THE JACI(SON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
- -1-\- r J VOLUME 4 3 NUMBER S l' R N G 200 2
FEATURES @ From the Directors Chair ...... 3
Jackson County, lVlissollri's 17S-Year History @ in a Nutshell ...... 4
175th Anniversary ~ Legacy Li st ...... 8
Winding the Clock: Time Keeps Ticking for Jackson County's Two 19,h @ Century Courthouses .. ' .... .9
Field to Fac,ory: The Great IVJigralion afPost-Civi l ~ War American Blacks ...... 1 2
The "American R.E.s": ~ Kansas City's Railway Engineers in the Great War ...... 14
Gone But Not Forgotten: A History of ,he Burials in the Jewish @ Cemeteries in Kansas Cit)' .. .19 DEPARTMENTS An Editor's Episcle ...... 2 Mystery Photo Contest ...... 21 Book Notes ...... 22 This mllml of Jackson County, Missouri, (actual size 6 112 [t. by 10 ft.) was sponsored by Judge Henry A. Bundschu and painted by Mrs. Aileen Franklin some years ago. Another of lvl s. Franklin's mumls, "Ka nsas City's Heritage," is mounted in the auditorium of the National Frontier Trails Center in Independence. Do YOli know the names and locations oLMs. Franklin's other murals? If you'd like to help con tribute information for an article about this topic in the Autumn 2002 JOURNAL, call the editor ,oday at 816.252.7454. 2 J C H S OURNAL S P R N G 2 0 0 2 An Editor's Epistle By David W. Jackson
Greetings! Here in IvIissouri wc\e brcczing through Spring and are heating up for Summer. 'Time seems to be fleeting so quickly these days, so we invite you to sit back and res t a whilc. Grab somcthing to quench your thirst and takc in some interesting reading. \l\1e've becn busy assembling
All photographs;lIe from the (01 1('(tion5 of the metropolis. Jackson County H is toric.ll Soci!.'t)', unless otherwise noted. The Jackson Count}' HistoriC'.l1 Societ), aS5Um('s no responsibility for st.lIements m:lde by contributors. Historical Socicty Archi\·cs stafr and volunteers recently completed the project of prese rving For morc information cont,lct: Jackson County Historical Society back issues of thc JOURNAL. The JOURNAL has been published continuously since 1958, with 129 'Vcst I.exington Al'enue the exception of a two-year gap in 1988 and 1989 when The Courier (a newsletter that was published Independence, MO u.t050 (SI6) 461-1897 between 1985 and 1989) was used. Through this process it was also di scovered that the volume [email protected] number of the JOURNAL has been ICon-" for quite a number of yearsj beginning with this issue the www.jchs.org count has been reset to reflect the actual volume number. Luckily, with 43 years of publications only
© Copyright 2002 a couple of issues arc miss ing from the collection. CaU the Society's Archives if you'd like to help fill Jackson Coullty Historical Soci('ty in the mi ssing gaps. S p It N G 2 o o 2 • JCHS JOU It N A L • 3 From the Director's Chair By Jim Giles
In November my grandfather died ships in all, we embarked 0 11 0/11' way 10 community and was a friend to many. peacefully in a Veteran's Administration invade NorlbAJrim all O(lober 24,1942. And yet what remains for me to touch is hospital room in Indianapolis. It was not 11 look 26 days 011 Ihe 7.uale/: Dill' the Kinko's produced copy of his funeral sudden, but rather the result of a small ampbibiollS tmining was lested bere, as a homily and the excerpt from the veteran's stroke that capped off a difficult several very rougb landiug 'Was en(o unlered. Ro(ky magazine. months for a man that had lived a full 89 diJJs flnt! rougb 'lUflVeS were fl rcal (ballellge IvIy ignorance is interesting. On one years. and nji!7.u men dro7.ullcd. Enemy macbillc hand] never asked Illy grandfather to tell During the 34 years that I knew gllm 7./Jere ell(OIlIlft:rcd. 0111' (ompallY me abollt his past. But, on the other we him, this man had always seemed old. Commander 7.uas killedibe/irsl day, were told not to. Therein lies a struggle From Illy earliest memories, Grandpa, November 8,1942. 1 7./Jill always remember that while not as epic as the chi cken and whose reainame was Ernest Gordon Ibis day, as myjirsl SOli was born all tbal date. " the egg, begs the qucs tion - how then do Giles, or otherwise known as "pop" to we know history-if we do Il ot ask - fOllr sons, or to most, simply, Bud, he and if we do not tell. was old . He walked with a limp fi'om The responsibility of preserving arthritis and hvo hip replacements, had history lies with each of \I S. In a bald head, and somehow remembered talking with our f:1I1lily, Ollr neighbors, the owners and residents of every and our teachers, doors can be parcel of land in Boone County for opened and we call be regaled with the last 50 ycars- a feat I always the stories of the distant and not so thought to be am;lzing. These few distant past that may fascinate us - details I g leaned from Illy parents or challenge li S - and inspire us. And through eavesdropping at the dinner thcn in telling that same story again table (not to be confused with the and again we give that all back. evening meal served at the Recently I finished reading Tom grandparent's hOll se as "supper"). Brokaw's book, Tbe Grealesl Beyond these scattered bits, Generation, which tells the story of however, I honestly didn't know a men and women whose lives were great deal about large chunks of touched in every manner imaginable Grandpa's li fe. Sure we had the by W"VlI. From that reading I family genealogy from the last several 111 0ved Oil to one of Kansas City's generations that Illy grandmother favor ite sons, Ed IVlathellY's book, dutifully updated on her ancient Tbe Pursuit of A Ruptured Duck. Smith-Corona. A marriage here, a While I will never get to hear Illy new baby there and much to her grandfather tell me about his stories chagrin more divorces than she cared or the battles and hardsh ips he to acknowledge. But the stories that endured I know through the written made lip the man had always been word just a taste of what it meant to elusive. Emes! Gordon "Bud" Giles, circa 1941. others. At the funeral SCf\,jce in the small This is the mission of the Jackson town U ni ted lVl ethodist Church where An understanding wave engulfed County Historica l Society and within he had been a trustee (an ex ample of my liS, including myself, my father (that first these pages lies proof of its commitment spott), knowledge) a young student pastor son), my grandmother- his wife of 59 - stories about our county and its rich shared more about his life than many of years- and not to mention the hundreds and wonderful heritage. Stories about us, including immediate f:1mi ly, had ever gathered at the funeral whose lives he people and places that make it one of known. As she read a passage from a had touched. Here was a pi ece that the mos t exciting places in out' country. VFW boo k using my grandfather's own began to fill in the puzzle of how this And most of ali, stories that document words to describe his 48 months in an seemingly unimposing man could and make accessible history for all. I infantry division in World ,.val' II, I sat persevere and thrive while managing a challenge you today to read them, share wide eyed. small midwestern farm for over 60 years. them, and join us in making history. We H e had written the fo llowing: "Tbe He raised a family, participated in a large are .. .d edicated to the future of the past. Imgesl invasion force in hislO1Y was 11 0'7.1) extended one, dutifully f.1f1ned the land being assembled all along Ihe easl coasi. 300 and raised cattle, participated in his 4 • c H s J OU RNAL s p II. N G 2 o o 2 Jackson County, Missouri's I 75·Year History in a Nutshell By The Jackson County Historical Society The story of Jacks Oil COU llty starts with its northern boundary - the lvlissollri River. Before there were towns and cities, before there were streets and highways, there was the river, a broad, shallow ribbon winding through towering bluffs and wooded banks. The :Missollri River took travelers as fill' west as they could go by river passage - to what is now Jackson County. The river was a treacherous highway, fraught with snags and subj ect to fl oods. But it was the route of all travel and commerce in those days. It was a course traveled by Native Americans and newcomers alike, the conduit for the cxchtmge of goods, information and ideas. The 1827 log courthouse is still standing today at 107 West Kansas In the earliest days of our recorded in Independence, and is open to the public. For more information hi story, French trappers traveled the river, call Independence Tourism at 816.325.71 11. lea rning its secrcts from the Osage Indians who first called this land homc. door to white settlement. In 1819, Fort By the next year, Independence WilS In 1803, what is now Jackson Count)' Osage welcomed the first steamboat in established as the county seat.]n 1827, becamc United States territory, a part the region, the ''''estern Engineer. Traftic Independence was nothing more than a of the most advantageous real estate on the great muddy highway was about to f.1 l1 en tree near a popular spring. But in It transaction in history - the Louisiana explode. fcw ycars, its new entrepreneurs would Purchase. In 1821, the State ofNJissouri was become the premier outfitters for the Trail The nex t year, the Corps of Discovcry, admitted to the Union. That same year, trade. The glory days of! ndependence as led by lVlcriwethcr Lewis and William Francois Chouteau, a French fu r trader the C2!teen C ity of the Trails continued Clark, traveled upstream on the :to.1issouri from St. Louis, arrived in the region until 1844, when a flood destroyed its River to what is now Jackson County. In accompanied by his young wife Berenice. rive r landing. June of 1804, Lewis & C lark arrived at The C holltealls eventually built a fiu 'T'he stage was set for the town of the confluence of the l\IJissouri and trading empire on the banks of the river \¥estport to become the headquarters for Kansas Rivers. Captain Clark wrote in his in what is now Kansas City. Another travelers along the trails. Westport was journal that, "The country about the mouth event occurred in 1821 that would shape platted in 1835 by John Calvin M cCo),. of this river is very fine." ]n due time, his the history of this county: a bankrupt and Westport had its own landing on the opinion would be shared by the citizens of desperate man, \.villiam Becknell, made a l\1issouri River, connected to the town by Kansas C ity. FOllr yea rs later, Clark daring decision to save himself from a road that was later named Broadway. returned to what would become Jackson debtor's prison by embarking on a trading John Calvin l\IJcCoy was an industrious County, this time to build a fort in the expedition to the Spanish territorial mall . By 1838, he joined a group of other wilderness. Fort Osage would remain the capital of Santa Fe. Becknell's route was investors to purchase the f,'um of Gabriel westernmost presence of federal the Santa Fe Trail, which would become Prudhomme, lo cated on the south bank of government until 1818. It was at Fort the thoroughf:1re for international trade, the l\1issouri River near the C houteau Osage that the Osage Tribes lirst outfitted in Jackson County, for years to property. The investors paid 54220 for the relinquished their claims to their ancestral come. land, which IvIcCoy named the Town of lands west of the Mississippi, bringing an O n December 15, 1826, the Missouri Kansas. In 1850, township government end to their sovereignty and opening the General Assembly organized Jackson was es tablished for the Town of Kansas, County. which covered 352 acres and had a S P R N G 2 0 0 2 • J C H S JOURNAL • 5
