The following are selected articles from a Newspaper titled, "The Higbee News" which was issued out of the town of Higbee, in Randolph County, Missouri from the years 1888 through 1953. The editors and owners were a wonderful man by the name of W. H. Welch and his son H. Scott Welch. This paper covered the Higbee area and also a great deal of the northeastern part of Howard county. It is because of my tremendous admiration for this father and son, that I am transcribing this paper and putting it in a more readable format, so that this work may again be brought to light, to entertain, and teach a whole new generation of the descendants of the inhabitants and neighbors of a little town called "Higbee." The copyright notice at the end of this transcript is there for the sole purpose of keeping this work free to the public, and to ensure that it is not harvested by a fee-based corporate genealogy site, or published in any format for profit. If you decide to use the information from this transcription, PLEASE LIST ME AS THE SOURCE, rather than the paper. My transcription is another generation removed from the microfilm, and would thus be a third generation copy of the original paper. I wouldn't want my own possible errors in transcription, blamed on the editors of the paper. For proper documentation, a researcher should obtain a photocopy of the microfilm for their own permanent records, and use my transcript as a guide or index. The microfilm is available for interlibrary loan through the State Historical Society of Missouri, and a copy is also on file at the Moberly Public Library, generously donated by the Higbee Historical Society. When the Higbee Historical Society disbanded, their material was donated to the Randolph County Historical Society and is still available there. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, 26 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 17, pg. 1 Col 4--A Fleet of Chevrolets--Lib Noel, who is making good as the Chevrolet dealer in Brookfield, and who is selling cars faster than he can get them, was here Tuesday on his way home from St. Louis with a fleet of eleven cars and one truck, all of which had been sold. The drivers stopped here for dinner, and headed by Lib left town about 1 o'clock, making quite an impressive procession, as well as a very noisy one, as the horn of each car was being sounded for all it was worth. Thursday, 26 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 17, pg. 1 Col 5--A Surprise Birthday Dinner--The home of Mr. and Mrs. S. E. Marrs was the scene of a very pleasant gathering Sunday, the occasion being the celebration of Mr. Marrs's 82nd birthday, and which was sprung on him as a surprise. It proved a pretty hard one to spring, however, as Mr. Marrs was not feeling so very well, and his son, Sam, who had come home from Kansas City especially for the occasion could hardly get him away from home long enough for the slightest arrangement to be made, but finally did persuade him to take a car ride for half hour of so. Great was his surprise on their return to see the front yard full of relatives and friends and a big table under the nice shade loaded down with about everything one could want, or mention, to eat. The dinner, it is needless to say, was enjoyed by all, as was the entire afternoon, which was spent in recalling events in the town and vicinity that had happened during Mr. Marrs' residence among us for fifty years. No better man ever lived among us, nor one who always stood for the best interests of the town on any and all occasions, and along with those who spent such a pleasant afternoon at his home the NEWS joins in the hope that he will be spared to us for many more years to come and which seems likely to be the case, as he seems to be, from both actions and looks, to be not a day over 65. (Guest list omitted.) Thursday, 26 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 17, pg. 1 Col 5--Mrs. Margaret Manuel Dead--Mrs. Margaret Manuel, for years a resident of Huntsville, and well known to many Higbee folks where she frequently visited at the home of her son, George, died in a hospital at St. Joseph Monday, aged 82 years. Mrs. Manuel fell about a year ago and broke her hip, since which time she had been an invalid. She is survived by two sons, George, of Kansas City, and John of Huntsville, and four daughters, whose names we could not learn. Funeral services were held in the Christian church at Huntsville Tuesday and interment was made in the Huntsville cemetery. Thursday, 26 Aug 1926, Vol 40 No. 17, pg. 2 Col 1,2,3&4--OUR HUNTSVILLE LETTER--By W. T. Dameron--(edited by compiler for brevity)--Press Heifner, superintendent