11. Howell Institute. Founded 1881. Built on
lots 32-33.
Lots 32 and 33 in Mechanicsville
were owned by the following:
Fortunatus B. Castlio to Peter
Mades—1874
Peter Mades to Jeannette Muschany—June 7, 1878
Jeannette Muschany to Nannie
Muschany—June 2, 1880
Nannie Muschany to R. E. Gamble—January 23, 1882
R. E. Gamble to the school at
Mechanicsville—January, 1882
Like his brother Lewis Howell (19,
50), Francis Howell Jr. (18, 50) was interested in promoting the educational
opportunities of the community, though he had no children of his own and his
adopted son, a nephew, William Jackson Howell, had died on the Pacific Ocean as
he was returning from the California Gold Rush and was buried at sea.
Great-great-uncle Frank died in 1874, leaving in the ninth part of his will this
provision:
“It is my
wish and will after the death of my wife that what personal property may be on
hand be sold and the money arriving from the sale of such property and what
money may be on hand, together with all outstanding debts, be collected and the
same to constitute a fund for building a seminary at or near Mechanicsville,
the cost of which not to exceed $3000.00 and the balance of said fund to be put
and kept at interest well secured and the interest only to be used in paying or
assisting to pay a teacher employed to teach in said seminary.”
The will
dated September 13, 1871,
had this further provision:
“———— In
the second place whereas Eliza A. Howell chose not to live with me and my wife
until our death, Now the said residence and premise I wish to fall back to my
estate and to be managed by those whom I have nominated in my will to manage the
said seminary, to the best advantage, either for a seminary building or to be
rented or sold for the purpose of erecting one, or the interest to assist in
supporting teachers.
In the
third place it is my wish and will that two of the trustees of said seminary
shall always be blood relatives and should either of these three now appointed
to manage the matter die, I hereby appoint Joseph R. Dunlap to take his place
and after that whenever one shall die or resign or leave, the other two shall
have the power to appoint his successor taking care however to have two of my
blood relatives on the board.”
The three
directors whom Francis Howell, Jr. appointed in his will were Hiram B. Castlio,
Jasper N. Castlio, and Lewis Howell.
After the
death of Great-great-aunt Polly at the age of 103 years, Howell Institute was
built, a three-story frame building where many teachers in the county were
educated. Classes were held in the large room on the first floor. The second
and third floors were used as living quarters for the teacher and his family or
for other tenants.
Literary
societies met in the classroom, where, too, heated debates were heard.
Entertainments, box and pie suppers were held here. Often when the second floor
was unoccupied, the Ladies Aid or the Missionary Society quilted in one of the
rooms. About every two weeks in the summer time ice-cream socials were held on
the lawn.
In 1904,
Howell Institute was further endowed by Hiram B. Castlio. (36) The thirteenth
clause of his will provides the following:
“All the
rest and residue of my personal estate including notes, accounts, cash, and
personal property of every kind and description and wherever found shall be
collected by my Executor and with all reasonable diligence converted into cash
or well secured notes (and for the purpose I hereby invest my Executor with
full authority to sell and dispose of all my personal property) and the whole
including the note to be given Sarah R. Howell in renewal of the one which I
now hold against her, he shall pay and turn over to the trustees of Howell
Institute of Mechanicsville, St. Charles County, Missouri, to be held by them
as an additional endowment of the institute with the same restrictions and upon
the same conditions as are imposed by will of the late Francis Howell deceased,
in his bequest to that institution, with the additional resolution however that
only white children shall be permitted to attend that school.”
It has been
said by those who were familiar with Howell Institute that seldom has an
equivalent sum of money been so beneficial to so many people.
History,
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, physics, grammar, spelling, Latin, and
bookkeeping were taught by the following teachers:
1881 Miss Cora Bates
1882 Miss Margaret Bates and Miss
Hester Bates
1883-1887 Mr. G. W. Burroughs
1887-1892 Mr. Rufus Easton
Gamble
1892-1896 Miss Sophie Watson
1896-1899 Mr. Rufus F. Gamble
1899-1901 Mr. G. E. Miller
1902 Mr. E. Y. Burton
1903 Mr. R. E. Smither
1904 Mr. A.T. King
1905-1907 Mr. F. M. Dumm
1907 Mr. W. G. Pence
1908 Mr. R. C. Allen
1909 Mr. J. W. Clarsen
1910 Mr. B. H. Hertenstein
1911 Mr. Vest Sheets
1912 Mr. W. J. Barnwell
1913-1917 Mr. Robert F. Wilson
On December 11, 1915, Mr. William
Stewart, Dr. Mitchell Castlio, and Mr. Calvin Castlio, trustees of the Howell
Institute, sold the building and the two lots to Mrs. Elsie Knippenberg (10)
who remodeled the building, making of it an attractive home for herself and her
daughter Evelyn. In 1940, when this landmark was destroyed in order to make way
for the TNT Plant, Mrs. Knippenberg moved to St. Charles.