short-livcd Confcdcl';lte domination in Jackson County. IVli ssouri remained a union state throughout the war, however, and was occupied by the Union Army. In Jackson County, the war tore families and friends apart. In 1863, Brigadier General Ewing signed General Order No. 11, requiring all persons living along the state line between th e lVlissouri and the Osage Rivers to leave their homes. The enforcement of Order No. 11 resu lted in terrible hardships for the people of Jackso n Count)'. Independence artist George Caleb Bingham captured their misery on canvas. In 1864, the Union and Confederate Armies met again on the battlefield, this time in the Battle of Westport. The Union Army won From Main Street it's a charming Federal-style house in 'ndependence, Missouri; the the battle, but 3000 soldiers lost their former hOl11e a succession of county marshals and their families from 1859-1933, But lives. Il)' 1865, the Civil War ca me to an what do you think awaits you out back? Dungeon-like cells and leg chains are just end. Jac kson Countians, and the rest of four feet away from the marshal's family living quarters,
population of 150. Ill' 1857, the Cit)' Council beg.1I1 leasing space on the IvIarket Square of what is now the Cit}' rVlarkct. This place has bee n lI sed continuously as a public market ever si nce. In 1859, back in Independence, construction was completed on the new Jackson Count)' Jail and IVlarshal's Home. About the same time the jail opened for business. hostilities between free state :lIld pro-slavery forces were rcaching a boiling point. In 1854, Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which opened Kansas Territory to se ttlement. The act provided for popular sove reignty to determine th e isslIe of slavery, setting the stage for bloody border conflicts between pro-slavery Missourians and anti-slavery settlers movin g into Kansas Territory. In 1861, the Civi l W ar began. In 1862, the Ilattles oflndependence and Lone Jack both ended in Confederate victories and
The Cathedral of the 'mmaculate Conception is currently undergoing a rnajor restoration. While the interiors will not be replicated exactly, historic preservationists are trying to recover some of the flavor that was stripped during a mid-20th Century "modernization." 6 J C H S OURNAL S P R N G 2 0 0 2
the country, started the terrible task of the shape of entrenched segregation speakeasies, nightclubs and dance halls rebuilding their lives and the Union. following the Civil War. Racial were doing business in Kansas City. Following the Civil War, Jackson segregation was a fa ct of life in Kansas The 1920s were remarkable for other County went on a building spree: Kansas City by the end of the 19th Century. By reasons as well: Walt Disney, a young mall City's Jewish community organized the 1920, the African-American population with a big imagination from lviarceline, city's first synagogue, Temple B'Nnai was confined to an area bounded by 9th i\1issouri, opened his Laugh-O-Gram Jehuda. Construction started on the Street, Prospect, 27th Street, and Troost. Studios all 31st Street. A n1 0use in stockyards in the West Bottoms. Union Its cOlnmercial center became the residence there would later be named Depot, also in the West Bottoms, was legendary intersection of 18th and Vine. Mickey. Architect Nelle Peters designed completed. Construction began on the The beginning of the 20th Century elegant apartment buildings surrounding Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception marked the beginnings of the careers of the Country Club Plaza, turning it into a at 11th and Broadway. The New York three men whose impact upon Kansas high-density residential area as well as a Life Building, the city's first skyscraper, City was enormous. j.C. Nichols got his shopping destination. Nell Donnelly opened at 20 W. 9th Street. The Vaile start in real estate in 1903 selling houses turned her talent with a needle into a Mansion was built in Independence. in Kansas City, Kansas. By 1922,J,C. multi-million dollar industry headquartered And, most important of aU, the Hannibal Nichols was announcing plans for the in Kansas City's garment district. The & St. Joseph Railroad hired Paris- born Country Club Plaza, following the Negro National League was organized at engineer Octave Chanute to build the construction of neighborhoods so well the Paseo branch of the YMCA, givi ng H annibal Bridge across the fvlissouri designed that they remain to this day birth to the Kansas City IVIonarchs, whose River at the Town of Kansas. ln 1889, some of the best examples of American roster included baseball legends Satchel the community that had started life as urban planning. ln 1910, Joyce Hall was Paige, Jackie Robinson, and Buck O'Neil. the Town of Kansas officially became selling postcards out of hi s room at the The golden age of the 1920s came to "Kansas City." downtown YMCA. By 1922, hi s postcard an end in 1929 when the stock market business had evolved into a major crashed and the nation was plunged into enterprise that would eventually become the Great Depress ion. Jackson County, the industry leader known as Hallmark however, fa red better than many places, Cards. Tom Pendergast was elected the res ult of Tom Pendergast's poli tical Jackson County lVlarshal in 1903. ln creativity and the willingness of Jackson 1910, Pendergast was elected to the Countians to pass a 550 million dollar Kansas City Council. By 1922, having "ten yea r plan" for public improvements established himself as the kingpin of the which provided thousands of jobs. It was Democratic Party in Jackson County, during this remarkable era of public Pendergast endorsed a you ng, building that Presiding Judge Harry S. unsuccessful businessman named Harry S Truman orchestrated the reconstruction of Truman for the position of Eastern Judge the Jackson County Courthouse in of the Jackson County Court. ] ndependence. In 1914, hos tilities broke out in The Pendergast Era was known for Europe that would eventually affect many things, including graft and American lives: The Great \!\far. It was corruption, but it did result in a level of The Vaile Mansion in Independence during the World War 1 era that Kansas prosperity for Jackso n County that was is one of many residential properties City acquired many of its most enduring unheard of throughout much of the that exemplify the prosperity of landmarks: Union Station at 23rd and country. People could fllld work here, Jackson County in the last quarter of the 19th Century. l\1ain Streets opened its doors. The statue including mu sicia ns. During the 1930s, called "The Scout" was installed in Penn the best musicians in the country came ]n 1907, one and one-quarter million Valley Park and following World War 1, to Kansas City because they could work immigrants entered the United States, the Liberty Nlemorial was constructed to here. Count Basie took over Bcnnie thousa nd s of them arriving in Jackson honor America's fa llen soldiers. Nloten's band, after Moten died during County. There was a dark side to the The end of World War I brought minor surgery. Julia Lee's carecr took off progress of the growi ng population of the Prohibition and women's suffrage in 1920. like a rocket and Mary Lou Williams was region, however: The social norms that The era of flappers and speakeasies had one of the best piano players in the had their roots in the antebellum era took begun. By the mid-1920s, over 150 business. Pete Johnson played piano for S I' R N G 2 002 C H S JOURNAL • 7