of the county farm, and the NEWS representative were discussing the other day characteristics of some "old timers" now dead. One of these was Uncle Billy Elliott, as he was called by all his friends, and they were many. Uncle Billy resided all his life a few miles north of Huntsville and was a successful farmer.......Press related several funny incidents concerning Uncle Billy, characteristic of his life. This one we will relate. "Uncle Billy," said Heifner, "was an admirer of the notorious Frank and Jesse James, not that he endorsed what they did in crime, but had sympathy for them for the way the family was treated after the close of the war. One day a tramp appeared at the home of Uncle Billy. He was bum looking and walked with a cane, as if he had been crippled or had some bodily ailment. But Uncle Billy had no use for an able-bodied bum or tramp, and thought all cripples or deformed tramps should remain in their home city or county to be cared for by the proper authorities, instead of tramping over the country and begging for a living. When the tramp appeared at Uncle Billy's door for a hand out, he was treated coolly by Uncle Billy who kept up a barrage of hot questions fired at the tramp, inquiring into his life, from a boy up to his "tramphood." The tramp incidentally mentioned Jesse James and some particularly good deed the outlaw did. This caught Uncle Billy's sympathy and his continence brightened up, and the tramp saw in his expression that he had made a happy stroke on Uncle Billy's mind. Then the tramp asked, "Did you ever know Jesse James?" Uncle Billy replied that he did not know him personally but had heard lots about him. "Did you know him?" asked Uncle Billy. "Yes, mighty well; I am his cousin," responded the tramp. "Well, I'll be damned! Give me your hand, Mister, and come around to the kitchen and have something to eat," fired back Uncle Billy, with a smile. From that time on the tramp was Uncle Billy's guest and he fared on the best Uncle Billy had until he thought it time to hit the grit again. The tramp was well posted in the history of the James's and he kept Uncle Billy highly enthused while he "put away" the meal of his life, and before leaving drank a toast to Uncle Billy's health. Before taking his leave, Uncle Billy gave the tramp a new pair of socks, a clean handkerchief and enough good grub to last him a day or two, and as the tramp extended his hand to bid Uncle Billy good-bye, the good hearted old farmer placed a five dollar bill in his hand, suggesting that he make a bee-line to the nearest railroad station and take a train home, which was either St. Joe or Kansas City, with the remark that he did not want to see a cousin of Jesse James walk home. A few hours later a neighbor called at the Elliott home and Uncle Billy proceeded to tell him about the crippled tramp, Jesse James' "Cousin," and what he had given him. The neighbor had seen the same fellow and there was nothing the matter with him, he said, and that he could jump a stake and rider fence and never touch a rail, that he played the game to get something to eat, and what money he could beg. Then Uncle Billy's countenance changed and blood popped into his eyes, and he said, "Well, I'll be damned! the impostor. I'm in a notion to get my gun trail the damned rascal and shoot him down like a dog. He ought to be advertised as an impostor." The annual reunion of the Johnston family will be held here Wednesday with Hebe C. Johnston. There are only four of the immediate family now living--Rev. Wm. Johnston, Ethel, Mo.; Rev. James Johnston, Petersburg, Ill.; Joseph Johnston, Callao, Mo., and H. C. Johnston of Huntsville. Rev. Rufus Johnston died in New York two years ago. Of the family of boys, three became preachers--William and James, Presbyterians, and Rufus, the youngest, Baptist. He was quite an orator and was pastor of the Rockefeller church in New York City for quite a while and became noted for his liberal views on water baptism. He was quite young when his mother died, and he was reared and educated by his uncle, the late Gus. A. Bradsher, of Clifton Hill. Their father was a pioneer of the vicinity of old Bloomington, Mo., and their mother was a daughter of the late Rev. Samuel C. Davis, a pioneer Presbyterian minister of Silver Creek township, this county. Their father, Capt. William Johnston, entered the Confederate army early in the beginning of the Civil War and was in command of a company of troops at Vicksburg, Miss., and was killed in action the day following the great explosion of the city, executed by the Union forces. Uncle John Dale, formerly of this city, but now of Los Angeles, Cal., and the late Eben Day, of