Mrs. Mary Donovan
The home of Mrs. Mary Donovan at 220 East Lake Street was built on the site where the family owned one of the first stores in Marceline. At this time, Lake Street was the main street in town. Next to this home was a barbershop and this building is still standing today. The first mass to be said in Marceline was in the home of Mrs. Donovan and the marble topped bureau used as the alter is still in the family. The home is still in the family and has been since the beginning of Marceline.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter O. Hainds
Walter Olin Hainds was born July 11, 1883 on a farm eight miles southeast of Marceline in Chariton County. He was the son of George Dewitt and Betty Hainds. He attended Salisbury Academy and Chillicothe Business College. After returning to Marceline he worked for several years for Fred Loeb in the Mercantile Store. Later, he owned and operated a confectionery in the Allen Hotel building. He was married to Alta Mae Hamilton on March 10, 1909. In 1911 they moved to the farm where Mr. Hainds took over the operation. He belonged to The Baptist Church and was a Mason. One son, Richard Olin, was born in 1913 and after his graduation from high school in 1931, he took over the operation of the farm because of his father’s illness. The farm has been in the Hainds family for four generations. Richard married Reta Evelyn Newman in June 1934 and they had one daughter, Gloria Lee, born in 1943.
Hezekiah Anderson
Hezekiah Anderson, a son of John and Mary Hubbard Anderson, was born December 6, 1851 on the Anderson farm seven miles north of Marceline. He lived on this farm, affectionately termed “the old home place” for about thirty-five years, then moved to a farm three miles northwest of where Marceline was later located. “Uncle Hez,” as he was known all over Linn and Chariton Counties, lived on this farm for many years. In early years he was associated with Mr. Ed Hayden in the Hayden meat market. “Hez” Anderson was one of the most picturesque characters in the section of Missouri. With a meager education he could hold his own with the best bankers and lawyers in reviewing abstracts and figuring notes. He was a kindly man and his life was filled with good deeds to his neighbors and friends. While a money lender, Mr. Anderson never charged the maximum rate, always giving to those who borrowed from him a cheaper rate of interest than they could get elsewhere. Many times “Uncle Hez” loaned money to worthy persons who had no security whatsoever, and if some misfortune prevented some of the people to repay him, he often gave more time on the note and in some instances has even torn the note up. “Uncle Hez” cared nothing for show or fancy clothes as far as he himself was concerned. Strangers in town would likely think that he was poverty stricken, but deep in his heart he had a great love for the beautiful things in life. His motto in life was “Choose not your friends for outward show; the feather floats, the pearl lies low.” He died in 1931. His nephew now lives on the “old home place” and a niece, Mrs. W. J. Buckley, lives on the farm northwest of Marceline that he had bought before the town was started.
Reid Family
Thomas Venable Reid was born April 13, 1862 in Rothville where his parents settled after migrating from Virginia in a covered wagon, in 1860. Tom was a farmer and a carpenter in his early years. After his marriage to Della Vaden Simpson they settled in Marceline where he helped on the construction of the first railroad track put through here. They lived on East Bisbee street, one of the first five houses built here. In 1912, Mr. & Mrs. Reid operated a feed and farm machinery store, then a grocery store. In the 1920’s he was constable for several years and many were his experiences at this work. One experience the old timers laughed about was the day he started to Linneus (the county seat with a prisoner,) and the prisoner jumped from the train near Brookfield with Tom at his heels. Through field, ploughed ground, and across creeks they went; often the prisoner was in his grasp but pulled away; at last he could run no farther and once caught a big fist laid him down as officer and prisoner took a needed rest. For the lawbreaker it was once more jail and relaxation but for the constable his troubles wore not over – 3 weeks later he lost all his toe nails bruised so badly from pushing against his shoes during the race. Nine children were born to this pioneer family, four girls survive: Mrs. Leona Downing, Della Lake, Wilma Reid, and Ozella Hamilton, all of Marceline.
Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Swan
Among the early settlers of Marceline and vicinity were Mr. and Mrs. Albert P. Swan. He came from Michigan and Mrs. Swan from the state of New York. They were married in Michigan in 1865 and resided there until 1869, and their first Estella was born there. After having aided his father in clearing one of the two farms he redeemed from the wilderness, Mr. Swan decided to come to Missouri where prairie land was available. He obtained work from William Combs, a farmer and the grandfather of Wayne Williams and Thelma Green, in the northwest part of what is now Marceline. Awhile later he sent for his wife and family and they all continued to live in the Combs home while Mr. Swan, who had purchased a homesite on what is now Highway 36, one-half mile from the Marceline Junction, and built their home. They found the pioneer life quite rugged and had to haul all their water from Yellow Creek in barrels. The family became members of the Methodist Church in 1869, and also helped the Locust Ridge Church organize. Among some of the early members of the church were Erastus Taylor, Winnifred McAllister, and D.D. Burch. Mr. Swan raised a large variety of vine fruits, garden vegetables and trees which he supplied neighboring towns. When the railroad came to Marceline he helped build the fence around it. Mr. and Mrs. Swan were the parents of seven children. Estella (now deceased,) was the wife of E.L. Anderson and mother of Morton Anderson of rural Bucklin and Selma Buckley of rural Marceline. Kate (Mrs. G.A. Beech), deceased, Cora (Mrs. J. Frank Porter), Alice (Mrs. George McGregor), Ruth (Mrs. Oliver Hardin), Arthur and Ernest Swan.