Big Joe Turner, the blues shouter whose Soldiers came home to start farnilies. company left town in 1966, bringing an raUCOll S style eventually gave birth to rock They moved by the thousands into new end to the region's meat packing industry. and roll. By the end of the decade, Jay homes financed by federal programs that And the Emery Bird Thayer Department McShann had his own band which came along with the emerging interstate store closed, succumbing to rapidly to include a young sa.x player named highway system, started the trend toward changing demographic patterns. The Charli e Parker. suburban sprawl that con tinues today. The 1970s saw the completion of the Truman Sports Complex and the death of its namesake, I-larry S Truman, in 1972. By the last two decades of the 20th Century, the local political scene becarne more diverse: Barbara Potts of Independence was elected the first wom an mayor in the region.]n 1991, Emanuel Cleaver became the first African American mayor of Kansas City and in 1998, Ka), Barnes was elected the first woman mayor of Kansas City. In the past 175 years, Jackson County has evolved from a wilderness on the edge A soup line at the northeast corner of 6th and Delaware Street in of the Amel'iciUl frontier to the heart of a Kansas City, Missouri. rnajor metropolitan region, In those years, And it was in the 1930s that the newly Civil Rights wlovement started to gain Jackson County has borne witness to many opened Nelson Atkins rvluseulll of Art momentum, its progress diligently of the defining moments of American was one of the few museums in the country reported b), the Kansas City Call, headed history, and in the process, has met that had an}' money to buy art, resulting by Lucile Bluford, its long-time editor. challenges with strength and ingenuity. in one of the finest collecti ons in the The 1960s brought the Kansas Cit)' Now, Jackson County has country. Chiefs and the Kansas Cit)' Royals to contemporary challenges to address: In 1934, Harry S Truman was elected town. But the Armour meat paclcing concentrated poverty in our urban areas; to the United States Senate. By the end of chronic problems in the cou nty's largest the decade his political ally Tom Pendergast school district and, suburban sprawl. The pled gui lty to income ta.x evasion and was year 2001 brought a new century, a new imprisoned. The Pendergast Era had come millennium and a new era in American to an end. hi story, following the harrowing events of B)' 1941, the United States had September 11. The challenges that f.,ce us entered World War II. In 1944, President nO\v ",ill cltart the course of ollr future, Franklin Deillno Roosevelt chose Truman The way we llleet those chall enges today as his running mate, and they won an will determine how we arc judged 175 overwhelming presidential victory. But years from now. I President Roosevelt would die only 82 Help support the work of the Jackso n days into his fourth term. Truman became COUllt)' Historical Society. Become a /, the 33rd president of the United States on member. l\1ake ;\ donation. Attend Society Apri112,1945. P residclltTruman inherited sponso red events and functions. Consider the task of steering the country through a bequest when estate planning. r the final da),s ofWW1I.ln 1948, he was Volunteer. Write for the JOURNAL. elected to the presid ency, in spite of The li st of wa),s ),ou can help are endless. predictions to the COlltl'My. The end of Thank you in advance. World War II changed ever),thing, both Emery Birth Thayer Dry Goods Company, here in Jackso n County and throughout as seen from this image taken at 11th More information is available at the country. and Grand Avenue. Some relics from the the Jackson County Historical T he old days were ove r and the old department store have been adapted Society's website: www.jchs.org. for reuse at the EBT Restaurant at 1·435 modern era had begull. and State Line. 8 • C H 5 OURNAL S P R N G 2 0 0 2 Jackson County's 1 75 Legacy List
The Legacy List is one attempt to Jane Flynn John Sappington rai se an awareness of the importance of Chester A. Franklin Roger T. Sermon documenting our own individual \il/illiam Frick General Joseph Shelby 1826·2001 contributions to American history. The Harold Fridkin Laurence Sickman 175 people selected symbolize the spirit John Gage Franklin Smith and initiative in everyone of us. Dorothy Gallagher Jedediah Smith Honorees come from across the Arthur Bryant & George Gates Joseph Smith, III spectrum of human experience and William Gilpin Tohn Southern include people who have contributed to David Glass Richard Stern education, philanthroPYI government and Rabbi Simon Glazer Clara & Russe ll Stover politics, religion, business, comrnunity Richard & Robert Green James & Virginia Stowers activism, health care, culture and sports, Josiah Gregg IVlarilyn Strauss 'T'hey represent men and women of many John A. Gunn Lt. Nick Thompso n races and ethnicity who resided in all Joyce, Don & Adele Hall rVlilton Thompson corners of our county. Some were earl)' Barnett & Shirley Hclzberg Calvin Trillin settlers, and others arc alive and Edwin A. Hickman Harry S Truman contributi ng today. Kenneth C. Hill Samuel & Robert Weston Our Autumn 2001 JOURNAL went Laura Rollins Hockaday Stuart Whitney to press before the list was fina lized and Samuel U. Rodgers & Mamie Hughes Claude "Fiddler" Williams we were only able to print the first 75 families Willard Winner honorees. We are proud to present the Lamar Hu nt Herbert Woolf & Gertrude \il/oolf remaining honorees below. For an official Herman & Dorothy John son Leighton listing, visit the Society's Archives, or log Harvey Jones John B. Wornall onto the County's webs ite at Sybil Kahn James B. Yager www. co.jackson.lllo.us Kansas City Chiefs 1969 Super Bowl team Jenny Yingling William 1; James & Crosby Kemper Daniel & Rosanah Yoachulll Robert Altman George Lehr Hiram Young John Anderson Nathaniel Lewis Mary Atkins Bi shop Thomas Fra ncis Lillis H . Roe Bartle VVilliam Wallace Livesay Myra Morgan & Dick Belger Alexander iVJajors Dr. John B. Bisceglia AI Mauro Lawrence Blanicnship, Sr. Claire McCaskill Ri chard & Henry Bloch Isaac &John Calvin McCoy Bobby Jo Blue, Sr. William lvlcCoy Alvin Brooking Tom McDonnell Alvin Brooks Patricia Mcilrath Frank Brooks Jay M cS hann Benjamin Bu ckner Annette IVlorgan Sir Carl Busch Frank l\IJorgan William Miles Chick Ernest Newcomb Joel C hiles Samuel C. Owens Emanuel Cleaver, II Satchel Paige Harrison Corneliu s Charlie Parker Berna rd & Tom Corrigan Mary Paxton Keeley Steve Rose &Jack Craft Tom Pendergast Leon Jordan, Harold Holiday Sr. & Nelle Nichols Peters Fred Curtis William Phelps L. F. P. Curry Barbara J. Potts Louis Curtiss \~Iill jam Ray Ilu s Davis James A. Reed Nell (Ellen Q;linlan) Donnelly-Reed lvlamlcl & Clara Reyes William Dunn, Sr. f.1mily Mary Rockwell Hook VVarham & Stephen Easley Rudy Roper Tiera Farrow Royals 1985 World Series champ ions s p L N G 2 0 0 2 • C H S OUR.NAL • 9
~inding the Clock: Time Keeps Ticking for Jac ~son County's Two 19th Century Courthouses By J. Bradley Pace
Ivlore t:1 =--an one third of"Missouri's exception ra ther than the 14 counties are governed by courthouses rule. With proper res toration I CC 100 yea..-=-== s old. While some have been efforts, many old courthouses :tcnsively r built or remodeled. others can continue in their lve change. =- little with the passage of originally intended role. 11C. These c . Id buildings arc dinosaurs \,yhere it is deemed ) 111 anothe x:::-- age, but still manage to impractical for the building pture the ~ - ' .Iblic's imagi nation and to function as a hall of fection. V\..T .I:::: lell flcst built many were the justice, the structure ca n ost archite... turaUy significant build ing in continuc to serve its county eir COli n tyy ...... nd some remain so stil l. in other ways. The formc( leir mode .r- ::::-.::: I replacements clearly have a M cDonnell Coun ty ugh act to _ o ll ow. courthouse has been used as From an engraving ]n the L ~ th century lVlissourialls an extension facility for the around 1846. ?ically Sp e L =--t most of their Lives wi thin University of IVl issouri ane! chimneys and a puncheon floor- logs Lincoln University. Phelps County's Civil !ir county" imits. An in1posing with one side hewn smooth-appears to c War-era building has been used as office urthOlls vo..... _ - - as a source of pride, and was have been completed by 1828. It is said nsidered a ~ymbol of the greatness of space. that at the time of its construction it was ! county. ~ ""Sl S a res ult these buildings Jackson County has the rare the last county courthouse between rc con stl"LI... __ ted with something more in distinction of claimi ng not just one, but lne!ependence and the PacifiC Ocean! two surviving 19th ce ntury courthouses. nd than ~ ~ re fun ctionality. IVIany Although serving only briefly as a asted elab .. rate stonework, arches, Therc can be no doubt that they are today courthouse, this Utemporary" structure has rets or ev~ 1 statuary. For counties that arnong the county's most tangible links hild many uses through the years, lId affo r d t, a central tower, sometimes with its past. The first meeting of a including that of a private home. In thc turing a ~c k, was a popular Jackson County Court occurred in a 1920's and 30's it housed the headquarters llitectul·a.l ~ Iemcnt . private home on Ivhy 21,1827, in of the Community \,yelfare League, with Mter t~ --ore than 100 years of quiet ]ndependence. Soon thereafter bids were Bess T ru man servi ng as honorary vice vice, Mis s 'Uri's survivi ng 19th century requested for construction of a temporary chairman. It was donated to the city of Ir thouses ______-emain central fih'1lres in the log courthouse. The court appropriated Independence in 1916 by Christian Ott, of th eir c=: >un ties. ' '''hile some have $175, but accepted the low bid ofS150 Jr., Mayor. The building originally stood n lovin gl~ re stored, others have been from Daniel Lewis. Construction of the at the southeast corner of Lex ington and aced by a.&: ~ architectural hodgepodge of two-room log house featuring two rock Lynn, but was moved in 1916 to its ~es s ivc t'e x: :::::a.::lOdclings. NIaIlY face an current locati on at 107 W . Kansas, in ertain fu t: Ire. The plight of the ] ndcpendence. !Ten Cou --== =-ty courthouse is illustrative. Construction of a more permanent s grand b lilding was constructed in brick and stone courthouse began in 0, and "\IV __ :s added to the National 1827, and was completed in 1831. The ;ister of I istoric places in 1972. ] 11 the available records indica te that this O's the b l =-- ::::ilding beca me threatened by building was troubled by ma intenance 1 mainte L ance costs and expenses problems from the start. T he strucnlre ·ciated vv~ .-::h certain modifications was 1I0t a success and the court ordered ldated b the Americans with construction of a new build ing in 1836. "biJities L ct. Ultimately the cou nty This 1836 work has had a long, complex An image of the 1827 log courthouse lled the 1. loming expenses to be and proud history, and sti ll sta nds today libitive, f" large part of the cou nty's before it was moved from its original site, and the w eatherboarding was on the ]ndependence square. Originally it tage was ost when on June 20, 1995 re moved. An image of the structure after was two storied, brick and with chimneys ::ourthOLL e was demolished. it was relocated and clapboards were at its four corners. A cupola was added in Fortu n a... ely, the Warren County removed is pictured in a preceding story approximately 1846. The whole building :rience 1"'1. s in rece nt years been the of this JOURNAL. o • C H S JOURNAL S I' R N G 2 0 0 2
