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Missouri Mormon Frontier Foundation Newsletter MISSOURI MORMON FRONTIER FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER Number 6 Jackson County, Missouri Spring 1995 ON A COLD WINTER'S EVE mother of Book of Mormon witnesses David, Christian, Jacob, Peter Jr. and John Whitmer. by Scott H. Faulring At this point of the "show and tell," Richard and I, along with the audience, were totally captivated. At the invitation of our friend Ron Romig, By far, the most exciting item for me, my reward for Richard L. Anderson and I addressed, as visiting being there that evening, was the second sampler. historians, a warm gathering of the MMFF on a cold There, before my eyes, accompanying a simple cross- winter's eve in early January 1995. Richard spoke stitched pattern, was stitched "Maria Louis about David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery's Cowdre." Maria is significant because she was the religious and nonreligious activities in Missouri. I oldest and only child of Oliver and Elizabeth presented an overview, illustrated with several Cowdery to grow to maturity. I found it interesting primary document examples, of the Oliver Cowdery that the sttmame was spelled "Cowdre" rather than Papers project that Richard and I aze collaborating the traditional "Cowdery." This spelling presents a on d trope to have published in the next year or so. an possible clue for dating it. There was a specific Our lectures were well received and after a little period when Oliver used the variant surname spelling more than an hour and a half of speaking, we sat — while they lived in Tiffin, Ohio, from 1840 to down expecting the evening's events concluded. 1847. I think Elizabeth made the sampler sometime Then, as a sort of benediction, Ron introduced two before her daughter's marriage in 1856. special impromptu guest speakers, two ladies, both After these two ladies concluded describing these Whitmer descendants, who had traveled from more "real life" items of history, they allowed the audience a few miles north of Independence to be there than to come forward and examine the heirlooms. we realize the on that wintery January eve. Little did [The Whitmer descendants present were Lorene significance of their visit and the historical treasures Pollazd and Vicky Widemier.] they brought with them. After a short introduction by Ron, they showed a variety of family heirlooms, including several family photographs, mostly of the generation after David Visiting Historian Series, XII Held and John Whitmer, but historically interesting Saturday morning, 20 May 1995, MMFF and the nonetheless. In addition, they displayed and -Waggoner Society cosponsored described at least a half dozen Whitmer family letters Bingham Historical an illustrated lecture about George Caleb Bingham of correspondence. From my perspective, the most and Art intriguing memorabilia, the ones that piqued my His by Missouri State Archivist, Kenneth H. Winn the Bingham-Waggoner Estate carriage curiosity the most were two antique stitched at samplers. The first, a floral decorative, had the name house. George Caleb Bingham came from swell-to-do "Mary Musselman" embroidered across it in an Old family. The untimely deaths of an uncle and World/Germanic-looking script. Mary Musselman, Virginia later of his father caused financial hazdships as he birth name of Mary Whitmer, was the imperturbable MISSOURI MORMON FRONTIER FOUNDATION NEWSLETTER Number 6 Jackson County, Missouri Spring 1995 ON A COLD WINTER'S EVE mother of Book of Mormon witnesses David, Christian, Jacob, Peter Jr. and John Whitmer. by Scott H. Faulting At this point of the "show and tell," Richard and I, along with the audience, were totally captivated. At the invitation of our friend Ron Romig, By faz, the most exciting item for me, my reward for Richard L. Anderson and I addressed, as visiting being there that evening, was the second sampler. historians, a warm gathering of the MMFF on a cold There, before my eyes, accompanying a simple cross- winter's eve in early January 1995. Richazd spoke stitched pattern, was stitched "Maria Louis about David Whitmer and Oliver Cowdery's Cowdeey." Maria is significant because she was the religious and nonreligious activities in Missouri. I oldest and only child of Oliver and Elizabeth presented an overview, illustrated with several Cowdery to grow to maturity. I found it interesting primary document examples, of the Oliver Cowdery that the surname was spelled "Cowdrey" rather than Papers project that Richazd and I are collaborating the traditional "Cowdery." This spelling presents a on and hope to have published in the next yeaz or so. possible clue for dating it. There was a specific Our lectures were well received and after a little period when OGver used the variant surname spelling more than an hour and a half of speaking, we sat — while they lived in Tiffin, Ohio, from 1840 to expecting the evening's events