Joplin Miners: 1910 Western Association Champs

Our next photograph in the Joplin Miners series is the 1910 Joplin Miners.

1910 Joplin Miners: 1) Richard Rohn, 2) Marc Hall, 3) Ralph Bell, 4) George Watson, 5) Bruce Ross, 6) Harry Ellis, 7) Howie Gregory, 8 ) Ed Hawk, 9) W. Burton, 10) Earl Hamilton, 11) Thomas Harlow, 12) Lowthers, 13)Joe Kelly, 14) Bert Lamb.

In 1910, the Joplin Miners finished first in the Western Association and played their games at Cox Baseball Park. Richard Rohn, aka, Dick Rohn, was a hold over from the 1907 team. Ed Hawk, from Exeter, Missouri, made it to the St. Louis Browns in the Majors. While Joe Kelly went on to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, and the Boston Braves.

No Comments

Brown, December 2nd 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in baseball in Joplin, Entertainment pastimes and hobbies in Joplin, entertainments, pastimes, Sports in Joplin

Architectural Legacy of Garstang & Rea: Elks’ Clubhouse in Carthage, Missouri

Carthage Missouri Elks Clubhouse

Our next photograph in the Alfred W. Rea portfolio series is the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks clubhouse in Carthage, Missouri. The clubhouse was built in 1901 at an expense of $8,500, or approximately $220,000 in 2010 dollars. The Carthage Lodge No. 529 was founded sometime before 1900 and became defunct sometime before 1947. Presumably, the clubhouse was torn down at some point.

No Comments

Brown, November 28th 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Carthage History, Photographs of Carthage Missouri, Southwest Missouri history

Joplin Miners: 1907

Baseball was an ever present pastime in Joplin, be it amateur or professional. Of the latter, the Miners held Joplin’s attention. In addition to our current series from the portfolio of Alfred W. Rea, we are going to present a short series of four team photographs of the Joplin Miners. Our first is the team from 1907:

1907 Joplin Miners

The 1907 Joplin Miners: 1) Owens, 2) Sylvester Oleson, 3) Charles Flemming, 4) Roy Gill, 5) Dick Rohn, 6) Jack Fillman, 7) Tony Vanderhill, 8 ) Manager Louis Armstrong, 9) Guy Harrington, 10) Abner Persch, 11) Conrad Welsch, 12) William George, 13) John Root, 14) Cecil Bankhead.

The 1907 Joplin Miners played at Cox Baseball Park in the Western Association League. Both Vanderhill and Fillman were “veteran” players who had played on previous Miners teams.

No Comments

Brown, November 26th 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in baseball in Joplin, Entertainment pastimes and hobbies in Joplin, pastimes, Sports in Joplin

Lee Taylor: Joplin’s First Elected Mayor

Lee Taylor, Mayor of Joplin

Joplin's First Elected Mayor

The first elected mayor of Joplin was born an Englishman. His name was Lee Taylor and by the time he passed away on December 13, 1917, he had lived a very American life. Taylor was born in 1836 in Manchester, England, one of the world’s great industrial cities. At the age of four, his parents immigrated to the United States and settled in the Jasper County, Missouri. In the frontier state of Missouri, Taylor came of age and was reportedly among one of the first to notice the potential of mining in the region. After the commencement of the Civil War, Taylor traveled to Arkansas and enlisted in the Confederate Army. He served in the 34th Arkansas Infantry, fought at the Battle of Prairie Grove, and reportedly rose to the rank of captain by war’s end.

In Arkansas, Taylor met his wife, and together with a growing family, returned to Joplin around 1870, never to leave again. He became involved with mining and was a mine superintendent when talks began between the village of Joplin (where old East Joplin is now located) and Murphysburg to form a unified city. When Joplin was established in 1873, E.R. Moffett was appointed by the state as the first mayor, and Taylor was a councilman. Shortly thereafter, Taylor ran for the position of Mayor. Heavily supported by East Joplin residents, Taylor narrowly beat Moffett to become Joplin’s first elected mayor.

