralls counties from 1848 until 1864 when he left for ministry in CO, KS and TX. He returned to the area c1886 and died Oct. 4, 1887. His wife was Mary Gill Rice. Or, if anyone knows of anyone who attends this church, would they please ask this person to ask around the congregation to see if there are any older members that might know something about George. Thanks ever so much. Anne Rice PS: He is my husband's great great great grandfather. He was the great grandfather of Ellis Rice who married Ora Mae Smith. They attended Mt. Olivet before her death.

Anne, I found this under Audrain - Church History in the LDS Catalogue. There are no film notes for this file, so the book is at Salt Lake, but as this was published by the Audrain Co. Genea. Soc. in 1992, it should be available through interlibrary loan from the library in Mexico, Audrain Co., OH. This might give info about him. Title Salt River Christian Church and cemetery : Audrain County, Missouri Stmnt.Resp. by Frances Quisenberry Authors Quisenberry, Frances E (Main Author) Salt River Christian Church (Audrain County, Missouri) (Added Author) Notes Includes index. Salt River Christian Church was organized about 1844 in Wilson Township along County Road #243. The cemetery adjoining the church was established the same year. This survey of the headstones in the cemetery was done between June and September 1992. Subjects Missouri, Audrain - Cemeteries Missouri, Audrain - Church history Copies Call Number Location 977.8332 V3q FHL US/CAN Book Format Books/Monographs Publication Mexico, Mo. : Audrain County Area Geneal. Society, c1992 Physical 30 leaves Subject Class 977.8332 V3 Hope this helps you on your search, Dawn Perry-Taft Central Coast, Ca On Tue, 25 Sep 2001 14:55:37 -0400 "crice" <crice@panetworks.net> writes: > If anyone knows of anyone still living who might have heard stories > regarding the Rev. George Rice who served Mt. Olivet Presbyterian > Church > 1849-1851, I would love to know about them. > > He is buried in this church's cemetery, after having served churches > in the > Salt River Presbytery in Audrain, Pike, Montgomery, and Ralls > counties from > 1848 until 1864 when he left for ministry in CO, KS and TX. He > returned to > the area c1886 and died Oct. 4, 1887. His wife was Mary Gill Rice. > > Or, if anyone knows of anyone who attends this church, would they > please ask > this person to ask around the congregation to see if there are any > older > members that might know something about George. > > Thanks ever so much. > Anne Rice > PS: He is my husband's great great great grandfather. He was the > great > grandfather of Ellis Rice who married Ora Mae Smith. They attended > Mt. > Olivet before her death. > > > ==== MOAUDRAI Mailing List ==== > If you wish to subscribe to or unsubscribe from the Audrain Co. MO > list, use > MOAUDRAI-l-request@rootsweb.com or MOAUDRAI-d-request@rootsweb.com > if > you are on the Digest list. > To learn more about my world visit > http://dwp.bigplanet.com/kburnett > >

I am looking for information on Jeremiah Harrison and family in Audrain County....1860 to 1890. This family lived in Thompson in the early years, when the children were small. Rebecca Rucker Harrison died in 1863 and Jerry Harrison was left with 4 young girls to raise. Almira, Julia, Rosa and Molly. Molly Harrison married Wm. Dawson, in 1883 and lived in Randolph Co. Can anyone help me with the other members of the family? Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Janis in WYGet more from the Web. FREE MSN Explorer download : http://explorer.msn.com

Hello, listers! I am looking for HOLLOPETER burials, as well as some DEY burials in Audrain Co., particularly: Mary E. (DEY) HOLLOPETER, 1841 - ? Amy (nee DARLING??) DEY, d. 1893 Harry A. (ne HOLLOPETER) DEY, 1867 - ? Charles F. (ne HOLLOPETER) DEY, 1882 - ? Any assistance locating their final resting places will be greatly appreciated. Regards, Dawnette Thompson ~List administrator, HOLLOPETER-L ~Coordinator, HOLLOPETER Single-Surname Project: http://www.geocities.com/dawnettet/hollossp.html

----- Original Message ----- From: jluckner To: mailto:MOAUDRAI-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2001 1:53 PM Subject: familysearch I search for decendants from: Oscar Luckner, from O'Fallon/Ill., marr. Anna K. Knobel/Knoebel/Knöbel, from Rush Hill/Mo., on Monday Jan. 4 1909 at Methodist parsonage Mexico/Mo.. They settled first Blue Mound/Ill.. However Oscar died Aug. 1969 Mexico/Mo.. His wife ? Obituaries ? There was a John J. Luckner, born Oct. 1910 in Missouri, a Son ? There were also a Nona N. Luckner, born Mo. Aug. 1936 and a Joseph Bernhard Luckner, born Mo. Jan. 1932. Grandchildren ?