William Vogt
Mr. Vogt came to Marceline with the Santa Fe building the telegraph line in 1887 until he was made line repairer at Streator, Illinois and then he transferred back to Marceline September 3, 1888 as line repairer. Miss Louisa Cooper came to Marceline in the spring of 1888 to live with her sister Mrs. Jenett Hurt. Mr. Hurt was the first constable of Marceline. Mr. Vogt and Miss Cooper were married May 12, 1892 and bought property at 103 West Walker Street in 1894 and remained at this location the remainder of their lives.
Hiram Long
Hiram Long was a native of Claremont, New Hampshire and was born May 22, 1827. He was the youngest of fifteen children, and his father, Simeon Long, was a retired sea captain. Mr. Long spent his boyhood days on a farm and pursued the course of study of the common schools. At seventeen years of age, he went to Kinston, New York and spent several years boating on the Hudson River. He got the gold fever in 1849 and spent eight years mining in California, returning to New Hampshire he farmed for twelve years, and then came to Linn County, Missouri and settled on the farm in 1868. This farm he sold to the Edina Company when Marceline was laid out and he then moved to Howe Street. Mr. Long served as Justice of Peace in Bucklin township two years, as a city clerk of Marceline two years and then was elected Justice of Peace. Following this he was elected Mayor of Marceline. Mr. and Mrs. Long were the parents of five children. Mr. Long had brought a melodian with him from the East and a small organ. He would take this little organ to the school houses and give music and singing lessons. He also edited the Marceline papers for several years.
My Grandpa or, The Pioneer’s Call
Whenever I think of my grandparentsI wonder, “Just how did it feelTo leave comforts and loved ones and cherished spotsAnd ride to the end of steel?” And what did they find when they arrived? Only a sprawling space And tents the only abode for awhile In this wild and lonely place. But soon there were houses and barns and sheds And horses and chickens and cows And orchards and gardens and lush green fields On the land turned up by their plows. And, lo, a city is building there Bricks needed by the ton So down by a hill went up Landreth’s kiln And another job was begun. Success seemed to follow his every turn As they garnered the harvest’s hoardAnd always before each feast or snack He offered his thanks to our Lord.Success on the land! But that wasn’t enough No, not for my dear granddadFor he must go into the bowels of earth And see what was there to be had.Oh, many were grateful for this great feat For the coal they mined from the deepWarmed their homes, fired the trains, and ran the plants* And gave many their food and keep.I cherish each hour I spent with him He was never cross or upsetJust went at each task as tho it were new And gave it his very best.I know when they set out that day If some power could have shown them allThat lay ahead, with a hymn and a prayer They would still have answered “The Pioneer’s Call.” *This refers to the electric light plant. There may have been others, but I remember each evening about 4 o’clock they would fire the thing up. (Electricity at first, was only used for lights at night.)
Braggan Family
Christian Braggan and his wife were born in Germany but came to Missouri before the Civil War and settled on a farm that was located where the Ed Lambert home now stands. He owned all the land that was to become known as the Braggan’s Addition and to this day is still called that. This land was acquired right after the Civil War from the government. Mr. Braggan was a Civil War veteran. When the railroad came to Marceline, Mr. Braggan’s home became the boarding place of many of the men that worked on the laying of the tracks. Among these men were James McLaughlin and his father. The men along with Lute Braggan drove their team and wagons in the work of railroad. The city of Marceline was laid out and plans were completed on the railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Braggan were the parents of nine children with two of the daughters, Mrs. Louisa Ross, Lamar, Missouri and Mrs. Nellie Braley of Westmont, Illinois still surviving. One daughter, Mrs. Jake Newman was married in 1888 in St. Catherine, Missouri and lived in Marceline. Mr. and Mrs. Newman had four children, Clarence, Nellie (Mrs. Will Stanley) and Elva (Mrs. Bill Pischel) all living in Marceline and one son, Louie Newman, deceased. Mr. Jake Newman was a coal miner for many years and also a member of the I.O.O.F.
Warners
Eratus Warner and Mrs. Warner (Lettie Jane Akerson of Scranton, PA) were the parents of five children, Leander A., Elisha, Jennie, Everett, and John Davis Warner. Mr. Warner was a farmer and resided on farms near Bucklin and Marceline and in the latter years of his life he lived in Marceline. He died in 1909. Leander A. Warner was born August 22, 1865 and for many years he was a farmer. After leaving the farm he moved to Marceline and started working in the mines. He was a member of the First Baptist Church and of the I.O.O.F. He married Laura Lawson of Ethel, Missouri and had one adopted son, Raymond. Elisha Warner was born in Wyoming County, PA in 1867. He was a farmer and also worked on the Santa Fe doing track work. He resided many years in Marceline before he died at the age of 87. John Davis Warner was born in 1879 in Baker township, Linn County and attended the Harden and Osage schools. He resided on a farm until 1907 when he moved to Marceline and became a fireman on the Santa Fe. He was married to Myrtle Harris, who with her parents had moved to 124 Marceline from Kidder, Missouri in 1908.