Taylor resigned before the end of his first term and was replaced by Councilman J.H. McCoy. The reason for his abrupt resignation was one of a business nature as apparently his duties as a mine superintendent were far more time consuming than he originally anticipated. By 1880, Taylor lived at 503 Byers Avenue and remained there until a few short years prior to his death, when the former mayor moved to a farm out in the county. Taylor remained involved with Joplin’s growth. He was one of the first Masons in Joplin and served on the city’s Board of Education in 1890 along with Charles Schifferdecker.

By 1900, Taylor listed himself as a grocery dealer in the U.S. Federal Census, but a decade later, he had moved to just north of Carthage to live the life of a grain farmer. A few weeks before December, 1917, the old veteran and pioneer fell ill. At the age of 80, it was generally believed that Taylor’s constitution was still strong enough to overcome illness. Instead, the old pioneer succumbed to kidney disease, and passed away.

No Comments

Brown, November 21st 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in City Government of Joplin, People of Joplin

The Architectural Legacy of Garstang & Rea:

The William Houk House

Our next featured photo from the portfolio of Alfred W. Rea of Garstang & Rea, is the William Houk House in Joplin. The house was located at 218 Sergeant Ave.

Missouri, Mother of the West, Volume 4, has this to say about William Houk, its owner:

William Houk, who died February 26, 1927, had been a resident of Joplin over a quarter of a century. He was one of the prominent figures in the mining development of Southwest Missouri, and was also a very successful financier, being president from its organization of the Conqueror Trust Company.

Mr. Houk was born at Dayton, Ohio, January 20, 1859. His boyhood and early youth were spent in comparative obscurity and poverty, and he was put to many resources and devices to realize his ambitions. When he was a small boy his father died, and he was assisted his mother on the farm. After exhausting the advantages of the rural local schools he attended a normal school, earning and paying his own way. He also took a business college course and subsequently graduated from the Cincinnati Law School. He had two years of experience as a teacher, became bookkeeper for a Cincinnati firm, and for two years practiced law. He was engaged in commercial work at Cincinnati from 1889 until 1900, when he came to Southwest Missouri. He first located at Neosho, where he engaged in numerous mining ventures, and from there removed to Joplin in 1901. He was the responsible factor in developing the Jack Rose, Cardinal and Monitor mines. His mining interests in 1903 were consolidated under the name Conqueror Zinc Companies, which became one of the most prosperous organizations in the Southwest.

The Conqueror Trust Company was organized at the home of Mr. Houk early in 1905, and he served continuously as president until his death. This institution under his active management attained resources of upwards of six million dollars. Mr. Houk owned extensive real estate interests and was a director of the Joplin Marble Quarries Company and the Minden Coal Company, was a stockholder in the Joplin Globe Publishing Company and in other corporations.

The late Mr. Houk was a man of fine taste and cultivated mind. He had been an extensive traveler. He was active in the Rotary Club, and was one of the organizers and the first president of the Joplin Civic Music Club. Mr. Houk’s first wife, Mrs. Edna C. Houk, died in June, 1911, and the one child by this marriage, Helen, died in 1912, at the age of sixteen. Subsequently Mr. Houk married Frances R. Hengelsberg, of St. Louis. Mrs. Houk and two daughters survive him. The elder daughter, Emily, is a student at Wellesley College, Wellesley, Massachusetts, while Edna, the younger daughter, is a junior at Highland Hall, Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania.

No Comments

Brown, November 19th 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Buildings of Joplin, People of Joplin, Photographs of Joplin

The Architectural Legacy of Garstang & Rea: The B.B. Johnson House of Joplin

The B.B. Johnson House

Today’s featured Garstang & Rea house is the B.B. Johnson residence located at 417 N. Byers Avenue. Although the house still exists today, the paint color has changed, and there is much more vegetation surrounding it. We are happy to see that yet another Garstang & Rea creation has survived.

The B.B. Johnson House present day.

(Special thanks to Leslie Simpson, Director of the Post-Memorial Art Reference Library, for tracking down the B.B. Johnson house today!)

