Could some one tell us a little about the WIRE ROAD that runs through Missouri. Where it began and where it ends? My Akers / Netherland Family left Troy, Lincoln County, MO in 1871 for Crofton, Wise County, TX. I would like to know about any trail they would have used to get from MO to TX.. Another family by the name of Armstrong left Troy, MO with them, I think. The Netherland's and the Armstrong's, no relation that I know of, are buried in the Troy Cemetery in Johnston County, OK Appreciate your help. Armenta...........

Hi, Armenta. I have a copy of "Down the Wire Road, In the Missouri Ozarks" by Fern Angus. Here is a paragraph from the book, "The Telegraph Road which passed through the Missouri Ozarks was a military project, and was designed to improve communications during the Civil War. The road began at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri and continued to Ft. Smith, Arkansas Territory." I note that present day Lincoln county is north of St. Louis and a little west of the Mississippi. In her research, Ms Angus found a letter from a Mr. Ruggles in the Western Union Telegraph Company's library. Western Union bought the lines from The Missouri & Western Telegraph Company who had the Missouri franchise, 1859, to build and operate lines [note the plural] west of the Mississippi River and who had strung lines to Springfield, Missouri. This Mr. Ruggles talked of the line work, which he had joined at Syracuse, crossed the Osage River at Warsaw, on to Jefferson City, to Springfield. Another gang went from there to work on the line to Ft. Smith. It is possible the military wire road just followed the Western Union Road. Because this is the area of my research, I haven't checked any other books that may cover other lines. As an aside, she noted that after the Civil War, "Wounds, both real and imagined, were kept alive along the Missouri-Arkansas border longer than at any other place in the nation. It is estimated that 1,000 military actions took place in the area which became known as 'No-man's land'." Your relatives passed through this area, possibly, at a still hostile time. She also talks and traces Indian trails, the Trail of Tears and the Butterfield Stage Route in that part of the country. There are a few maps. I will do lookups. Please be sure to put WIRE ROAD in the subject line or your message could be deleted unread, 'cause I sometimes get in a hurry. If you would like your own copy, you can get it direct from Fern Angus, P.O. Box 305, Marionville, MO. 65705. My copy is from the second printing, August, 1993, and I forget what it cost, but seems it was $10 or $15. Hope this is of some use to you. Sara You wrote: <snipped> Could some one tell us a little about the WIRE ROAD that runs through Missouri. Where it began and where it ends?