A marker
near the front of this lot stated that this was the highest point in St.
Charles County.
12. Lot 11. Site of
the first store in Mechanicsville. Referred to by many as “The Pink House”
Ownership of Lot
11: F. B. Castlio to Peter Mades—1874
Peter Mades to
Jeannette Muschany—June 7, 1878
Jeannette Muschany
to Nannie Muschany—June 2, 1880
Nannie Muschany to
R. E. Gamble—January 23, 1882
R. E. Gamble to
James F. Stewart—January 9, 1885
James F. Stewart
to I. N. Howell and H. T. Howell—January 11, 1890
H. T. Howell to I.
N. Howell his ½
interest in lot 11—February 25, 1891
Heirs of I. N.
Howell owned the lot in 1940
On this
site John Harrison Castlio (14, 36) and his son, F. B. Castlio (4, 36) built
the first store in the village, where they sold dry goods and groceries. After
the father and son had the store for two or three years, they sold out to John
C. Castlio (22, 48) another son of John H. Castlio. Others who kept store in
this building were Peter Mades, Julius Berg, Taylor and Brown, Jack Moore, and
Monroe Morris. (Most of the information about the stores in Mechanicsville was
given to me by Cousin Calvin Castlio. (1, 17)
Later when
this building was used as a residence, some of the occupants were Cousin “Duck”
Coshow, the Rev. Mr. Samuel Watson, Mr. and Mrs. Will Blize, Mrs. Blize using
the west room as a postoffice about 1908.
The house
burned down in 1929, being unoccupied at the time.
13. Lot 12. The
Audrain Home
The following have owned Lot
12:
F. B. Castlio to
J. E. Bacon—1875
J. E. Bacon to
Peter Mades—August 13, 1875
Peter Mades to
Jeannette Muschany—June 7, 1878
Jeannette Muschany
to Nannie Muschany—June 2, 1880
Nannie Muschany to
R. E. Gamble—January 23, 1882
R. E. Gamble to A.
J. Journey—March 1, 1884
A. J. Journey to B.
M. Audrain—June 30, 1891
B. M. Audrain to
John Moellering—April 19, 1919
John Moellering to
John Cunningham—August 31, 1926
John Cunningham to
L. J. Kessler—October 20, 1926
L. J. Kessler to
the Rev. H. Henning—May 18, 1939
Both Mrs. F. M. Audrain and Mrs.
William Blize used the front room of this house as a post office when they were
living here. (26)
14. Lot 13. The
home of John Harrison Castlio
J. H. Castlio by will to his sons—John
C., Fortunatus B., Jasper N., and Hiram B. Castlio
John C., F.
B., J. N., and H. B. Castlio to Adam Arns—May, 1887
Adams Arns
to W. E. and Mary V. Morris—February
27, 1888
Mary V.
Stewart and L. Morris to Henry Stratman—August
20, 1913
Henry
Stratman to Mary V. Stewart—February
16, 1917
C. F.
Stewart to O. E. Bacon—August 28, 1922-1940
When Great-grandfather John Harrison
Castlio retired from the farm, he moved to Mechanicsville and built this house,
after the death of his wife, Nancy Howell Callaway Castlio. (36) He died in
this house in 1873.
The
following obituary is copied from “Some Missouri Pioneers, Their Ancestors,
Descendants, and Kindred from Other States” by Mary Iantha Castlio:
Obituary and Tribute
of Respect
Departed
this life February 1st, 1873,
Mr. John H. Castlio of the village of
Mechanicsville, St.
Charles County, Missouri.