No Comments

Brown, November 16th 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Buildings of Joplin, Photographs of Joplin, Places in Joplin

The Architectural Legacy of Garstang & Rea: The John H. Cape House in Joplin

The John H. Cape Cottage

Today’s continuation of the Alfred W. Rea portfolio is the John H. Cape House in Joplin, Missouri. Cape commissioned the firm of Garstang & Rea to design his residence. After 1910, Cape and his wife Anna moved west to Colorado Springs, Colorado, where he died in 1914. The Biographical Record of Jasper County, Missouri by Malcolm G. McGregor, has this to say about Cape:

John H. Cape, who since 1886 has been a resident of Joplin and has been actively associated with mining interests, is a native of southeastern Missouri, his birth having occurred near Desota. His people were pioneers of that portion of the state and took an active part in its development and upbuilding, reclaiming its wild lands for purposes of civilization.

The boyhood days of our subject were quietly passed. He had some duties to perform and in the school-room he passed a portion of his time and also enjoyed the pleasures of the playground. Since entering upon his business career he has worked his way steadily upward, overcoming all difficulties and obstacles in his path by determined purpose and energy. He has been connected with the St. Louis Ore & Steel Company and the St. Joseph Lead Company, acting as superintendent of both through a considerable period. In 1886 he came to Joplin and acted as superintendent for different companies, and since 1900 has superintended the Royal Blue mine on the Granby land and the Imperial mine on the Continental land.

These mines were opened in 1896 and the former was known as Blakny No. 2 and the latter as the Lead Mule mine. Before the present company was incorporated he was in the service of the Luther Company, controlling the Lead Mule mine. Since first assuming control of these mines Mr. Cape has remained in continuous charge, superintending their operation, and he also operates two mines ,on his own account, one of which is the Jackson, Jr. He is also engaged in prospecting to a considerable extent, and has done much to develop the mineral resources of the county and thus add to the general prosperity of the stockholders. He is well qualified for his present position, for long study and experience have enabled him to quickly recognize the possibilities of ore, the quality of the metal and what it will produce.

The lady who now bears the name of Mrs. Cape was Miss Anna Grace in her maidenhood, a daughter of Thomas J. Grace, a pioneer settler of Chariton county, Missouri, where occurred the birth of Mrs. Cape, who is a most estimable lady, and with her husband enjoys the high regard of many friends. This union has resulted in the birth of one daughter, Marvel A. He is a Mason and belongs to the blue lodge, chapter and council, and in his life he exemplifies the beneficent and helpful spirit of the fraternity.

The fate of Cape’s cottage is a mystery. According to one city directory, in 1905-1906, Cape lived at 101 N. Byers, but by 1910, resided at 410 Moffet Avenue. An examination of the existing addresses reveals no homes that match the exact appearance of the cottage, though, the Byers address reveals a new house which may have been built in the same location. Do you recognize the cottage? Do you know its fate?

No Comments

Brown, November 14th 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Buildings of Joplin, People of Joplin, Photographs of Joplin

The Architectural Legacy of Garstang & Rea: Arthur E. Spencer House of Joplin

The Arthur Spencer House as photographed by Rea a hundred years ago.

The next item in the portfolio of Garstang & Rea is the Arthur Spencer House in Joplin, located today at 217 N. Pearl Ave. The Centennial History of Missouri by Walter Barlow Stevens, has this short biography of Mr. Spencer:

Among the list of distinguished lawyers who have graced the bar of Missouri in general and of Joplin, Jasper county, in particular, the name of A. E. Spencer deserves a prominent place, not alone because of his legal ability but for his probity of character and his worth as a citizen. Mr. Spencer was born in Newburg, Indiana, October 3, 1868, a son of Galen and Mary M. (Bates) Spencer, the former a native of Illinois and the latter of Indiana. They were married in Boonville, Indiana, and continued to reside there up to 1873 when they moved to Joplin, Missouri. Galen Spencer, while yet a young man, applied himself to the study of the law, and some time later was admitted to the Indiana state bar, continuing to practice in that state up to the time of his removal to Joplin.

Here he resumed his legal practice and in due course came to be recognized as one of Joplin’s foremost attorneys, at the same time earning a reputation throughout Missouri as one of the state’s ablest barristers and most forceful advocates. His death, which occurred December 30, 1904, was the occasion for deep felt sorrow among his legal brethren and the citizens at large, to whom he had endeared himself by his upright character and conduct during the many years of his residence in this city. His widow is still living in the old home in Joplin, where she is spending the evening of her life among a large circle of friends who regard her with affection.