was remodeled in 1848 in a forth to conquer the perils of the colonial style. It was Oregon, California, and Santa Fe Trails. enlarged in 1873, with the Soldiers have marched from its cupola being replaced by a protecting shadow to defend the ca use square tower topped by a ofj usti ce in ever), martial conflict. rounded clock tower and spire. The courthouse was 'I'he courthouse stands today in new again changed in 1887 dignity, ready to meet the challenge of when a we st annex was another century with assurance, born of added. Not content with its hi story of f.1ithful serviceto a mighty these many changes, in people. 1907 the clock tower was squared, and the spire The grounds include several items of removed. interest including a statue of Andrew The building was Jackson on horseback, for whom Jackson The only known image of the 1848 remodeling of the remodeled yet again in County is named. The base of the statue courthouse in Independence. 1933 under the leadership of contains the inscription "This Statue the then Presiding Judge Presented to the People of Jackson Harry S. Trurnan. A bond issue raised the County by Harr), S. Truman, President of impressive slim of 5200,000 for the the United States 1949". The opposite needed modifications. This was the first end of the courthouse boasts a statue of ever Jackson County bond issue Jackson County's most f.'unous and earmarked for courtll ouse pllrposcs. celebrated son himself, Harry S. Truman. D uring the remodeling, COllrt sessions The statue was dedicated on May 8, 1976 were relocated to the 1828 log building, by President Gerald R. Ford, in the which had been restored in 1916. The presence of .Mrs. Ivlargaret Truman Daniel. end-result of this 1933 remodeling is a Other items on the lawn include a stone pleasing and elegant structure inspired by marker honoring Jackson Coullty pioneers, Independence Hall and resembling a as well as a marker for the Santa Fe and Colonial Virginia mcet.inghouse. Oregon Trails. C lockworks operated minute and hour Over the years many politicians, hands on each of four sides of a newly including several U.S. Presidents, have constructed copula. Teenagers in the traveled to this historic landmark to 1930s through 1960s who cruised around politic, announce public policy, and pay the Square were said to be "winding the homage to President Truman. No doubt As the courthouse appeared with the clock. " Above the east and west entrances this tradition will continue as long as the square tower topped by a rounded are reliefs in stone of an American eagle bu ilding stands. clock tower and spire, before the surrounded by a symbolic wreath of Now that the courthouse is no longer west annex was added. victory and progress. The seal of the state lIsed as a hall ofju stice, a snldy was rece ntly of Missouri can be found above the north completed to evaluate its possible role as a tl portico, and the seal of Jackson County visitor orientation center (fC VOC ) . It has above the south portico. Although the been sa id by travel expert Arthur Frommer building has been subject to many that, «Tourism does not go to a city that changes since 1836, parts of the original has lost its souL" The Square-and the structure are still visible in the sccond courthouse in particular-are certainly a floor courtroom and in the attic. A large big part of the soul ofIndependence and marble panel near the building's south Jackson County. entrance includes these words written at In this new role the building could the time of the 1933 remodeling: serve Jackso n Count)' into the new millennium by attracting and promoting Before this structure time has unfolded tourism. It would anchor the A view of the Jackson County courthouse a panorama of historical significance. redevelopment of the] ndependencc revealing the structure after it. 1907 Indians have camped in its vicinity. square. A kios k would be located in the remodeling. Pioneers have left its doorway and se t courthouse to provide information and to S P R N G 2 0 0 2 } C H S OURNAL 1
sell tickets to area historic sites. The cost operated by the Heritage Programs of the J Bradley Pace is the current to establish the VOC would be paid in Jackson Count)' Parks and Recreation President of the Jackson County part by a recently approved increase (from Dcpartment. Historical Society. His initial 596 to 6.5%) in the guest tax for \"'hile consideration for the VOC involvement was with the Society's Independence. This tax is charged to proceeds, attention is now being paid to Young Historian group. In 2000 Pace anyone staying at a hotel, motel, bed and the building's aged condition. In 2000 the published Survivors: A Calalog of breakfast Of campground. Expenses might Jackson County Legislature appropriated Missouri's Remaining 19th Centmy also be offset in part through rental of 5500,000, and the Missouri General County Cour/homes, available for office space in the building. The County, Assembly awarded the cou nty a matching research at the Historical Society's or its designated representative, would grant of Sl million to help begin Research Library. Pace practices law continue to own the building. Funds restoration work. Those funds will be in Prairie Village, Kansas. would need to be raised to renovate the added to another 5500,000 the legislature building before proposed tenants could aUocated in May of this year. The National Notes on Sources rnove in. The City of Independence Parks Service is seeking an additional 52 City of Independence Tourism Tourism Department, the Visitor million. Plans arc being made for the Department, Visitor Orientation Center Orientation Center, and National Park stabilization of the structure. Step one of Development Sirategy, (lVluseum Service have all indicated interest in this stabilization task involves waterproofing. Nlanagemcnt Consultants, Inc., The sharing space in the building along with Repairs wi ll need to be made to the roof, Portico Group and MK the Jackson County Historical Society windows, foundation and interior walls. Communications, AUhllnn, 2000). and the historic Truman Courtroom Recent examination has revealed that the Dedication ojj(lcksoll COUfl/Y shingle roof applied sometime during the Courthome, Official Program, 1970s was actually nailed on top of the 7Sept1933, Independence, Mo., pre-existing slate roof Both of these laycrs compliments of Blevins Davis. will need to be removed before the roof Historic markers on and around can be reinforced to meet current codes the Independence Courthouse Square. and a new slate roof is installed. The ludepcudclue Examiner, "Guest Tax bidding process for this project is complete, Hike Seen as Boost for Tourism," and actual roof work has just begun at the 4Jan2002. time this article is going to print. Independence Examiner, "City Additional funds wiU be needed over From a similar vantage point a quarter Guest Tax Increase Passes," 6Feb2002. the next several years for full restoration of century later, the Jackson County Kansas Cit)' Star, "Visitor Center the struchlre. Total costs could exceed 510 courthouse as it appeared during Gets a Push," Neighborhood News million. A non-profit entity to oversee a renovation on April 3, 1933. section, Independence and Raytown, professionally run capital campaign is a 25Ju12001, p. 4. viable option. Current restoration designs Kamas City Star, «Repair \"'ork to contemplate not only full waterproofing, Start Soon 011 Historic Area but also landscaping and compliance with Courthouse," 231v1ay2001, p. B4. the Americans \i\1ith Disabilities Act. Kamas City Star, "Landmarks Although many hurdles must be overcome Could Get Renovations," before these plans become a reality, the Neighborhood News section, Lee's courthouse has faced challenges before. Summit, 171Vlar2001, p. 20. From the Civil War to the Great Ohman, Nlarian 1\1. Encyclopedia oj' Depression, to urban renewal-it is nothing Nlissollri Courthouses. (Columbia, 1,,10.: if not a survivor. Univ. ofNIo.-Columbia Extension While a future role fo r the 1836 Office, 1981). Jackson County courthouse is still evolving, State Historical Society of its central place in county history is clear. l\1issouri. NJissoliri His/oriml Re·vie'lu A vibrant Independence Square Preserving this building for generations to (October 1964), Vol. 64, inside back necessitated parking on both sides of the come is more than just saving an impressive cover. street around the block. Future old structure. It means protecting and Webb, W. L. Celilelillial HislOlY of renovation plans include removing a honoring a tangible link with our heritage. retaining wall added during urban Ilidependence, 1927, p. 64. renewal, which is contributing to the More information is available at deterioration of the building's the Jackson County Historical foundations. Society's website: www.jchs.org. 2 • C H S OURNAL S r R N G 2 0 0 2 Field to Factory: The Great Migration of Post·Civii War American Blacks by Dan Dillon