The
deceased was born in the state of Tennessee,
on the 4th day of July, 1800, on a farm upon which the city of Nashville
has since been built. His age at the time of his death being 72 years, 8
months, and 28 days. When he was about six years old his father left Tennessee
and moved to Missouri and settled in St. Charles County, where he has remained
ever since.
When he was a little upward of 18,
he married the widow of Captain James Callaway (who was killed by the Indians
in 1815) by whom he had six children, two of whom preceded him to the grave.
After his marriage he betook himself in earnest to labor on his farm, his
father being in somewhat easy circumstances, he was considerably indulged, but
he became an energetic and persevering man in whatever he attempted, and by this
means accumulated an independent living for himself and family.
On the first of October, 1826, he united
with the Dardenne Presbyterian Church, and in 1830 or 1831 he was elected and
installed an elder, which position he held till his death, a little upward of
40 years. He was much attached to the tenets of his church, but not sectarian,
and felt liberally disposed toward other denominations, and was always ready to
help in erecting houses of worship for any denomination supporting the gospel.
He was a man who always advocated the principles of truth, integrity, industry,
temperance, morality, and religion. Thus this man lived and recommended what he
advocated and professed both by precept and example.
He was
confined to his room nearly 18 months, and most of the time closely to his bed,
but without a murmur he bore his sickness, which appeared to be a complication
of diseases, with great patience and seemed not to dread death but only the
pangs of the separation of the soul and body, but when the hour of separation
came it was so calm and easy that his dissolution was scarcely observed.
In the
spring of 1868 there was an organization of the I.O.G.T. formed at
Mechanicsville, and he was one of the first that had his name enrolled, ever
adhering strictly to the principles of the order, even so much so, that
although he was not able to attend the lodge for nearly two years, yet he was
particularly prompt in paying his quarterly dues.
Out of
respect to this highly esteemed and worthy brother, the members of the
Mechanicsville Lodge No. 255 feel desirous of recording the following
resolutions:
Whereas, we
have been called upon to announce the death of our worthy and beloved brother,
John H. Castlio, who by the will of God has been called from labor below, to
reward above.
1st. Resolved, that in the death of
brother John H. Castlio the order has lost a Good Templar, the church an
exemplary member, the community a worthy and useful citizen, and his children a
devoted and affectionate father.
2nd. While
we mourn the loss of a brother we deeply sympathize with the relatives of the
deceased.
3rd. That a
copy of these resolutions be sent to the Sentinel, Old School Presbyterian, St.
Louis Christian Advocate, and St. Charles News, for publication, also that a copy
of this obituary and resolutions be recorded in the minutes of the
Mechanicsville Lodge I.O.G.T. No. 255.
Lewis
Howell
Caleb
B. Dunlap
Melville
S. Dunlap Committee
15. Second store in Mechanicsville
F. B. Castlio to John H. Castlio
and H. B. Castlio—1867
H. B. Castlio to Julius Berg—1879
Julius Berg to Currier and Stewart
(Lee), Merchants—March, 1886
Dr. Currier to L. J. Kessler—April,
1908
On this corner lot, John C. Castlio
built the second store in Mechanicsville, where later Peter Mades, Julius Berg,
Currier and Stewart, and Frank Stewart were merchants.
Mrs. Linton
McCormick told me that her father said court used to be held here. In 1940 Mr.
L. J. Kessler had a house and garage on this lot.
16. Second Blacksmith Shop in Mechanicsville
On this unnumbered lot, bought from
E. P. Silvey (19) on December 15,
1903 Calvin Castlio and Mitchell Castlio built the second
blacksmith shop in Mechanicsville. The smiths here were Mr. Henry Stratman, Mr.
Thomas Love, Mr. Will Zeyen, Mr. Mayburn Snyder, Mr. Herb Yahn, and last Mr.
Henderson.
On many hot
summer afternoons the outstanding sound in the village was the ring of the
hammer on the anvil—a pleasant, rhythmic sound that no longer breaks the summer
silence in what was once Mechanicsville or Howell.
17. The home of Dr. J. N. Castlio and Calvin
Castlio
In 1864,
Dr. Newton Castlio (1, 36) built one of the first houses in Mechanicsville, a
twelve-room, two-story frame house for four families. There was a front and
back apartment upstairs and down, each consisting of a large room with a
smaller one on each side. Two outside stairs led to the second floor
apartments. A large chimney in the center of the building was the outlet for a
fireplace in each of the four large rooms.