Dear List Members, I have started a new mailing list called MO-CEMETERY-PRESERVATION. It is a mailing list for the discussion and sharing of information regarding the preservation of historic Missouri cemeteries. To subscribe send "subscribe" to mo-cemetery-preservation-l-request@rootsweb.com (mail mode) or mo-cemetery-preservation-d-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode). For those you you who are interested in preserving the Cemeteries of Missouri I invite you to join this list. Kathleen Burnett List Mom

Kathleen, the State Genealogical Society of Missour--MOSGA--has collected information for a number of years and has many many listings from all over. In Montgomery County we have VERY complete lists. I may have told you this before. HR -----Original Message----- From: Kathleen Burnett <kathleenburnett@earthlink.net> To: MOAUDRAI-L@rootsweb.com <MOAUDRAI-L@rootsweb.com> Date: Wednesday, September 19, 2001 10:27 PM Subject: [MOAUDRAI] Announcing New MO Cemetery Preservation Mailing List >Dear List Members, > >I have started a new mailing list called MO-CEMETERY-PRESERVATION. It >is a mailing list for the discussion and sharing of information >regarding the preservation of historic Missouri cemeteries. To subscribe >send "subscribe" to mo-cemetery-preservation-l-request@rootsweb.com >(mail mode) or >mo-cemetery-preservation-d-request@rootsweb.com (digest mode). > >For those you you who are interested in preserving the Cemeteries of >Missouri I invite you to join this list. > >Kathleen Burnett >List Mom > > >==== MOAUDRAI Mailing List ==== >NOTICE: Posting of virus warnings, test messages, chain letters, political >announcements, current events, items for sale, personal messages, flames, >etc. (in other words - spam) is NOT ALLOWED and will be grounds for removal. >Consideration for exceptions, contact Kathleen Burnett kathleenburnett@earthlink.net >To learn more about my world visit http://dwp.bigplanet.com/kburnett >

Dear List Members: We are mourning and will be mourning for a long while, the tragedy which happened to us this week. I, as you, hurt and want to cry out and scream to the world "that something has to be done", "we hurt", "why". Those who lost loved ones will continue to need the support of their fellow man while they either wait for word of of their missing or are burying their dead. I expect no less of each one of us and the days pass. The time has come though, for us to begin the process of trying to live our lives in some kind of normalcy, by trying to slowly bring our lists back to the topic for which they are designed. Therefore as I opened the lists for you to express your grief, I now, most respectfully, and with sorrow, ask that you help me bring them back to the topic of the list. Today is the last day for posting of your feelings and thoughts to the list regarding the tragedy. If you have not had the chance or have felt strong enough to share you feelings with us you can still post them at http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&amp;p=usa-tragedy.mourning I want to thank each of you for the manner in which you held our flag high this past week, for the manner in which you shared your sorrow, for the manner in which you shared your grief without attacking one another or any culture. I especially want to thank those members who hurt as badly as those who posted regarding what has happened in their world, but could not deal with seeing this horror on their genealogy list. They never said a negative word, but let those who needed this time and this way to express their sorrow have it. These members were true friends to each of us. I ask now that each of you help me to again close the lists to any topic other than the topic of the list as of tomorrow morning, Sunday, September 16th, 2001. I appreciate each of you and thank you for the support I am given by each of you. Kathleen Burnett List Mom

Dear List Members, we the human race experienced the full force of hatred today. The horror that was acted out upon the United States, does not only effect us, but it effects all man kind. Today we saw true hatred and world will never be the same. I ask each of you to be understanding for the next few days while messages are being posted to the lists that do not deal with the topic of the list. Many of our members live alone - and we, their fellow list members are their families. They need to talk, they need to express their shock at what has happened to their world they need to connect with their fellow man - those they know who care. If your system cannot deal with the extra e-mail, you might want to unsubscribe for a few days and then subscribe again. As a reminder, to unsubscribe send only the word UNSUBSCRIBE to XXXXXXXXX-L-REQUEST@ROOTSWEB.COM or XXXXXXXX-D-REQUEST@ROOTSWEB.COM depending on if you are on the Digest or the Regular list. XXXXXXX being the name of the list. Please remember to re-subscribe when this is all over. I set here in Utah and cry for those who are suffering tonight. I was blessed. I have 3 children and 5 grandchildren on the eastern seaboard and they are all safe. There are many who do not feel so blessed tonight - please send them your thoughts, your love and your strength in the manner of your beliefs. I thank of each of you and pray you are safe. Kathleen Burnett List Mom

I find reference in family obits. of great great aunt Cora Carmean Pardies (Mrs. John) living in Mexico, MO. I've seen the name spelled as Paradies. They are in a 1919 and 1949 obit. as such. Does this ring a bell? Can anyone help me as to if they had children? I think Cora's brother Walter may have lived there for a time as well. Thanks for any assistance. Margaret Carmean

Does anyone know if there are regulations or laws forbidding or regulating tombstone rubbing in Audrain or Monroe counties? Thanks, Virginia Wilson Thomas