President Abraham Lincoln, in his and further legitimized all sorts of afford to buy a home or the land on Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, discriminatory practices against blacks. A which they worked; most worked as 1863, declared "that all persons held as New Orleans newspaper published shortly sharecroppers or rented small pieces of slaves ...shall be henceforward and forever after the emancipation of slaves noted land to farm. \iVithout land of their own, frcc." Despite the promise inherent in that blacks were now allowed on the blacks generally fell into debt, and their Lincoln's words, however, the civil, social, streets only one hour later than they had landlords often purposely misreported the and economic situations ofV.S. blacks been under slavery. "This additional hour profits from their crops to swindle black improved little after the end of the U.S. is the fruit of the victories in the field," sharecroppers. Civil War in 1865. wrote the editor. "Four years of a bloody What began as a trickle of migration vVhile some significant advances for war have been fought to gain that one during the Reconstruction era became a black people were achieved in the hour." flood in the early twentieth century as aftermath of emancipation in the areas of The enforcement of federal civil blacks from the rural South flocked to the education, law, access to medicine and to rights edicts by Union occupying forces in industrial cities of the North seeking politics, the vast majority of southern the early years of Reconstruction helped higher wages, better homes, and greater blacks ren1ainccl impoverished, and often blacks make strides toward political rights. As the result of countless reliant upon their white former rnasters enfranchisement and overcome the individual decisions to leave an old life for work. To ensure that blacks remained restrictions imposed by the black codes. behind, hundreds of thousands of blacks in a position of economic and social IVIany blacks attained positions of made the journey northward in the «Great inferiority during the Reconstruction era considerable influence. There were sixteen lVligration," as it came to be called. of the late nineteenth ccnttlry, many black men in the United States Congress In the early part of the twentieth former Confederate states passed laws between 1869 and 1880, two of them centtlfY, movement of blacks to the North known as black codes, severely restricting senators. South Carolina had two black reached a peak. Thousands left the South, the ability of African-Americans to enjoy lieutenant governors during that period, many fleeing not only sharecropping and their newly gained liberty. Louisiana had three, and Mississippi had poor economic conditions, but also Black codes varied from state to state one. Educational opportunities, which lynching. World War I (1914-18) caused but generally included ordinances that had been forbidden by law for blacks in a labor shortage in northern industries, so barred blacks from any occupation other the South, became a primary goal for factory owners sent representatives south than agricultt'fallaborer. The codes most freed slaves. Schools were to recruit black workers. High salaries restricted land owncrship for blacks, established all over the South with were promised and one-way tmin tickets required a black worker to obtain his substantial help fi-om the Freedmen's to the North were frequently given away. cmployer's pcnnission to travel on his Bureau, an assistance organization set up Two nattlfal disasters, the Southern floods own, and imposed curfews for blacks. by Union occupying forces. About 2,000 of 1915 and infestation by the boll Black codes gradually evolved into Jim schools for former slaves were opened in weevil-a beetle that lays eggs in cotton Crow laws, which effectively broadened the South shortly after the war. Black pods called "bolls"-also prompted shldents of all ages freedmen to head north. became literate by Tbe Call, the Kansas City newspaper studying in simple founded and published in 1919 by black classroom buildings printer Chester A. Franklin, helped they built enfranchise black people who had themselves. migrated to rVlissouri and Kansas looking But to many for work. 'I'he newspaper urged the blacks, unable to communit), to be politically empowered improve their and to speak out on issues affecting the conditions much in welfare of blacks, and it lead campaigns the South, the against lynching, the Ku Klux Klan, and North, though little police brutality. It also fought against understood, seemed segregation and discrimination in a promised land. education, housing, employment and the Emigrants waiting fo r a Mississippi River boat to take them Few blacks in the use of public hlCilities. Other black-run north. Photo courtesy the Library of Congress. South were able to newspapers emerged in industrial centers S P R N G 2 0 0 2 C H S OURNAL • 1 3 across the northern United States during were routinely denied membership in newly formed churches, A new urban black the early 20th century, including the unions and were therefore locked Ollt of culture began to emerge and prosper with Chicago DejelldeJ; Indianapolis Recort/e.!; many of the benefits gained through its own literature, art, and music, reaching Michigan Chronicle, Nlinneapo/is collective bargaining. 'I\Tith few options, its zenith in the Harlem Renaissance of Spokesman, Amsterdam NC'WJ (New York blacks turned to emplo),lnent as domestics the 1920s. C ity), The Call alld Post (Cleveland), The or to jobs in service industries working as Blacks who made the decision to be Toledo jourual, The Pittshurgh Com"jet; The streetcar conductors and doormen. a part of the Great l\1igration during the Afi"o-American (Baltimore), NJihuflukee Wages were higher in the North than first half of the 20th century generally COl/riel; B'!Oa/o Criterion, and numerous in the South, but the cost of living was also considered themselves better off for others. These newspapers often carried greater. I-Ionsing was difficult to secure, having made that decision. Even though ads soliciting workers from the South. An being expensive and scarce. In many cities the work they could get often was excerpt from one such ad that ran in the not enough new hOllsing was constructed meager, living conditions were cramped, Chicago Defender said: flMouldcrs wanted to accommodate the influx of black and many social conditions were - No Fee charged - Good pay, Good migrants, so it became common for unfamiliar and difficult, blacks felt more Working Conditions. Firms Supply migrants to live as boarders. With the a viable part of society, more enfranchised Cottages for Married Men. Apply T.L. demand for accommodation f.1r outpacing und contributory. Feelings of loneliness Jefferson, 3439 State Street." the supply, residential rents increased and isolation persisted among countless Blacks who were able to leave the considerably. Because of these high rents, black migrants, but so did the South, not to mention their families, perhaps hoping to churches, and communities, scldorn found profit from the the utopian conditions in the North the), migration wave or expected. Many did not have the skills perhaps more required for factory jobs, and those who altruistically did gain employment often worked long motivated to help hOllrs on dangerous equipment. Workers others in need and in most factories were unionized, and give them a toehold blacks often had to choose whether to in a new society, a work as scabs when white workers went majority of blacks on strike. Once a strike was settled black in many northern workers generally were abruptly laid oft: cities adapted theil' This cycle gave rise to seriolls tension lifestyles and between predominantly white union converted their Blacks left the rural South in increasing numbers after members and black independents. Blacks homes into boarding the Reconstruction era in search of opportunities in hOllses. industrial cities of the North. In 1919, race riots broke out in Chicago. Detroit determination to search for a better way experienced the same conflict in 1925. As shared with others who had also striven time wore on, various new forms of for a frcsh start in the North. discrimination emerged. Housing in cities j\IIorc information is available at the became formally segregated as a result of Jackson County Historical Society's whites instihlting restrictive covenants in wcbsite: www.jchs.org. sales contracts and leases to keep blacks Ollt of certain neighborhoods. Dan Dillon is A ssociate Director D espite such practices, by the 1920s, of Education and Outreach at many U.S. blacks were moving ahead in lVlissoul'i Repertory Theatre. This politics, business, and education. In 1928, article is reprinted with permiss ion O scar De Priest was elec ted to the U.S. frorn the theatre's program for Jot! House of Representatives from Illinois. Turner's Comc find Gone by August IVlan), blacks who had migrated were \"'ilson. For more information about earning more money than they ever had Kansas City's Missouri Repertory before. Increasing numbers of black Theatre, including the 2002-03 season Chester Arthur Franklin founded The Call schoolchildren were completing high schedulc, please visit their website at in May 1919. He owned and operated school, and black-owned businesses \vww.lVJi ssouriRepertoryTheatre.org. the Kansas City newspaper until his prospered. New communities were death an May 7, 1955. Photo courtesy Ticket information is available by the Black Archives of Mid·America. establi shed through fmternities, clubs, and calling 816-235-2700. 1 4 • J C H S OURNAL S r R N G 2 0 0 2
The II American R.E.s": Kansas City's Railway Engineers in the Great War By Roger D. Cunningham
During the First World War almost The Twelfth Engineers comprised was expected "to fill the ranks quickly." fouf million men served in the U.S. Army, about 1,000 officers and men in a The officer-in-charge of the recruiting