In 1879,
Dr. Castlio and his wife moved from the farm to this residence where they lived
until their deaths. (Great-aunt Mahala died April 12, 1896, and Great-uncle
Newt, January 30, 1901.)
From 1901
until 1940 this rambling old house was the home of Calvin Castlio (1), his wife
Alice Stewart Castlio, and their daughters—Ivo (Babe), Verna (Kit), and Vasta
(Doll).
In 1940
when everyone had to move from Howell’s Prairie because the Government wanted
the land for the Weldon Spring Ordnance Plant, Calvin Castlio, a great-grandson
of John Castlio and of Francis Howell, was the last resident to leave the area.
During the eighty-four years that he had lived in or near Mechanicsville his
roots had penetrated deep into the soil. Now he was forced to leave the house
that had been his home for forty years. The house where he expected to spend
the rest of his life. He was a typical Castlio. A man of few words. One who hid
his emotions. Doll, who with her husband, Linton McCormick, and their two
children, Calvin Montgomery (Chappie) and Beverly Jean, lived with her parents,
said that during the summer of 1941, her father sat for hours on the front
porch or in the shade in the front yard, staring straight ahead, an unlighted
pipe in his mouth.
One by one
the neighbors moved away. Friendly lights no longer gleamed from the windows.
Each evening dusk enveloped the deserted houses in what had so recently been
the tiny village of Howell.
Howell was always quiet, but about dusk on summer evenings one could hear cars
passing, children laughing and playing, someone practising on a piano, dogs
barking, horses stamping to rid themselves of flies, cow bells tinkling, pigs
squealing. Now a killdeer. A whippoorwill. Cicadas. Katydids. Crickets. Night
birds and insects undisturbed by the exodus.
One day
Doll stood on the back porch and watched the house of a life-long neighbor, Mr.
John Dixon, burn. Then the lower barn of her father. All she could do was
watch, knowing that soon their house, too, would probably be destroyed in the
same way.
Many
families who moved from the area left their cats behind, thinking, I suppose,
that they had enough trouble without moving a cat. All summer Doll and Beverly
Jean fed as many as twenty or thirty cats—until the sanitary crew put out poison.
Chappie and Beverly Jean were permitted to keep a cat and a dog in the yard,
but their parents had to dispose of all chickens, cows, and horses long before
they moved from the area.
In July,
1941, Karl Muschany assisted by a foreman of the area and two other TNT
employees, according to Government regulations, loaded the possessions of the
two families into the truck, which was not permitted to go up the New Melle
road, the nearest route to New Melle and the big store room which was to be
their living quarters, the only place available, but it and the family car had
to go out the main entrance where guards checked them out.
Can you
imagine the feeling of Calvin Castlio as he walked the last time out of the
house that had been his father’s and then his home for so many years and as he “—fondly
looked his last, And took a long farewell”?
No need to
close the doors and windows this time. Down the brick walk. Out the gate. Then
down the familiar Marthasville Road.
Vacant houses. Some bearing the sign, “Government Property. Keep Out.” Heavy
trucks rumbling by stirred up such clouds of dust that he could hardly see the
farm lands once cultivated by the children, grand-children,
great-grand-children, and great-great-grand-children of Francis Howell. Then
the car carrying the last of Francis Howell’s descendants from Howell’s Prairie
passed through the main entrance of the Ordnance Plant and over the crest of a
hill.
Francis
Howell, 1800. Calvin Castlio, 1941.
18. Lot 16. The
home of Col. Francis Howell (11, 51) and Mary Meeks Ramsey Howell (“Aunt Polly”)
Cousin
Calvin Castlio told me that this house was built about the same time his
father, Dr. Newton Castlio, built his house in Mechanicsville. In “Little
Things,” written by my mother in 1935, she states: “Among the first houses
built in Mechanicsville were a tobacco factory, Grandfather Castlio’s house,
Uncle Lewis Howell’s, and Uncle Frank Howell’s. Before the church was built,
and even before Uncle Frank’s house was finished, Sunday school and church services
were held upstairs in the Howell Home. It seemed to me that it was very
pleasant to sit in church and be able to stay awake by looking at the
surrounding country.”