HISTORY OF CENTRALIA From Welcome to Centralia (booklet is presented through the courtesy of Meador Funeral Homes). In 1853 a company of men began circulating rumors that a railroad was to run from St. Louis to Hudson City, later to be called Macon. Boone County made the winning bid to the directors of the North Missouri Railroad, hoping to induce the road through or near Columbia; but surveyors staked the extreme north end of Boone county. Rails soon would cross the old stage road of the Paris and Jefferson City road, and where the staked right of way crossed this old stage road, three men planned a town. Middleton G. Singleton, Hon. James S. Rollins and Thomas January bought the land in May 1857 and recorded the plat. Late in the fall 1857, the first house was raised in Centralia. The second building was a hotel, then a blacksmith shop, then two or three houses until by the end of the second year Centralia had 25 dwellings, two stores and a saloon. Then the railroad came to town, and with it a post office. The small village, located on the vast prairie which had been hunted by the Sac and Fox Indians, had a future. Located in a "border state," Centralia was torn by divided loyalties. Because of the overwhelming sympathy to the Southern cause, Federal troops were frequently stationed in this area. Many citizens displayed the "Stars and Bars" until the German Federal Militia, a company of the St. Charles Home Guards, was stationed here in 1863. There was some military activity, but mostly guerrilla actions, occurred in the area. With the increase of guerrilla activities in 1864, Centralia was in turmoil. The darkest page of Centralia's history was about to be written,---The Centralia Massacre and the battle of Centralia. Centralia Massacre and Battle (from same booklet as above) September 27, 1864 dawned clear and cool in Centralia. The town, tense from increased guerrilla activity at Rocheport and Monroe county, had heard a band of bushwackers were camped three miles from town. At mid-morning the guerrillas appeard in town. The leader was "Bloody Bill" Anderson, a Quantrell lieutenant who had formed his own company a year earlier. They busied themselves ransaking the town, looting, drinking, destroying. At eleven the Concord stage rolled into town. The passengers were robbed of valuables. The best two horses were led away. Among the passengers were the Hon. James S. Rollin's, Sheriff James Waugh and former sheriff John Samuel en route to the Democratic Congressional Convention in Mexico. As the guerrillas were about to search the men (which would mean certain death when their identities were known) the North Missouri passenger train whistled its approach to Centralia. The band mounted and rode to the depot. Twenty-three unarmed Union soldiers on furlough were aboard the train, 123 passengers in all. The soldiers were declared prisoners of war, and within minutes were robbed, disrobed, beaten and shot. One escaped. The locomotive was started and the coaches set afire by the renegades. The burning train crept down the track for two or three miles before it died. After firing the depot the "soldiers" mounted and made their way back to camp. At 4 p.m. that afternoon Major A.V.E. Johnson, after two days of trailing the guerrillas, entered Centralia and viewed the massacre. Johnson, with his untrained farm-boy soldiers mounted on plowhorses, rode southwest to meet the enemy. Three minutes after Johnson gave the order to fire, he and his 192-man command lay dead across the prairie. Jesse James fired the shot that killed the Major. Arch Clements, a moronic boy-soldier who worshipped Anderson, had killed 14 men, Frank James, 11. All officers were scalped as Dave Poole jumped from body to body tallying his kill. A day later Mexico and Sturgeon troops pressed into service a number of farmers who hauled the bodies to town for burial in a long common grave A commemorative stone placed at the present Wabash depot in 1957 marks the spot of the slaughter.

Centralia was a site of heinous acts. Mexico (MO) Evening Ledger Aug. 18, 1994 By Stephen Roth Staff writer It has been nearly 130 years since the day Capt. William "Bloody Bill" Anderson and his murderous band of rebel guerrillas slaughtered some 150 Federal troops in Centralia, but the infamous massacre and battle of 1864 continues to be an indelible blot on the city's otherwise peaceful history. On Sept. 27 of this year, the massacre and battle of Centralia will be recognized with a brief ceremony. A historical marker commemorating the event will be erected by the Boone County Historical Society on the field where the battle is believed to have taken place. "A truly unique Civil War experience," is how Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and local historian Bill Hooper describes the events of Sept. 27,1864. That morning, some 30 to 50 southern sympathizers. or "bushwackers," led by Capt. Anderson rode into the sleepy village of Centralia, then populated by less than 100 residents. The unit had arrived to intercept and hold up a mail train traveling from St. Charles on the North Missouri Railroad line, a common target in those days for guerrilla attacks. It was about 11:30 a.m. when the passenger train steamed into town. the conductor and engineer, seeing Capt.. Anderson's men approaching, chose to run the train through town at top speed. Their plan was foiled, however, when guerrillas began to create a barricade of railroad ties across the tracks, forcing the train to come to a stop. While searching the train, the rebels came across 23 unarmed Union soldiers on furlough who were headed to their homes in northern Missouri and Iowa. After isolating one of the soldiers, Sgt. Tom Goodman, as a hostage, Capt. Anderson and his guerrillas marched the remaining Union troops out of the train, ordered them to disrobe and shot them within full view of train passengers and Centralia citizens. The so-called "Centralia Massacre" occurred where Railroad Street and Rollins Street now meet in downtown Centralia, or roughly where Mr. Hope's desk currently sits in the Chamber of commerce office. "It's kind of an eerie feeling when you realize you're standing right where 22 soldiers were shot down in cold blood," Mr. Hooper said with a slight smile. "It was a tryly heinous event."