near Cairo, were members of his company and helped bury the gallant captain. They said a finer and braver officer never died on the battlefield than Capt. William Johnston. The family is largely connected in this and Macon county. Wednesday's reunion dinner will be served on the Randolph Springs grounds, in picnic fashion, where the reunion of the family was held about six years ago, when 186 of the family connection were present. Some time ago Rev. Wm. Thompson of near Yates had a nervous breakdown and which has impaired his mind the least bit at times since. He worried much over the death of a daughter which occurred about six months ago, and which is thought to have been the beginning of his trouble. He was brought to the home of his brother-in-law, Judge Gorham Burton, a few days ago, where Dr. D. A. Barnhartt was called in to see him. The family, we learn, will arrange to take him to a private sanitarium in Kansas City for treatment. Rev. Thompson is a Cumberland Presbyterian minister and is well known throughout the western part of the county, where he has preached. He is a son of the late Asa Thompson and is about 63 years old, and is largely connected in this and Howard county. It is hoped by his large circle of friends and admirers that his health will be fully restored. John W. McCampbell, an old Huntsville boy and school teacher, rounded up here last Friday for a short vacation with old friends. Back in the Wilson administration Mr. McCampbell was connected with government Indian schools as an instructor. He is a son of Wallace and Polly McCampbell, pioneers of this county, who have long since passed away. In pre-civil war days his father was one of the prominent citizens of the county. He was also a noted game chicken fighter, and one of the leading sports of his day. Politically and fundamentally Prof. McCampbell is a Democrat, but some times when our leaders do not act to suit him he gets in the middle of the road and rattles around for a while. He thinks a strong third party should be organized. But he admires Senator Jim Reed, his great ability and resourcefulness. The beautiful silver trophy won by John T. Sutliff on Poland China Hogs at the Missouri State Fair last week is on exhibition at the One Price Mercantile Co. store here. The "loving cup" is a very large one, about 18 inches high and large in proportion. The figure of a Poland China hog is stamped on it. Mr. Sutliff exhibited 16 hogs at the fair and won 11 first premiums, three seconds, and one third premium, and cleaned up all opposition in the sweepstakes or champion ring. Mr. Sutliff and his father, Van G. Sutliff, have been breeding Poland China hogs here for many years, and have been very successful with them. Their herds are not excelled by any in the country. They have a large sales pavilion and hold annual sales of their surplus hogs. Mr. Sutliff won a silver trophy at the state fair last year on hogs, and which is also on exhibition. In looking over a old ledger Tuesday, kept by a Huntsville mercantile firm back in 1853, I noted the names of about 550 customers--old pioneers of the county. Many of them I knew personally and others by reputation. It seems the firm did a big credit business, as most stores and business concerns did in that day, but every account was credited with payments in full before or at the end of twelve months. I imagine that if our stores did such a general credit business now there would be many premature liquidations. The ledger does not show the name of the firm, but they seem to have done a good business. Their customers were of the most prominent people of all parts of the county. Not one of the 550 names on the ledger is now living. Among the names is that of William B. Anderson, a hatter by trade here at that time, and who was the father of "Bill" Anderson, the notorious bushwhacker and guerrilla during the Civil War. The Anderson family left Huntsville in the latter '50's and located in Kansas. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright notice: All transcriptions in this email are copyrighted by their creator. They may not be reproduced on another site or on any printed or recorded media, CD, etc. without specific written permission from Kathy Bowlin. Although public information is not in and of itself copyrightable, the format in which it is presented, transcriptions, notes & comments, etc. is. It is however, quite permissible to print or save the files to a personal computer for personal use only. Permission is granted to public libraries, and genealogical and historical societies to print and bind for the use of their patrons. Kathy Bowlin Additions, corrections, comments welcome.