In “Some
Missouri Pioneers, Their Ancestors, Descendants, and Kindred from Other States”
by Mary Iantha Castlio, page 157: “Col. Francis Howell (1792-1874) served for
two years in Capt. Callaway’s Company of Rangers, organized in 1813, and was
colonel of a regiment of St. Charles militia for five years.”
December 29, 1816, he married Mary Meeks Ramsey, the
widow of John Ramsey. Aunt Polly, as she was known to everyone, was born in Virginia
in 1779 and died in Mechanicsville in 1881.
In “Pioneer
Families of Missouri” by Bryan and Rose we find this interesting paragraph
about Aunt Polly.
“Polly was
married in 1807 to John Ramsey, son of Captain William Ramsey. They walked
fifteen miles to the house of a justice of the Peace to be married, who
performed the ceremony free of charge. Polly Bryan, wife of David Bryan, who
was an old lady and wore a cap, acted as bridesmaid, while Henry Bryan, her
brother-in-law, officiated as groomsman. Mr. Ramsey was an invalid and died in
1815. He was compelled to make frequent visits to Kentucky
to consult his physician, as there were no physicians in Missouri
at that time, and his wife always accompanied him. These trips were made on
horseback, and they often had to swim the rivers that lay in their course. On
one occasion they were accompanied by David McKinney, Aleck McPheeters, and a
Mr. Crawford, and on reaching White River they camped
for the night. Next morning they all prepared to swim the river on their
horses, and McPheeters went first, carrying their bags of provisions, and his
saddle-bags containing his clothing, etc. The current was very strong, and it
carried away his saddle-bags and the bag of provisions, and they had to go
without anything to eat for two days as there were no settlements where they
could obtain supplies.”
The lot upon which Col. Francis
Howell built his house was sold to him in March, 1867, by his nephew, F. B.
Castlio. May 29, 1893, J.
N. Castlio, H. B. Castlio, and William M. Stewart trustees of Howell Institute,
sold the house and lot to my father, Daniel B. Hays, who kept store in the
building until April 21, 1894,
when he sold to Mr. Young, who also kept store there for a number of years.
On March 20, 1919, Mr. M. J. Young sold
this place to Mr. William Zeyen, who on August
20, 1921, sold to Mr. and Mrs. Claude Muschany (2, 9), the latter
tearing down the old Howell home and building a bungalow which was their home
until they moved to the Callaway place. Mr. and Mrs. Muschany owned this
property in 1940.
19. Lots 7-8-9. The Mechanicsville home of Lewis Howell
and Serena Lamme Howell. (50-51)
Across the
street from his brother, Francis, Lewis Howell built a large white two-story
frame house, which was last owned and occupied by Morris Muschany, and still a
very attractive home when it was destroyed in 1940. Extracts from Great-uncle
Lewis’ autobiography written in 1875 tell us a little about this house, its
use, and its owner.
“When I was
eight or nine years old I went to school to an Irishman, about a year and a
half, who taught school near where I lived. In about a year and a half after
this, I went to school a few months to a gentleman by the name of Prospect K.
Robbins, from Massachusetts, and
when I was nearly twelve years old I went to the same gentleman again for a few
months and made considerable progress during this term in arithmetic. The War
of 1812 then came on, and I was nearly stopped from pursuing my studies. I
studied as I had an opportunity. After the war I was placed by my father in a
school in the city of St. Louis,
taught by a Mr. Thompkins, who afterward became one of the Supreme Judges of
this State. I did not continue in this school long, but was brought to St.
Charles and placed in the care of Mr. U. J. Devore,
with whom I remained several months. English grammar was my principal study
while at St. Louis and St.
Charles. I was now about sixteen and when about
seventeen, as my old teacher, U. J. Devore, had been elected Sheriff, he
selected me for his deputy. I was accordingly sworn in and entered the service,
young as I was. There were but two counties at this time north of the Missouri
River—St. Charles and
Howard, the former of which embraced now the counties of St.