and about half of them deployed to headquarters and two battalions, each was Captain PaullV1cGeehanl a 44 year France with the Ameri can Expeditionary with three companies (lettered from A to old civil engineer. He was with the Force (AEF). Among the first American F). Except for Colonel Townsend and his railway valuation department of the troops to journey overseas was a company adjutant, the unit's officers were mainly Interstate Commerce Commission, and of railway engineers recfuited in Kansas civilian engineers from the OElicers' later recalled, "Altogether we sorted ou t City - Company D, Twelfth Engineers Reserve Corps, and the enlisted men were the best of the many that oflered themselves, (Light Railway) - which served with both recruited from the railroads that entered until we had about 300 picked men." the British and American Expeditionary St. Louis from the south and southwest. Kansas City's "picked men" were Forces. This is the story of Company D's These men represe nted almost forty directed to report for active duty at the St. experiences "Over There." different occupations, the five most Louis Custom House in early July. From The European Powers had been common being brakemen, laborers, there they proceeded to Camp Gaillard, fighting for almost three years before the conductors and locomotive engineers and which was located on the grounds of the Twelfth Engineers was organized. By the firemen. They were eventually di stributed Chain of Rocks Water Works, on the time the United States declared war on among the six companies based upon west bank of the Mississippi River,just Germany in April 1917, the belligerents their skills, so that each unit had roughly north of St. Louis. At this camp the on both sides had long since realized that the same capabilities. recruits wcre housed on fourteen roads alone could not handle the On lVIay 7, the Twelfth's recruiting Government C2!.mrter noats, which tremendous volume of troops and supplies oftlces opened in St. Louis, and two days reportedly provided "very co mfortable and that had to be moved from standard later in Kansas City. The latter site's thoroughly satisfactory accommodations." gauge railheads to the units occupying the recruiting took place at the Sheidley Company D, commanded by line of fortified trenches running from the Building (Ninth and lVlain) and attracted Captain lVIcGeehan, was the last of the English Channel to Switzerland - the railroad men from Kansas, lVli ssouri, six companies to be mobilized at Camp Western Front. Light rai lways, Nebraska, New Ivlexico and Oklahoma. Gaillard. In order to make the transition supplemented by even narrower gauge Tbe KflllSfIS City Post reported that men to military life as easy as possible for the tramways, were adopted to ease this behveen the ages of eighteen and forty unies 164 men, passes were "freely given," situation, and shortly after the American five were being accepted Uwith the few restrictions were laid down, and drill declaration of war, British and French understanding that they are to be the first periods were short. Although the parade co mmiss ions arrived in Washington and to go to the war zone." This in ce ntive ground had recently been flooded, the stated that their most pressing immediate need was for engineer units to build and .\ '~ maintain railway lines. ft. lvr . ~ ~. "( ,It\":~ ·I.1..Slr \· ' ' The vVar Department responded •• ' ...... tI quickly to the Anglo-French request, and k'mW >fl.l)~ .' (ilA~I)' . in IVlay it directed that nine railway , I' ., i~._; engineer regiments be organized in major ., cities from Boston to Sail Francisco. " • YOUil "';1,f11Il: '"I Nfa i~1'J\)~'l'I!Jt~:-: .\ Itl') Colonel Curtis R. Townse nd, a regular army engineer officer serving as the . • t 1l1!)!i".' " No, .. ,. ... .:I.. q. president of the rVIississippi River ". . Commission in St. Louis, was tasked by , the '¥ar Department to organize and • command a regiment that was at first ."UtST, ,. S ...., 'TUW . " called the Second Reserve Engineers, ,. I before being designated the Twelfth Engineers (Railway) and finally the Members of the Twelfth Engineers were issued these cards when they sailed T\velfth Engineers (Light Railway) . to England on R.M.S. (Royal Mail Ship) Carmania in the summer of 1917, Image caurtesy Roger Cunningham. S P R N G 2 0 0 2 • C H S OURNAL • 1 5 sanitary conditions and health of the first American units to be shipped to had begun the war as an armed merchant camp were exccUcnt. Europe. Six of these regiments would cruiser. The Carmrwia reached Halifax 0 11 After a few weeks of basic training arrive in France before the first America n July 30 and awaited the formation of a with outdated arms and equipment, the combat division was completely deployed, convoy to cross the North Atlantic. Two reg iment received orders to proceed and all of them would be there before the days later it joined three other troop ships overseas. Because of the pressing British end of August. and a British cruise r and sailed for and French requirements for perso nnel to On July 26, the Twelfth's men rode England. When the convoy reached the build and operate their military railways three trains to Jersey City, New Jersey, and declared submarine zone, evcryone slcpt in France, the nine railway engineer two days later they sa iled from there to "under his life preserver, " and the men regi ments - the Eleventh through Halifax, Nova Scotia on RMS Carmallia, slept much sounder whcn six British Nineteenth Engineers - were among the a 20,OOO-ton fo nner Cunard liner that dcstroyers escorted the convoy for the last 200 miles of its journey. On August 12, the Carmania docked at Liverpool, and the Twclfth took trains to a camp in southern E ngland where the fllcn were impressed with the great natural beaut)' of the surrounding WINDSOR CASTLE. countryside. Three days later, the Twelfth led three other engineer regiments in a parade through London - the first tllne that American troops had ever marched in England. When they marched past Buckingham Palace, the proud Yanks were reviewed by a host of dignitaries, including King George V and Olleen Alexa ndra. The Lour/on Daily Chronicle spoke for a war-wea ry nation when it said: clThank you America. Your men, so fine, so friendly, so soldierly - they have given us the encouragement we all of liS needed, and in the detachments you have sent over you have given us not only Allies in the military sense, but friends as dear to us as our own brothers. Together we shall see it through." That same day, the Twelfth received orders to report to the British sector of the Western Front along with the Fourteenth Engineers. A few days later, the two regiments traveled to Southampton, boarded the Antrim and Australind and sa iled across the E nglish C han nel to BOli logne, France. At nearby Camp St. Martin, a British base, the men were fitted fo r helmets and urcspirators" (gas masks) and instructed on the dangers of gas warfare. The Yanks also learned a few words of French - how to say uCombien fra ncs?" (How many francs?) and Cl to look pleasant when they heard the verd ict." The Twelfth moved about 100 miles King George of England provided this welcome leHer to American troops during the southeast of BOlil ogne and set up its last year of the war. The Liberty Memorial Museum has an excellent photograph of headqua rters at Nlolltigny Farm near the Company D after it returned from France. Image courtesy Roger Cunningham. 6 • J C H S JOUI1cN AL S P I1c N G 2 0 0 ~
railway system in the area behind eighteen casualties. Because only one the Third Army's front. The member of the Twelfth was wounded, the regiment's service began at standard regiment earned another nickname - gauge railheads, where munitions "The Lucky Twelfth." and supplies were transferred to In late November the first snow fell light railways, whose gauge was and in mid-December the weather gre""" only sixty centimeters (about two much colder. 'T'he regiment celebrated feet). The trains were pulled by Christmas as best it could. On Christt"l'"""l.. as steam locomotives, gasoline Eve, a decorated cedar tree wa s on dis Pl.ay electric tractors and gasoline in the Ivlon tigny rollnd house and there tractors. The rolling stock consisted was music provided by the Irish Pipers. of ten types of cars, but the type The next day there was no reveille, an d most often used was an open bogie the standard menu ofl/bully beef!! and t ea car about 18' x 5' x 2' with hinged was greatly enhanced by two truckload s of falling sides. Unfortunately, there turkey and accessorie s obtained by an were never enough ca rs available. enterprising lieutenant. C hristmas boxes Being assigned to support the from home also lifted the men's spirits. British E xpeditionary Force initially In Febntary 1918. Colonel Townsend caused some inconveniences for departed for a new assignment, and the Americans. Captain iVIcGechan command of the Twelfth passed to i\1 aj or later recalled that "nobody liked John Laird, who was promoted to the British rations, and everybody lielltenant colonel a few weeks later. A t said that the British supply offi cers were short changing us.1I l\1cGeeh'111 did note, however, that the British "were nice to usu and that they called the men of the Twelfth the "Ameri ca n R.E.s," which was short for "Royal In January 1918, S. P. Cunningham sent this 1I postcard to his fiance to inform her that he Engineers. This was a nickname had received the two Christmas boxes she in which the captain and his men had mailed to him. The castle in the center of took great pride. the card was the symbol of the Corps of A s the British prepared for Engineers. The original card has a bright the great Cambrai offensive - the yellow background; the castle is embroidered first one to feature the use of in red, and the American flag is embroidered massed tanks - enormous quantities in red, white and blue, with greenery and of W:lf materiel began to be moved light blue flowers surrounding. to the front lines. The Twelfth's Image courtesy Roger Cunningham. officers and men spent fifteen to eighteen hours each day movi ng Somme R..iver in northern France. As the this materi el forward, and the cold and engin eers surveyed the surrounding rainy weather made their difliwit task even countryside, all of them were amazed by more challenging. Finally, on November the tremendous desolation produced by 20, the British attac ked the German three years of war - villages reduced to Hindenburg Line, and some elements rubble, trees shattered, and the ground were able to advance lip to SLX miles. pockmarked with innumerable shell holes. Ten days later, when the German That night the men also had some Army launched the inevitable counter difficulty sleeping because of the man)' offensive to regain the ground it had just sounds of battle coming from the \iVcstern lost, the Twelfth was ordered to "stand to" Front, le ss then five miles to the east. S. P. Cunningham mailed this postcard to under arms and to be prepared to move From August 21, until February 28, his fiance for Valentine's Day in 1918. into the front lines. The regiment was not 1918, the Twelfth operated and maintained This image shows Cunningham wearing called forward, but another America n light railways of the British militar), his campaign hat and olive drab unit, the Eleventh E ngineers, suffered overcoat. Image courtesy Roger Cunningham. S P R N G 2 0 0 2 C H S JOURNAL • 1 7