A. E. Spencer, the subject of this sketch, was educated in the St. Louis Law School, a department of the Washington University, from which institution he received his degree of LL. B., graduating with the class of 1888. Following his graduation he associated himself with his father in the practice of his profession at Joplin, and this mutually agreeable partnership continued up to the time of the death of his father in December, 1904. Since then his brother, C. C. Spencer, has been associated with him in his legal practice, the firm enjoying an extensive and influential clientele, Mr. Spencer’s standing in legal circles making his services much in demand. Mr. Spencer is a director of the Joplin National Bank, to the duties of which office he brings sound and thoughtful judgment.

On November 13, 1898, Mr. Spencer was united in marriage to Miss Lou Ann Howard, of Webb City, Missouri, and to this union two children have been born, one son, Arthur E., Jr.. surviving. Mr. and Mrs. Spencer are members of the Congregational church and interested in its good works, as they are in all social and cultural activities, and in all movements having for their object the wellbeing of the community. During the participation of this country in the great World war Mr. Spencer was called upon to serve as a member of the legal advisory board, carrying out the duties imposed on him with zeal and fidelity. In fraternal circles he is a life member of Joplin Lodge, No. 501, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

Additionally, Spencer was the legal counsel for the Joplin National Bank, Empire District Electric Company, Eagle-Picher Lead Co., Empire Zinc Co., and the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company. When not dazzling his peers in the courtroom, Spencer was one of a group of Joplinites who decided to bicycle across a number of states in 1896, which we wrote about earlier (click here for a photograph of Mr. Spencer with his comrades in cycling).

In last good news, Spencer’s home as it remains since the last Google Maps car passed through:

The Spencer House in present day Joplin.

2 Comments

Brown, November 12th 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Buildings of Joplin, People of Joplin, Photographs of Joplin

The Architectural Legacy of Garstang & Rea: Amos Armstrong Cass House, Carterville, Missouri

Amos Armstrong Cass House, Carterville, Missouri

We are happy to present the first of many photographs from the portfolio of architect Alfred W. Rea of Garstang & Rea. The featured photo is of the Amos Armstrong Cass House in Carterville, Missouri. Many thanks to Rea’s relatives for preserving and sharing Garstang & Rea’s architectural legacy.

Amos Armstrong Cass

The Biographical Record of Jasper County, Missouri, by Malcom G. McGregor, had this to say about Mr. Cass:

“One of the most conspicuous exponents of that sturdy spirit of American progressiveness which enables men to win success in any field of labor to which they may be called, that could be pointed out among the many successful miners and business men of Jasper county, Missouri, is Amos A. Cass, of Carterville. He is a native of Georgia, but was taken to east Tennessee while yet a mere child, and was there reared to manhood. James M. Cass, his grandfather, was a cousin of General Lewis Cass. His father, James M. Cass, died in Tennessee. His mother, who prior to her marriage was Miss Martha Jane Ryan, was a native of Georgia, and she died in Carterville, Missouri.

Mr. Cass, a contractor and builder, came to Jasper county in 1886 and engaged in the milling business, but soon began to give attention to mining. During the last five years he has devoted himself exclusively to mining, and is now interested in seven good plants, having three on the Cornfield land, at Carterville, one on the Perry lease, one on the McKinley lease and one on Judge McGregor’s lands, besides one other at Oronogo, all productive mines, well equipped with good machinery, and he has come to be known as one of the most extensive miners in the district. He is a partner and director in the Weeks Hardware Company at Carterville, and is a director in the Carterville Investment Company, of which corporation he is secretary.

A man of much public spirit, he has the best interests of Carterville at heart and he is one of its most active and progressive citizens and one of theleading Democrats of Jasper county. He was for eight years a member of the school board of Carterville and was influential in increasing the number of school rooms of the public schools of the town from four to fourteen and in securing the erection of two new brick school buildings. In 1867 he was received as an Entered Apprentice, passing the Fellow Craft degree and was raised to the Sublime degree of Master Mason. Later he took the degrees of capitular Masonry, became in turn a Mark Master, a Past Master and a Most Excellent Master and was exalted to the august degree of Royal Arch Mason; the degrees of Chivalric Masonry were conferred upon him and he was constituted, dubbed and created a Knight Templar, and still later he acquired the Royal degrees of the Secret Ineffable degrees of the Scottish Rite.