concluded. down 1847. I think Elizabeth made the sampler sometime Then, as a sort of benediction, Ron introduced two before her daughter's marriage in 1856. special impromptu guest speakers, two ladies, both After these two ladies concluded describing these Whitmer descendants, who had traveled from more "real life" items of history, they allowed the audience than a few miles north of Independence to be there to come forward and examine the heirlooms. did we realize the on that wintery January eve. Little [The Whitmer descendants present were Lorene significance of their visit and the historical treasures Pollard and Vicky Widemier.] they brought with them. After a short introduction by Ron, they showed ~~ a variety of family heirlooms, including several family generation after David photographs, mostly of the Visiting Historian Series, XII Held and John Whitmer, but historically interesting Saturday morning, 20 May 1995, MMFF and the nonetheless. In addition, they displayed and Bingham-Waggoner Historical Society cosponsored described at least a half dozen Whitmer family letters an illustrated lecture about George Caleb Bingham of correspondence. From my perspective, the most and His Art by Missouri State Archivist, Kenneth H. intriguing memorabilia, the ones that piqued my Winn at the Bingham-Waggoner Estate carriage curiosity the most were two antique stitched house. samplers. The first, a floral decorative, had the name George Caleb Bingham came from swell-to-do "Mary Musselman" embroidered across it in an Old Virginia family. The untimely deaths of an uncle and World/Germanic-looking script. Mary Musselman, later of his father caused financial hardships as he birth name of Mary Whitmer, was the imperturbable MISSOURI MORMON FRONTIER FOUNDATION Number 6, Spring 1995 Page 3 MEET YOUR BOARD MMFF board members have diverse backgrounds that motivate his/her interest in Missouri Mormon history. Some do not belong to any Book of Mormon based denomination while others are devout members of one of the several modem descendants of the church Joseph Smith founded. Some have a family heritage that goes back to the 1830's with the church and some do not. You have met Henry Inouye, Ron Romig, Annette and Bill Curtis in previous issues. Now meet Ron Putz and Alta Short. Ronald Putz Ronald Putz is from a small Orman community - degree. Accordingly in 1992, along with a number of Fountain City, Wisconsin. As an adult he moved to others, they formed the Missouri Mormon Frontier Winona, Minnesota where, in 1961, he joined the Foundation. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That yeaz Ron says, "The Lord, through his prophet Joseph he started his genealogical research in the Fountain Ciry Smith, stated that those who lived in Jackson County public cemetery where virtually all his immigrant should he honored for `laying the foundation of Zion.' relatives are buried. Later he moved to Rochester, Our task is to find out what they did, preserve Minnesota; Springfield, Missouri; Joplin, Missouri; and remaining artifacts and sites, and make others aware of finally, in 1985 to Blue Springs, Missouri. their vision and sacrifice. After all, Jackson County has in 1990 Ron became interested in Missouri history historic sites in Church history with future significance. and began a project of finding the names of all the As Zion it was continually on Joseph Smith's mind and Mormons who lived in Jackson County during the long after the expulsion. was still central to his concept "Mormon" period, 1831-1833. As a result of that of the gathering of the Saints prior to the Second project he met Ron Romig, Bill Curtis, Jesse Ehlers, Coming of Christ." "I hope" he says, "that we can unite and others who had done extensive research on people, hundreds of interested persons of all faiths to promote places and events during that period. They shared a the history of this area and honor those who common notion that Jackson County had been passed participated." over by Mormon historians when compared to the work Ron's vocation in life has been in sales and nursing done on Kirtland, Ohio and Nauvoo, Illinois. They felt home operation. Currently he works in technical that though the situation was different, Western support for computer giant, Gateway 2000. He has Missouri in general and Jackson County in particulaz, been active in church and currently serves as High needed an association or foundation to preserve, Priests Group Leader in the Blue Springs 2nd Ward of compile and promote its history to a much greater T'he Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Alta Short Alta Mane Davis Short was raised in a R.L.D.S. attending Central Missouri State University in 1970. family. Her father Henry F. Davis was an Elder and the She graduated with a B. S. in Education in 1974. pastor of their congregation m Kansas Ciry, Missouri at In October 1979 she received her Masters in the time of her birth.
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