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, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 4, Col 5&6--THIS WEEK IN MISSOURI HISTORY--Compiled by The State Historical Society of Missouri. Floyd Shoemaker, Secretary, Columbia, Mo.--Sixty-five years ago on June 12, Governor Claiborne F. Jackson issued his proclamation calling 50,000 militia into active service "to protect the state." This action was his reply to Lincoln's call for four regiments, and the immediate reply to Lyon's words, "This means war," uttered at the famous Planters House conference the day before. With the hounds of war snarling at the leash, Missouri's best representatives of both causes halted in instant to parley. Francis P. Blair, Jr., who believed that Missouri belonged with the North, had led the fight, and had been successful at every point. They had foiled the Southern sympathizers in the control of the invaluable arsenal at St. Louis. They had organized 10,000 soldiers at St. Louis; they had captured Camp Jackson and disarmed the militia; and they had displaced the conservative General Harney with Lyon himself as commander of the Department of the West. They had won President Lincoln to their plans, and had so managed that Kansas and United States troops at Ft. Leavenworth, Iowa regiments on the northern border, and Illinois troops at Cairo, Alton, and Quincy were ready to strike. Governor Jackson realized the military helplessness of Missouri. Material destruction would ensue to the state, if any movement were made to help the South. As the hope of armed neutrality dissolved, men were drawn to opposite poles. Relatively few Missourians fought either for slavery or for abolition. There were those whose conviction lay with the preservation of the Union; those whose belief was in taking a stand with their Southern kinsmen, and those who, doubly torn by these considerations, thought it best to save the state from invasion and internal war by staying in the Union. Increasingly these latter were called upon to make their decisions. Sterling Price presided over the state convention which declared against secession in March; he became major-general of the state militia and went with Jackson to St. Louis to confer with Blair and Lyon. They met at the Planters' House under the Stars and Stripes. Thomas L. Snead, aide-de-camp of the governor, describes the close of the conference thus: "Finally, when the conference had lasted four or five hours, Lyon closed it as he opened it. "Rather," said he, (he was still seated and spoke deliberately, slowly, and with a peculiar emphasis) "rather than concede to the State of Missouri the right to demand that my government shall not enlist troops within her limits, or bring troops into the State whenever it pleased, or move its troops at its own will into, out of, or through the State; rather than to concede to the State of Missouri for one single instant the right to dictate to my Government in any matter however unimportant, I would' (rising as he said this, and pointing in turn to every one in the room) "see you, and you, and you, and you, and every man, woman and child in the State, dead and buried." Then turning to the Governor, he said: "This means war. In an hour one of my officers will call for you and conduct you out of my lines." Gov. Jackson burned the bridges behind him as he went back to Jefferson City that night. By daybreak, on June 12, his proclamation was going to press. "A series of unprovoked and unparalleled outrages have been inflicted upon the peace and dignity of this Commonwealth and upon the rights and liberties of its people by wicked and unprincipled men, professing to act under the authority of the United States Government. The solemn enactment's of your Legislature have been nullified; your volunteer soldiers have been taken prisoners; your commerce with your sister States has been suspended; your trade with your own fellow citizens has been, and is, subjected to the harassing control of an armed soldiery; peaceful citizens have been imprisoned without warrant of law; unoffending and defenseless men, women and children have been ruthlessly shot down and murdered; and other unbearable indignities have been heaped upon your State and yourselves." The proclamation then takes up the Price-Harney agreement; the conference with Blair and Lyon; and the proposals offered by both sides. "Nothing but the most earnest desire to avert the horrors of civil war from our state, could have tempted me to propose these humiliating terms. Fellow-citizens, all our effort toward conciliation have failed.... "Now, therefore, I, Claiborne F. Jackson, Governor of the State of Missouri, do, in view of the foregoing facts and by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the Commonwealth, issue this my proclamation, calling the militia of the state to the number of 50,000 into the active service of the State, for the purpose of repelling said invasion, and for the protection of the lives, liberties and property of the citizens of the State....." In Missouri was there actual civil war. Sixty percent of her men capable of bearing arms participated, a higher percent than that of any other state. It is estimated that 110, 000 fought for the union; and between 30,000 and 40,000 for the Confederacy. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 1--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Bryan Swetnam of Fresno, Calif, is the guest of his sister, Mrs. Chas. Kirby. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 1--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Wilford Ware left Monday for Alton, Ill., where he hoped to secure employment. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 1--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Miss Annie Howell of St. Louis is the guest of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Howell. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 1--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Mrs. Fred Buckler of Kansas City is the guest of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. R. A. Reynolds. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Mrs. Frances Newman of Mexico was the guest of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Evans, Sunday. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Miss Ethel Roberts of Moberly was the guest of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Roberts, Sunday. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Mrs. Ben Wright returned Saturday from a week's visit with her daughter, Mrs. Geo. H. Ewell, of Kansas City. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Miss Alberta Andrews of Maryville was the guest of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Andrews, the latter part of last week. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Mrs. Eddie Gruber and children returned to their home in Dowell, Ill., Friday, after a visit with Higbee relatives and friends. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Mrs. T. D. Jenkins and son Raymond, arrived yesterday from Los Angeles, Calif., for a visit with Higbee relatives and friends. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Jas. F. Whitmore, who has been attending the Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City for several months, returned home Saturday. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Mrs. H. C. Boyd and Mrs. Clyde Reed and little daughter, Maxine, of New Baden, Ill., were called here yesterday by the death of Miss Jennie Robb. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--B. B. Pyle, who was called here three weeks ago by the death of his brother-in-law, A. T. Burton, returned to his home in Denison, Texas, Saturday. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Ermon Hare left Sunday for Kenosha, Wis., for a visit with relatives, and from there will go to Urbana, Ill., where he will attend school this summer. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Mrs. Thos. Williams returned to her home in Divernon, Ill., Sunday after a visit of several weeks with her mother, Mrs. Mary Williams, and other relatives and friends. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 2--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Walter Davies, who has been suffering from sciatic rheumatism for several weeks, has not been nearly so well the past few days, but was thought to be perhaps some better yesterday. He can neither walk nor lie down and has to get what rest he can, which is very little, seated in a chair. His legion of friends hope for his early and complete recovery. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 3--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Miss Inez Andrews, who attended Christian College, Columbia, the past year, after a short visit with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. B. F. Andrews, left Sunday for Maryville, where she will attend summer school. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 3--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Mr. and Mrs. Will Harlow and children left the first of the week for Springfield, Ill. for a visit with relatives before leaving for their home in Torrington, Wy. They will also visit relatives in Centralia, Columbia, and Odessa. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 3--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--While in Kansas City Tuesday, Dr. C. F. Burkhalter was called to see Mrs. Mamie Paulfrey, formerly of this place who has been quite sick for several weeks. he reports her as doing nicely and says that she should be able to be out in a short time. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 3--LOCAL AND PERSONAL MENTION--Henry Spurling of Des Moines, Ia., is at home for a two weeks' visit with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. May Spurling. His brother, Joe, who has been in Des Moines for a year or so, working for a printing firm, went to Chicago several months ago where he took a two-months' course in the Mergenthaler Linotype School, mastering the intricacies of these wonderful machines, and is now employed as linotype operator on the paper at Sibley, Iowa. Thursday, 10 June 1926, Vol 40 No. 6, pg. 5, Col 4--Dr. C. F. Burkhalter, accompanied by his daughters, Mrs. Frances Warren and Miss Charlotte, went to Kansas City Sunday, where Mrs. Warren went for an examination by a specialist, her throat having given her more or less trouble for a year or more, the trouble possibly having been brought about by the auto accident in which Mrs. Charlotte Brooks-Hulen was killed. Mrs. Warren, it will be remembered, was thown out of the car, being struck across the throat by something as she was thrown from the car, and which caused her neck to be swollen for several weeks, during which time she could talk only in a whisper. This condition of her voice frequently returns, when she sometimes experiences a choking sensation. Dr. Burkhalter returned Tuesday night and stated that the specialists had not yet finished the examination, and that they wanted Mrs. Warren to remain for a week or two. It was their opinion, we are glad to state, that, so far as their examination had gone, nothing was very seriously wrong. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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.