Charles, Warren,
Montgomery, Lincoln
and Pike. There were no settlements any further West at this time, until you
came to the Booneslick country, embraced in Howard. I had to ride over the five
counties before named, collecting taxes, serving writs, etc. I continued in
this business a few months, when I relinquished the office of Deputy and
entered the store of J. & G. Collier, in St. Charles,
as one of their clerks. I remained with them a few months, and as my father and
Mr. John Collier, the elder of the brothers, could not agree on the terms of
remaining with them, I went back to my father’s farm, where I labored a short
time, when my father, having some business in Kentucky,
took me with him to that State. On our return to Missouri
we overtook a small family on the road, moving to our State, by the name of
Reynolds, originally from the city of Dublin,
in Ireland. He
and my father got into conversation, and he appeared so well pleased with the
description my father gave him of this section that he determined, before we
separated, to come to the neighborhood where we were living. With this
gentleman, who I believe was a profound linguist, I commenced the study of the
Latin language. I can say without egotism, that I am very certain I was the
first person that commenced the study of Latin between the two great rivers, Missouri
and Mississippi. I found it very
difficult to get the necessary books, and had to send to Philadelphia
for the authors which my teacher recommended. With him I read Ovid, Caesar,
Virgil, Horace and a few others. Shortly after this (as Mr. Reynolds had left
the State) I went and spent a few months with my old teacher, Gen’l P. K.
Robbins, where and with whom I studied a few mathematical branches, and this
closed my literary studies at school. I finally gave up studying medicine,
which I had long contemplated, and came home to my father’s. I was now about
twenty-one years of age, and several of the neighbors and some of my relations
being very anxious that I should teach school for them, I at last, yet somewhat
reluctantly, consented, and accordingly taught a few months, and was not very
well pleased with the avocation.
About this
time there was considerable talk about the province
of Texas, and about the inducements
that were held out for persons to emigrate to that country. In consequence of
this stir about Stephen F. Austin’s colony, a company of us agreed to pay it a
visit and examine the country and ascertain the prospects of getting land; but
all finally gave up going except my brother Frank and myself. We, therefore,
alone, left Missouri January 22, 1822, for the Spanish province
of Texas, which, however, we never
reached. Having gone fifty or sixty miles south of Red river, my brother, who
was seven or eight years older than myself, and of more experience, thought it
was imprudent to proceed further, on account of the difficulties in the way. We
therefore retraced our steps and arrived at home between the first and middle
of March. I labored on my father’s farm until fall, and in October, when a few
months over twenty-two, I left home for the State of Louisiana.
I took a steamboat at St. Louis and
landed in Iberville early in November. This place was about ninety miles above
New Orleans, where I remained until spring, having been employed by a physician
(a prominent man of the parish) to teach his and a neighbor’s children, and to
regulate his books, etc., he having an extensive practise. I was treated rather
badly by him, and in the spring I went down to the city of New Orleans and took
passage on a steamboat, and returned to Missouri, and commenced farming, my
father having given me a piece of land which I commenced improving. A year or
two previous to this I went a session to a military school, taught by an old
revolutionary officer. I took, at this time, a considerable interest in
military tactics, and a year or two after this I was appointed and commissioned
Adjutant of the St. Charles Militia, my brother Frank being Colonel of the
regiment. This office I held for several years, when I resigned it being the
only military office I ever held; and the only civil office I ever had was that
of Deputy Sheriff, as already stated. After this time, I turned my attention to
teaching and farming, and in June, 1833, I married Serena Lamme, the daughter
of William T. and Frances Lamme, and great-grand-daughter of Col. Daniel Boone,
the pioneer of Kentucky. I was
then in my thirty-fourth year. We have had six children, three of whom have
already gone to the grave, the youngest of those living being now about
twenty-two years old. I still continued teaching, and kept a boarding school,
and had my farm also carried on, until the close of the Civil War, when I
stopped farming, as the servants I owned had been liberated. I therefore rented
out my farm, moved to the little village
of Mechanicsville, where I built
and commenced a boarding school, being assisted by an eminent young lady, a
graduate of one of the female seminaries of Missouri.
This school was carried on for five sessions, the last two or three mostly by
the young lady before named, as my health had somewhat failed.
I have
relinquished all public business whatever. I cultivate my little garden with my
own hands; am now in my seventy-sixth year; enjoy tolerably good health for one
of my age; can ride 35 or 40 miles a day, and I believe I could walk 20. I am a
member of the Presbyterian Church, to which I belonged upwards of fifty years.
I attribute my health and advanced age to my temperate habits, having never
yielded to dissipation of any kind.”