Mr. Cass married Miss Sarah Hunt, a native of east Tennessee. His son, Walter W. Cass, owns a good interest in four good producing mines and is connected with his father in the management of the Bell C. and L. C. mines, of which he is superintendent and his son, Carl C. Cass, is assistant superintendent. He had four daughters: Ollie, the eldest, the deceased wife of M. V. James, of Carterville; Lillie A., wife of O. H. Schoenherr; Belle B., at home; and Beulah Jene, a student in St. Charles College, at St. Louis, Missouri.”

According to his death certificate, Cass enjoyed his home by Garstang & Rea up until his death in 1915 from heart disease.

No Comments

Brown, November 9th 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Buildings of Joplin, People of Joplin, Photographs of Joplin, Southwest Missouri history

Thomas Connor: Philanthropist, Mine Owner, and Prankster?

Thomas Connor, a son of Ireland and immigrant to America, made his fortune in Joplin in zinc and lead mining.  He oversaw the construction of the New Joplin Hotel, which after his death, became known as the Connor Hotel and was a Joplin landmark until its demolition and collapse in 1978.  Connor Avenue, the site of the Extreme Makeover build, is named for him.  Known for being one of Joplin’s wealthiest citizens at the turn of the 20th Century, as well a philanthropist, Connor was also a bit of a prankster.  Below is an account of one of Connor’s more elaborate jokes:

“Though nearly a month has gone by and Tom Connor is far away out west, he’s still chuckling to himself out there over about the best April fool joke of the season, and the biggest practical prank ever pulled off in Joplin.

Elaborate paraphernalia was necessary to stage this idea, but Tom Connor had the resources at his command and was ready when the opportunity of his life offered.  The occasion came with the arrest of an elderly female employee of the Joplin Hotel Company, which is comprised of Tom Connor, Tom Jones and E. Z. Wallower.  The woman was at work about the hotel as a maid when eleven silver spoons disappeared one day and she was promptly arrested on suspicion.  The case seemed to be a pretty good one, and Frank Lee, whom she retained as counsel, went to the benevolent Tom Connor to get the prosecution stopped.

Connor magnanimously assented and passed the tip to Manager Moats, who had instituted the proceedings.

The Old Joplin Hotel was the site of the prank. The Joplin Public Library is now located where it once stood.

At the same time that he caused the prosecution to be stopped, the big-hearted Connor bethought himself of the chance of a lifetime for a practical joke on his partner, Tom Jones.  Attorney Richard N. Graham was employed to draw up the petition for a fake $20,000 damage suit, alleged to have been instituted by the elderly chambermaid for false imprisonment.

The sheriff’s office was the next piece of paraphernalia employed by the practical joker, and Deputy Clarence Rier responded nobly by awaiting an opportunity to catch Connor and Jones together.  He found them in the Joplin Hotel barber shop and cold-heartedly announced that duty compelled him to serve a copy of the petition of this $20,000 damage suit on them as the two resident members of the defendant hotel company.

“What’s that – a $20,000 damage suit!” fairly gasped Jones.  Connor looked astounded – but his funny-bone was paralyzing him.

“What is it?” demanded Connor, feigning, then the deputy sheriff’s heart failed him – at least risibility threatened him and he walked on away, leaving the victimized Jones pouring over the bogus typewritten petition, which the attorney had purposefully made very, very lengthy, padding it with all the whereases, wherefores and other legal verbiage to be found in the revised statutes.

“Thunderation!” boomed Jones.

“Consternation!” echoed Connor, with a look of blank dismay, but with that ecstatic feeling creeping up his sleeve.

And the best of the joke is that Connor went away on his western trip and Jones don’t know till this day that the chambermaid’s $20,000 damage suit was a “pipe.”

No Comments

Brown, November 6th 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in People of Joplin
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »