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 were 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. 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. 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. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 2, Col. 4, 5,& 6 and Pg 3, Col. 1--OUR HUNTSVILLE LETTER, By W. T. Dameron--(Edited by compiler)--OLD TIME CORN SHUCKINGS--I have received another interesting letter from Mrs. Eliza Hart Harvey, wife of John Harvey, a native of Howard county, of Seattle, Wash. In part, Mrs. Harvey says: "My husband recalls to mind the old time corn husking in slavery days and before he left the parental home near Armstrong. When there was to be a corn husking in the neighborhood, word was sent out to the negroes and they would congregate at the place named promptly at the hour set, generally at nightfall. The negroes could be heard singing as they came from different directions. When the "husking bee" commenced there were generally about 40 negroes present. When word was given to commence work in the moonshine there was a scramble for places and then the singing began, as the husk was stripped from the ears of corn, and they kept up the singing until all the corn was husked, or as much of it as the owner desired. Singing and husking went together, that is, the negroes seemed unable to work unless they could sing. About every hour a white man would pass around a jug of good liquor, and each negro would take a drink of it, and when the last man was through drinking, singing started again with renewed vigor. When the cow bell sounded for late supper, they rushed pell-mell for the cabins, and when they were finally through eating, which took a long time, as negroes eat slowly, they would clear the cabins for the dance. After the musicians tuned their fiddles, banjos and bones, the dance was on. Old and young kept time with their feet, hands, head and body. Others that were not in the "set" would pat and shuffle in corners of the room. They danced with a loud swinging shuffle and through all the noise was a ringing rhythm that floated through the cabins and thrilled the listeners. When the dancing broke up at daylight the negroes left for their separate homes in different directions, all singing with their deep and melodious voices, which grew fainter and fainter until they died away in the distance. My husband says tell you this story: A wealthy man living near Glasgow was having a fine house built. The carpenters complained of the food given. One day a boiled hog's head was given them for dinner. This hog head continued to appear on the table at each meal. One of the carpenters told the others if they would get him a jug of whisky that head would not be put on the table again. They got the whisky for him, and when they went to dinner the next day the head was on the table as usual. The carpenter, supposedly, had drank freely of the whisky given him, stopped before reaching the table, looked at the hog head, made a polite bow and said, "Good morning sir. Your face looks familiar. I think I have met you before, sir." Needless to say the head disappeared." Speaking of some early settlers, Mrs. Harvey says: "I was told by an old man a Mr. Prewitt, of Nevada, Mo., that he had been told of the first settlers of the Harvey neighborhood, always spoke of the Harvey house as "Harvey's fine brick house." William Harvey, grandfather of my husband, settled near where Armstrong is now, in 1818. He moved his family and negroes from Madison county, Ky. Shortly after his arrival in Howard county he put his negroes to work burning brick for the house mentioned above. That house contained three large rooms, one and a half stories high. My husband's great-grandfather, whose name was also William Harvey, served in the Revolutionary War, from Culpepper, County, Virginia. My father, Franklin Hart, was born in 1813, and came to Boone County, Mo., with his parents when only four years old. I have heard him tell of the excitement created over an election to establish the state capital, between Jefferson City and Rocheport. When the vote was finally counted Jefferson City won by so little that if Rocheport had received one more vote and Jefferson one less, there would have been a tie." ------------------------ Mrs. Harvey's mention of corn husking and dancing in pre-Civil War days reminds me of the first corn husking bee I ever attended. It occurred at the home of a Mr. Biggs, who then owned what is now known as the old Nathan P. Hurt place, three miles west of Mt. Airy. It was about the beginning of the Civil War. I was a small kid then and went there with my father. It was a moonlight night and most of the crowd was composed of young and middle-aged negroes of the neighborhood. Most of the corn was in a long pen. But after the shucking we returned home and did not witness any dancing in the cabin, if they had any. While the husking was going on the negroes sang those old time songs with vigor and melody. And every once in a while a jug, containing real whisky of that day, was passed around, and it was quite amusing to me to see those negroes "kiss" that jug and pronounce some kind of a funny toast before swallowing a big draught of it. But none of them got boozy, as I now remember. But the most amusement to me was the watch the antics of the negroes when one of them found a red ear of corn. It seemed that finding a red ear of corn mixed with the white ears entitled the finder to an extra drink of liquor. when one of those red ears was found the lucky negro would wave it in the air and shout, "dramo, dramo, dramo" while all the other negroes stopped singing. Some would groan, others would make humorous remarks and try to cover the lucky negro with shucks. As soon as one found a red ear the manager would pass the jug of whisky to him, and before drinking he would repeat some kind of a toast to the amusement of some and groans and grief expressions from other. After the red ear finder swallowed his extra dram, the singing was renewed. Everyone that was lucky enough to find a red ear and yell "dram-o," the same performance was gone through with. Their melodious sings simply thrilled me, and their humorous expressions made me laugh heartily. Those old time negroes who served good and indulgent masters were the happiest people on earth. They had plenty to eat, good clothes to wear, and when sick they were looked after as attentively as any of the white family. They had nothing to worry over, and when not at work spent much of their time singing, fiddling and dancing and having a good time in general. But there were those who had mean and stingy masters, and of course they had trouble with their slaves. But the old time happy negro is gone, and you don't hear his melodious voice in song any more, not even at their religious meetings. Long after freedom I enjoyed attending negro meetings which were held in our old neighborhood regularly, and they could beat the world singing melodious and inspiring songs, and the most of them had "experimental religion," too. And shouting, my Lord! they had the white people beat on that line clear out of sight. But now, the new generation of negroes are following the whites in both singing and shouting, or rather not shouting. The old time melody in song has passed out and is replaced by operatic tunes. Most of the negro population has moved into the towns and cities, and a negro meeting in the country now is a rarity. I would go miles now to witness an old time negro revival, if they could be recalled, to hear some of those songs that I have heard the preachers "line" and the congregation sing them as pronounced. As old John Jasper said about the sun, "the world do move, if not the sun." Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 3, Col. 2--OUR HUNTSVILLE LETTER, By W. T. Dameron--(edited by compiler)--"Boss" Hager was in town Saturday and reported that Rolla Pogue and a young Mr. Minor, while at work last week on the old Wilson farm, about four miles southeast of Huntsville, unearthed a pot of gold, supposed to have been hidden by some of Bill Anderson's men during the Civil War. Boss did not know the amount of the find, nor really whether the report was true or not, as he had no particulars further than a rumor to that effect. Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 3, Col. 3--MT PLEASANT ITEMS--Elijah Encell visited his sister an brother-in-law, Wm Lyle and wife, Sunday. Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 3, Col. 3--MT PLEASANT ITEMS--Joe Reed and family who have been visiting his parents, Wash Reed and wife, went to Harrisburg Sunday to visit Mrs. Reed's sister, Mrs. Keller Street, and family. Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 4, Col. 3--Mr. and Mrs. W. O. Bartee of near Yates left here yesterday for Los Angeles, Cali., where they will make their home. Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 4, Col. 3--Mrs. Flora Canole of Columbia and son, Arthur, of Balaton, Minn., were the guests of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. F. Lay last week. Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 4, Col. 3--Mr. and Mrs. Will Fulton and little daughter, Elizabeth, of Gilbert, Minn., are the guests of Mrs. John Mure and other relatives and friends. Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 5, Col. 3--LOCAL AND PERSONAL--Wilford Ware left Saturday for Kansas City where he has employment. Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 5, Col. 3--LOCAL AND PERSONAL--Hugh Smith left Tuesday for Los Angeles, Calif., where the will probably locate. Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 5, Col. 3--LOCAL AND PERSONAL--Miss Margaret Williams spent Saturday with her sister, Mrs. Thos. Patteson, of Yates. Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 5, Col. 3--LOCAL AND PERSONAL--Mrs. Brown Duffield spent Sunday in New Franklin with her sister, Mrs. Wm. McGlothlin. Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 5, Col. 4--LOCAL AND PERSONAL--Mrs. Shannon Jarman of Independence was the guest of her son, Wm. Sunderland, and daughter, Mrs. Andrew Bradley, last week. Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 5, Col. 5--LOCAL AND PERSONAL--Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Andrews and daughter, Miss Inez, left Sunday for a visit with Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Andrews at Kansas City, driving through in their car. Thursday, 23 June 1927, Vol 41, No. 7, Pg. 8, Col. 3--L. A. Barrett, living just northwest of town, became violently insane Sunday night and Monday was taken to Huntsville by Constable Bagby, and at a special meeting of the county court was ordered to the hospital at Fulton. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.