Walter
Williams in his “History of Northeast Missouri,” page 587, had this to say of
Lewis Howell:
“By his
fondness for study and his boyish energy, he succeeded even in that early day
in acquiring a fine classical education, and became an able teacher. By his
energy and scholarly influence, he aided materially in advancing an active
interest in education in the county, and assisted in the education of a number
of young men, who afterwards became eminent and useful citizens. He lived to be
nearly ninety years of age, retaining full control of his bright intellect to
the last. He was an educated Christian gentleman, eminently useful to his
fellow man, in his day and generation, and the world was better for his having
lived in it.”
F. B. Castlio sold lots 7-8-9 to Lewis Howell on March 28, 1867. On July 3, 1882, H. T. Howell bought the
three lots and the adjoining acreage from the Lewis Howell estate. H. T. Howell
sold to Susan Howell, January 30, 1890.
Susan L. Howell, to E. P. Silvey, June
18, 1890. E. P. Silvey, to J. U. Muschany, March 24, 1914.
20. The Masonic Building and store, on lots 5
and 6
In 1884, I.
P. Ronen sold lots 5 and 6, bought from Michael Kelly, September 18, 1879, to the Masonic Lodge, “being
the same lots conveyed to Michael Kelly by deed from David Sheehan, December 11, 1877, and by deed to
David Sheehan from F. B. Castlio, October
17, 1866.”
This third
store in Mechanicsville, built by Frank Stewart who kept store there about
1880, was owned and operated successively by Stewart Brothers, C. F. Stewart
and Son, and last by the three Muschany brothers—Morris, Claude, and Karl, from
September, 1916, until 1940.
Percy Stewart told me that his
father, Mr. Ferney Stewart, was a merchant in Mechanicsville for thirty-three
years, from about 1883 until 1916. The “History of St. Charles, Warren, and
Lincoln Counties,” published in 1895, states that Lee D. Stewart and C. F.
Stewart had been established in the mercantile business for eight or more years
and that “they carried a full line of merchandise comprising dry goods,
groceries, queensware, clothing, boots, and shoes.”
What former
resident of Howell and its environs does not remember this store? A bunch of
bananas hanging in one window. Dishes and lamps in another. Strips of fly-paper
dangling from the ceiling. On the left-hand side of the store the cabinet of J.
P. Coats white and black cotton thread. Another cabinet with silk thread of
various colors and shades. Ribbons, lace, bolts of yard goods, hose, socks,
underwear, overalls, shirts, shoes, boots, galoshes. On the right-hand side
were the telephone—its ring three longs and two shorts—the desk, candy counter
and its square jars of rock candy, peppermint and pink wintergreen drops,
licorice sticks and pipes, jelly beans, chocolate drops, cocoanut drops, candy
bars, chewing gum. Generally a big round long horn cheese on the counter from
which wedges had been cut. On the shelves were smoking tobacco, chewing tobacco;
cans of fruit and vegetables, bottles of vinegar, catsup, mustard, buckets of
red label and blue label Karo, jars of peanut butter and dried beef. In the
warehouse were trace chains, horse collars, harness, whips, bridles, halters;
washboards, tubs, jars, crocks, iron skillets, buckets, pans, dishes; rolls of
wire and rope; kegs of nails; barrels of salt and sugar; sacks of flour,
cornmeal, bran, shorts.
The women
of the community were relieved when the stove, chairs, and plug tobacco boxes
filled with sawdust were moved from the front of the store to the back. No
longer were they embarrassed, when they entered the store, by the sudden quiet
which prevailed during the winter months when all the chairs—sometimes even the
counters—were full of neighborhood men and boys.
Around the
stove were held heated and good-natured political arguments. Here the weather,
crops, and the village gossip were discussed. Past, present, and future local
history was “hashed over.” Jokes were told. Pranks were planned and played. No
local newspaper was needed. I’m sure some of the village men would rather have
missed their supper than an evening at the store. Many of the young men and
boys often rode or walked several miles for this nocturnal pastime, especially
on Saturday night.
During the
spring, summer, and fall months the men moved to the store porch, some sitting
on the edge of the porch, some on grain sacks, some on egg cases, one or two on
the scales, and a fortunate few in chairs, all following the shade. Some of the
men were so regular in making their trips to and from the store—frequently six
trips daily—that the women of Howell could have set their clocks by them.
The Masonic
Lodge held its meetings on the second floor of this red brick building. I was
told that in 1940 this building was torn down and the bricks sold.