the end of the month, the regiment came The equipment that was used on the railway regiments. under the control of the British Fifth American front was quite different from In the first five da),s after the Army, and it was allowed to increase its what the British Army had been using. Armistice, the Twelfth's companies split authorized strength to just over 1,600. The only similarity was in the steam up and dispersed to five different This increase enabled a number of engines. l\10st of the captured German locations. This was a trying time for the talented non-commissioned officers to be light railways were in very good shape, railway engineers. T he war was over, and selected for lieutenant's bars, including and although the French lines were not, the men soon began to lose interest in several men from Company D . surprisingly heavy loads were still their work and to think only about The Germans began their long transported on them, including artillery returning to the United States. To help awaited Somme offensive on March 21. as heavy as six and eight-inch howitzers. keep up their morale the regiment As the British Army retreated, the Twelfth These large guns were moved into organized a band. Since this was also had to f.11l back and was barely able positions that were not accessible by roads. unauthorized, the instruments had to be to save its personnel and part of its In the days before the St. Mihiel purchased usi ng fillld s from the men, as property. Company D's S.P. Cunningham offensive started on September 12, the well as a donation from the Kansas City noted the Germans' proximity in his Twelfth's first battalion constructed seven Ladies' Auxjliary. The men wcre also diary: co ••• when we pulled out of lcilometers of main line and nine spurs - given the opportuni ty to take one-week Tincourt[,] old Fritzie was just right on three for hauling ammunition and two leaves to various cities such as Ai..'X-les our heels," Another member of the each for guns, rations and water. The Bains and Grenoble. company, Private Joseph B. Fraher, earned regiment also supported the Meuse Mter Christmas, the Twelfth was the British JVIilitary Medal for continuing Argonne offensive that began two weeks involved in salvaging considerable to maintain communications after a shell later, and it was preparing to support a amounts of ammunition and engineering blew him ofT a telephone pole. Second Army offensive against Metz, materia1. In mid-February 1919, the B), March 24, the regiment had when the Armistice was finally declared regiment was finally relieved from its reassembled, and since it no longer had on November 11. Only five days earlier, railway duties, and all the companies were any railways to run, !vIajor Laird received the Twelfth had handled its maximum assembled at Sorey Care. With an eye orders to take his men to Vecquemont to work on trenches. Until late July, most of the regiment was engaged in double tracking a standard-gauge railway with a battalion of Canadian Railway Engineers. This was very hard work accomplished TROOP BILLET, I I mainly with pick and shovel, dynamite /I - I ' Hatch---,=:l::::-_ De~K...-;),-IJ~T--I and small hand dump cars. Compartment I After supporting the British Army Bunk for just over cleven months, the Twelfth Number 13 was transferred back to American control Parade Station near Hatch .2 Weather Decl.f'"J.Sld on Jul), 25. The million- man AEF was In Cllse men or eight horses) for thei_f rail district and then proceeded to the Roger D. ClIIlIlingham grew up in movement to the port of BordcalLx in Convention Hall for a uhome-cooked the Kansas City area. He is a retired southern France. 'rhe regiment departed dinner." The Kamas City Star reported arm}' officer who currently resides in the next day and finally entered its that from Fifteenth Street to the hall northern Virginia and writes articles on embarkation camp on 1V 1 ~rch 27. On "there was not a foot of space along the military hi story topics. April 13, the Twelfth received its li nc of march but what was crammed with embarkation order and marched to the spectators." As the men marched into the Notes on Sources docks at Bassclls the next day. The hall, they wcre greeted with "vociferous Ball/e Participation f!/O'gan;znt-iollS engineers were abollt to enjoy their most cheers" from about 5,000 friends and f!f'/he Ameriall1 Expedi/iollafJ! Forces ;11 beautiful view of France - the one over the relatives. France, BelgiulI/ and Iialy, 1917- 191 8. stern rail of a troop ship. Captain NlcGcehan addressed the ' iVashington: Government Printing On April 14, the Twelfth sailed out crowd and suggested that a dozen or more Ortlcc, 1920. of Bassel1S on the USS Cape May. Each of his privates had done work just as Cunningham, S.P. f4Worid ' ·Var I soldier was iss ued a card wit h important important as that done by any colonel in Diary" (currently in possession of the information, such as to wear a life the army. After the men ate and danced, author). preserver at all times and not to spit on they went home, and the Twc1fth Donovan, Derek. Les/ the Ages deck. The men were soon disa ppointed to Engineers was history. Forge/: KallSas City's Liber/y Memoria/. find their ship remaining at the mouth of The engineers ensured that they Kansas City: Kansas City Star Books, the Girondc estuary for two long days, could continue to stay in touch with each 200l. waiting for a heav}' storm to subside in other by immediately forming a veterans' Hendricks, Charles. COII/bai alld the Bay of Biscay. On April 27, the Cape association. lvIany of them attended COIlS/mc/ion: u.s. Army Engineers in May finally completed its 3,000-mile annual reunions and were undoubtedly World H.'I" I. Fort Belvoir, VA: Corps Atlantic crossing and dropped anchor in pleased to see Kansas City again honor of E ngineers, 1993. New York harbor. Its passengers eagerly their service on Armistice Day. When Hislorical Report o/Ibe Cbief dise mbarked in Brooklyn and proceeded the Liberty IVlemorial was officially Engineer. Washington: Government to Camp Upton, on Long Island, where dedicated in 1926, Company D was one Printing Ortlec, 1919. they were SOO I1 broken down into smaller of several units from Kansas City recorded Hislol), q(lbe 7'weljib Engineers. St. detachments that could be se nt to in the lvlelllory Hall, and Private Joseph Louis: Buxton & Skinner, 1919. demobilization camps nearer their homes. L. Connelly'S name was forever cnshrined KulIS'" Cily Posl, 9 Ma), 1917, 16 A group of about 600 mell ti·om erlstern on the Honor Roll memorializing the 441 Mal' 1919. Illinois, Kansas and l\,Jissouri left Camp Kansas Citians who had lost their lives in KallSas Cil)' Slar, 17Ma), 1919. Upton on IVIay 11, and thcir train arrived the war. 1VlcGcchan, Paul. "An Engineer's in St. Louis thc next day. Although the refurbished Libert), Memories" (script of talk given 19 The "Gateway C ity" welcomed the iVlemorial still stands proudly in Kansas April 1952 at the Hotel Pickwick, engineers back with style. In an im pressive Cit)', the Great War is today among the Kansas Cit)', lVIO) ceremony at the City Hall Plaza on IVIay most forgotten of American co nflicts. Parsons, vVilljam Barclay. The 13, the men were presented with special vVh en it is recalled, the important American Enginct1l's in Frauce. New bronze medals commi ss ioned by two local contribution of the railway cngineers to York: D. Appleton and Company, organizations - the Engineers' Club and the ultimate Allied victory is largely 1920. the Rai lway Club - and designed by ignored. Nevertheless, the strategic \;Yilgus, \ ;YiIUam J. 7lmlSporiing Ibe 'I\'ashington University art students. The import:lnce of the light rai lways was well A.E.F in Weslem Ellrope, 1917-1919. Twelfth waS also presented with a stand sUlllmarized in the AEF's His/orien/ New York: Columbia University Press, of colors by its woman's alLxiliary, and Reporl 0/ Ibe Cbiej Engineer, which said: 1931. after a parade, the men were treated to a "The Lines increased steadily in scope and dinner at the Terminal Hotel. That importance during the war and were a Visit Kansas City's Libert)' evening they boarded another tfain for vital part of the supply system for the l\1emorial lvluseulll Tuesday through Camp Funston (part of Fort Riley, Armies. It is difficult to sec how without Sunday, 10a.l11. to 5p.m., and take a Kansas), where they were discharged. them the Armies could have functioned." ride in the elevator to the observation On Mal' 16, Kansas City staged its deck for a spectacular view of Kansas own oflicial wc.lcome for the veterans of l\10re information is available at the City. Call 816-784-1918 for 1110re the Twelfth. Several hundred members of Jackson County H istorical Society's information. the regiment (and fifty rnembers of the website: www.jchs.org. 117th Ammunition Train) paraded from Union Statioll through the downtown S P R N G 2 002 • J C H S JOURNAL 1 9 Gone But Not For"otten: A History of the Burials in the Jewish Cemeteries in Kansas City Courtesy Anita Loeb Anita Locb's research of cleven yea rs Boulevard, 95th Street). Man), Jews from (Kehilath Israel Synagogue); the Jewish cu lmin ates with th e publishing of Gone St. Joseph, rvlissQuri, resettled to Kansas section of Elmwood Cemetery; IVlount Bul Not rlngO/tell: A His/o!)1of the Burials Cit)'. As the population shifted, the Carmel Cemeter), (Beth Shalom ill theJe7.U ish Cemeteries ill KnllSm City. congregations continuously relocated and Cong regiltion); Rose Hill Cemetery This accomplishment comes after a career merged," so that it was convenient for (Temple ll'nai Jehudah); Sheffield of almost thirty years in the fi eld of people in the carly years of the cennlry to Cemeter), (Congregation Beth Israel Jewish educ.ltio n in greater Kansas Cit)'. walk to their houses of worship. Abraham & Voliner); and the newl), A