Williamstown Community School - Hornet Yearbook (Williamstown, MO)

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CDedication We, the seniors of 1956-1957 proudly dedicate our school annual to the one- hundredth year of Williams town. Our com-' munity has always contributed to the wel- fare of this school. To show our appreci- ation we dedicate these following para- graphs to Williamstown. The village of Williamstown was laid off by Minus Williams, September 29, 1856. The surveyor was J. P. Mitchell. The site was well chosen, situated on the old Canton, Monticello, and Memphis State road, in the center of an unsur- passed farming region. When the war came on, the place was little more than a small hamlet with but one or two stores and perhaps a dozen houses. The union element predomi- nated very largely in the neighborhood, and in the summer of 1861 a strong com- pany of home guards was organized there. Although without a railroad, and with- out reasonable prospects of any, the vil- lage increased after the war in proportion to the development of the country. In February, 1874, Aaron Martin laid off an addition, and in March following Lewis McClain platted another; both were soon occupied. In 1881, the population was two hundred eighty; it was estimated in 1887 to be about four hundred, more or less. Considerable business was trans- acted, and the village had an excellent reputation as a trading point. One of the institutions connected with the village, and which had given it much favorahle notoriety, was the Williamstown Fair Association, which was organized years since, and was in continuous suc- cessful operation for some time. The as- sociation owned well appointed grounds and buildings, which is now the present farm of Chester Ewart. Williamstown was appropriately located fcr the purpose of the association, and the fairs were pat- ronized by exhibitors and spectators from the counties of Lewis, Knox, Clark, and Scotland, and even from localities more remote. The only railroad near Williamstown was the Canton and Bloomfield, which never got farther than Bunker Hill. It was to run from Canton to Bloomfield, Iowa. The railroad was started in 1860. Cars for it were brought in by steamboat up the Mississippi. A train actually ran from the northern part of Canton to Bunker Hill. The churches of Williamstown were Southern Baptist, Catholic, Northern Methodist, and Christian. The Providence Baptist Church was or- ganized in 1847 by Elders John Rowe, Jeremiah Lillard, and Jesse Ford and their wives who met in what is known as the Liberty Schoolhouse which stood about three-quarters of a mile northeast of where the present building is located. The first pastor was John Rowe; first deacon, Jeremiah Lillard; first clerk, Jesse Ford; first treasurer, Ruben Nichols. In 1853 the first church was built, but was torn down and another one completed by 1871. Another church was built in 1911, which still stands to the present day. The first Sunday School was organized in 1889. By interviewing the present residents of Williamstown, we have acquired in- formation as to the whereabouts of some of the business houses of Williamstown. There were three hotels in Williams- town—one was owned by Fred Carlin, the second by Mr. Cecil, and the third by Mary Hively. The first post office was run by Mason Bowen in his home, now where Roy Ridgley's residence stands. Another was run by A. W. Selway, the present resi- dence of Selway's Store. There were two banks in Williamstown, one called the Farmers Exchange Bank and the other was called the Williamstown Bank. Williamstown was a growing town, and had many places of business that brought in much trade far the town. There were blacksmith shops, grocery stores, millinery stores, drug stores and other small stores that helped the community to prosper. 2

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JEAN LASSWELL Valedictorian........................4 Basketball....................1,2,3,4 Softball.......................1,2,3 Girls'Glee Club.............1,2,3,4 Sextette.......................2,3,4 Trio.................................2 Triple Trio..........................3 Quartette............................4 Kirksvllle Sextette..................4 Kirksvllle Quartette.............A Kirksvllle Glee Club.................4 Spanish, Kirksvllle..................3 Theme Writing, Kirksvllle............3 Act Your Age .......................3 Everybody's Getting Married . . .2 Shoot the Works ....................1 Buzzer Staff Editor..................4 Yearbook Staff Editor................4 Girls' State.........................3 Student Council..................1 Class Secretary..................2 Class Treasurer..................3 Class Reporter.......................4 MARY SCHORK Salutatori an.....................4 Basketball..................1,2,3,4 Captain of Basketball Team .... 4 Softball Pep Squad Girls' Glee Club. . . Sextette Trio Triple Trio Kirksvllle Sextette. . Kirksvllle Glee Club. Act Your Age . . . . Mystery of Crazy Canyon Ranch . 2 Everybody's Getting Married . . 2 Shoot the Works . . Buzzer Staff Yearbook Staff. . . . Class Vice-President Class Reporter. . . . Class President . . . Class Secretary . . . History Award. . . . SARAH NICHOLS Girls'Glee Club............1,2,3 Act Your Age .................. Everybody's Getting Married . . Shoot the Works ............... Class Reporter.................. Student Council................. Buzzer Staff.................... Yearbook Staff.................. 4