ccording to the introduction of her declicated areas at ivlount .iVlor iah Cemetery owned by Congregation Beth Torah and the New Reform Temple. The Resea reh The direction Loeb took in researching this book, Il tumed out to be the most f.1sc inating challenge of my life," she said . The research included files of the synagogues and cemeteries in the greater Kansas City area and th e funeral homes which handled the bulk of the Jewish burials in the area (the records of the Carroll-Davidson Funeral H o rne and the Tigerman Funeral H ome were destroyed). The 1Vlount IVl oriah Funeral Home and the Stine & M cClure Funeral Home also generously permitted access to their records. Every issue of The Kamas Cily Jewish Chronicle, which started in January, 1920, Anita Loeb transcribing tombstones in a local Jewish cemetery, August 18, 1995. and of The Kamas Cily Times and The Photo by Lara Trapp courtesy the Kansas City Jewish Chronic/e. Kamas Cily SIal' were searched for obituaries and pertinent articles. book, Loeb was If long intere sted in the Tile Publication The Special Collections of the history of Kan sas City, and especially the GOlle Bill Nol Forgollell contains a Kan sas City Public Library's main library development of its Jewish population." brief history of the development of the at 12th and Oak, and the Johnso n Count)' The city's population of 8,000 in synagogues and Jewish cemeteries in Public Library at 87th and Farley provided 1859 included several Jewish residents, Kansas City, starting with the first burial much helpful information. as found in original Kansas City city in 1866 and conti nues through 1999. directories. The Jewish population in The majority of the book is devoted to Interesting Finds Kansas C ity, Kansas, was estimated to be the li sting of 15,300 burials in these While searching for personal about 60 families in the early 1900s. cemeteries, with biographical data, where information at the National Archives Loeb's background reveals, lias the Jewish available, on each person. The publication Central Plai ns Region, Loeb found not community of Kan sas City continued to of the book was made possible through a only her grandfather's naturalization develop, ITI OStIy in the northeast section generous grant from the Sam and Sonia records, but data on many other area of the city where Independence Avenue Schultz Fund of th e Jewish Community Jewish persons. Applications, grants and was the main street, smaU neighborhood Foundation of Greater Kansas City. denials for naturalization included the synagogues were formed. T he Jews applicant's name, parents' names, place prospered and moved further south (to The ProJect and date of birth, port of departure and Limvood Boulevard, Armour Boulevard, The project was started in July 1990, arrival, name of ship, occupation, address, 39th Street, 63rd Street, Gregory with a search of the Blue Ridge Cemetery signatures of the applicanes witnesses, etc. 2 0 • J C H S JOURNAL S P R N G 2 0 0 2 that the first woman '" ',,' • I· lawyer admitted to Kansas Cit}' Bar Association was also the founder of the Naturalization Council of Kansas City-Jennie Rosenberg. Obtainillga Copy The 934-page hardbound book was published by the Blue & Grey Book Shoppe ofIndependence, jVlissouri, and retails for 360, which includes mailing and handling costs. Orders may be directed to Anita Loeb, 11909 Westgate Circle, Overland Park, KS 66213. Checks should be made payable to: "The Jewish Federation ofG.K.C." All proceeds are donated to the Federation to insure continuation of the Cemetery Project. Loeb may also be contacted by telephone at 913.685.2866. l\1orc information is Temple B'nai Jehuda purchased a ten·acre tract of farmland at 69th and Troost Avenue avaiJable at the Jackson in 1921 (then the southern outskirts of Kansas City) and dedicated Rose Hill Cemetery County J-listorical the same year. This image is of the Temple as it appeared around 1884, at the Society's website: soulhwest corner of 11th and Oak Street. www.jchs.org. In addition to her computerized trivia includes It pcoplc aged 100 or more," records, Loeb still maintains a 3"xS" fUe and the "number of burials in Jewish Anita Loeb began research ing the card record of each of the 15,300 deaths. cemeteries by yeae" Then there is a 9- history of Jewish burins in Kansas Inquires have been rece ived from all over page section titled "l\1iscellaneous Notes City in 1990, just after having retired the world, and each time Loeb is able to of Interest," where you can learn as the first business manager at Hynlan provide data it has been a source of great interesting tid-bits including: that Freeda Brand Hebrew Academy, a position joy for both parties. Coleman Graff was first Kansas City she held since 1973. She is currently a woman to enlist as a l\IIarine in World board member of the Jackson Count)' Thorough Indexing War I; that the famous civil rights Historical Society, the Jewish Veterans Each of the congregations and advocate ('''!ebb vs. Topeka) Esther lVluscum Association and Beth cemeteries has been personally presented Elizabeth Brown is buried in Kansas City; Shalom Sisterhood. with a chronological and cemetery-lot that the first woman bank cashier in record of their burials-plus maps. Kansas City was Cornelia Sight Additionally, alphabetical listings appear Bloomgarten; that the earliest Jew to in the book. A note worth mentioning: settle at Westport Landing-----arriving in There are still unmarked graves in some May, 18561 and started a clothing store at of the cemeteries. A special section of 5th and IvIain- was Herman Ganz; or, S P R N G 200 2 • C J-I S OURNAl • 2 Mystery Photo Contest Over the years Jackson Count)' has greeted countless r.'unous people-from politicians to motion picture movie stars I, who have had their photograph taken while visiting our area. Fortunately, man)' of these images taken at the 100-year-old Strauss Peyton Studios have been donated to the Jac kson Count)' Historical Societ), for preservation . .. and they're accessible to the publi c for scholarly research. A small exhibit at the Historical Society's Archives, Research Library and Bookshop shO\vcases some of tllese images, like the one positioned here. Do YOli recognize this young, wise man? There are nine other images on display through the month of August. The first person to visit the Archives and correctly identify all ten images on exhibit will receive a 820 gift certifi cate to the Society's Bookshop. Is,,'t it sad to sec old photographs that are,,'t labeled! Take time to identify your own collection of photographs tad a)'. Call the Archives at 816-252-7454 fol' tips on how to do it right. Last Issue's Photo Contest Our friend and fellow Historical treated kindly. The r.1mily was ransomed Society member Jane IVIalJinson held out and returned to Bardstown, Kentucky, as long as she could before calling to ask in December 1783." the Archives staff, "Has anyone yet called !vIcCoy platted Westport in 1835. to identif)' my cOllsin who was pictured in By 1838, he joined a group of other the Autuilln 2001 JOURNAL?" investors to purchase the farm of IvIaUinsoll, a local historian, hoped that Gabriel Prudhomme, located on the the image of this prominent Jackson south bank of the IvIissouri River near County pioneer hadn't been forgotten. the Chouteau property. The investors Jane said, fCIvIcCoy's mother, Christiana paid 54220 for the land, which !vIeCoy Polk rv1cCo)" was a sister to my great named the Town of Kansas. ]n 1850, grandfather, Charles Polk. Ottawa Indians township government was established kidnapped their Illother Delilah Tyler for the Town of Kansas, which covered Polk and her children when her husband, 352 acrcs and had a population of 150. Captain Charles Polk, was with George For a better likeness of John Calvin Rogers Clark in the Indian Wars on the IVlcCoy, visit Pioneer Park in the heart frontier. The captives were forced to of Westport, where a statue oflVlcCoy march 400 miles to British Fort Detroit and other trail blazers are fashioned in where they were held for ransom, but bronze. , 2 2 • J C H S OURNAL • S P R N G 2 0 0 2 Book Notes The Jackson County Historical Society's Bookshop makes Dave Boutros, Associate Director of the Western Historical available nearly 1,000 titles covering a range of historical topics 11anuscript Collection at University ofNlissouri-Kansas City, of interest to youths and adults.1vIost all titles relate to history co-author with Dorothy Brandt 11arra and l\1arie-Laure Dionne ,I or historic preservation. More and more titles arc being acquired Pal, offer this 404-page volume complete with photographs, that pertain specifically to local history. If you have any maps, appendices and a glossary of people, places and names ., suggestions for a book you'd like to sec in our Bookshop, call associated with the early fur David Jackson at 816.252.7454. trade and Native-American OUf online bookshop at www.jchs.org highlights a selection relations. 'Their website provides of titles that allows virhla! surfers an opportunity to order books newspaper and magazine reviews with the click of a button. and a Table of Contents lor this A new book dedicated to the courageous peoples-both enlightening book. Native Americans and immigrant Europeans-who braved the Dr. Boutros will also be the wilderness to establish the first homes and commerce in the guest speaker at the September valley of the lVlissouri and Kansas [{ivers, makes available the 18,2002, Real Kamas City Series early letters (1827-1836) of two members of the Chouteau presentation at Blue River fillnily. Gher Uncle, Cher Papa: The Leiters of Francois and Beren ice Community College. (Western Chouteall offer English translations of the original letters written Historicall\1anuscript in French that describe many first- hand details of the initial Collection- Kansas Cit)'; retail settlement by Europeans in the Kansas City region. 524.95 soft cover) Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage THE JACKSON COUNTY PAID HISTOIUCAL SOCIETY Independence, MO Perm it No. 212 Bank of America Bldg., Nlezzanine Level 129 West Lexington Independence, MO 64050