the road, at the corner of Church Street. It was
conducted a few years by Mr. Spoeri, and then pur-
chased by a Mr. Hock. After the death of Mr. Hock
the establishment was idle for a time, and was then
started by Tobias Fisher. He was succeeded by F.
Heim & Co., who purchased the property and con-
ducted the business during two years, at the end of
which they were succeeded by Michael Hollocker.
He sold the establishment in 1866 to F. Smith, who
carried on the business till 1867, when the building
was destroyed by fire. It was immediately rebuilt,
smaller, and the business was conducted by Mr. Smith
till 1870, when it was again burned, and was never
rebuilt.
A saw-mill was erected on the present site of the
Monitor Flouring-Mill in 1855 by Frederick Barton.
It was not long used as a saw-mill, but additions were
made to it and it was converted into a grist-mill the
next year. About ten years later it was burned, and an -
other and larger mill was erected in its place by Jacob
Schriner. This was a merchant mill, and had four
run of stones. It was burned, and was succeeded by
the Monitor Roller-Mill, which was erected by John
Gregg in 1881 on the site of the mill that was
burned. It is a frame building, thirty-two by sixty
feet in size and three stories in height above the
basement. It has three run of stones and six sets of
rollers, and its capacity is one hundred and fifty barrels
of flour in twenty-four hours. The machinery is pro-
pelled by an engine of sixty-five horse-power. It is
wholly a merchant mill, and about one-half the flour
manufactured in it is sold in the surrounding country.
COUNTY OF SAINT LOUIS.
1901
The balance is sent to St. Louis. A cooperage is at-
tached to the mill, and the total number of hands em-
ployed in the establishment is eight.
Manchester now has two general stores, two gro-
ceries, one variety store, one drug-store, one flour and
feed store, one boot and shoe store, one hotel, three
blacksmith-shops, two tin-shops, one tailor-shop,
three shoe-shops, two wagon-shops, one cabinet-shop,
one meat-market, and one physician.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOUTH. In the
absence of any records of an earlier date than 1867,
it is not possible to learn the early history of this
society. It is known that services by Methodist
clergymen were held at a very early date in private
houses and barns, before a school-house was erected in
this vicinity. A society was formed long since, and
preaching was supplied by circuit preachers. This
has at times been a station and again a charge on a
circuit as changing circumstances have required. A
house of worship for this society was first fitted up in
1827, when John Ball purchased a building that had
been used for a carding-machine, and seats and a gal-
lery were arranged in it. It was used as a church till
1839, when it was sold to Mr. Triplet, and by him
converted into a barn. In that year a small framed
church was erected near the site of the present house
of worship of the society. It was used till 1859,
when the present edifice was built. It is of brick
with a stone basement, and is forty by sixty feet in
size. It is pleasantly located on an elevation a short
distance from the Manchester road.
ST. MALACHY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH was organized
in 1839 with only a few members. During many
years it was visited by priests from the Cathedral at
St. Louis, and afterwards from St. Peter's Church at
Gravois (Kirkwood). Among those who ministered
to this congregation may be named Revs. Jacob Meller
and H. Van der Senden. In 1869, Rev. H. V. Kal-
mer was appointed parish priest, followed by Revs.
James Becker, 1874 ; A. Mayer, 1875 (died) ; P.
Bonaventura, O.S.F., and P. Matthias, O.S.F., 1875 ;
H. V. Kalmer, 1876; J. F. M. Diel, 1881.
The present church building was erected in 1851.
In 1869 a parsonage was purchased for twelve hun-
dred dollars, and the next year an organ was procured
at a cost of six hundred dollars, and a lot for a ceme-
tery was bought for eight hundred and twenty-five
dollars.
A parochial school has been maintained by this
congregation since 1851, first in the church, then in
a room in the pastor's residence, and in 1871 a build-
ing for the purpose was erected. The present teacher
is J. H. L/Kotthoff.
ST. JOHANNES' EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN
CHURCH was organized in 1867 with fifteen members.
The first place of worship was a dwelling-house that
was purchased and fitted up for the purpose on the
site of the present church, a short distance from the
rock road. In 1869 the present church edifice was
erected at an expense of two thousand dollars. It is
a tasteful wooden structure, thirty by fifty feet in
size. A parsonage near the church was built in 1871
at a cost of five hundred dollars. The present mem-
bership is thirty-two. The pastors have been Revs.
Frederick Koeving, 1867 ; Armen Hauf, 1869 ; -
Ries, 1869 ; William Stoeffer, 1871 ; and the present
pastor, Frederick Schmidt, 1878.
MAENNERCHOR AND OTHER SOCIETIES. At a pic-
nic held on the 4th of July, 1880, by the German popu-
lation of Manchester, the subject of forming a sing-
ing society was agitated, and as a result a meeting for
the purpose was held on the 8th of the same month,
at which the Maennerchor was organized by the
adoption of a constitution and the election of the fol-
lowing officers : William Schroeder, president ; Charles
Schroeder, vice-president ; William Kruse, treasurer ;
and Henry Seibel, secretary. The object of the so-
ciety, as set forth in its constitution, was " the culti-
vation of vocal music and a refined social intercourse
among its members."
For the want of a better place the society met
during a year and a half in a room over a black-
smith's shop. In 1881 a Saenger Hall, thirty-six by
fifty feet in size, was erected, finished in appropriate
style, and dedicated on Christmas-day of that year.
The society was incorporated on the 14th of Feb-
ruary, 1882, and it has since, as well as before, been
highly prosperous, and an addition to the hall has be-
come necessary. It was the pioneer institution of the
kind in the county of St. Louis. The present num-
ber of members is seventy-four. The presidents of
the society have been William Schroeder, Charles
Schroeder, and the present incumbent of the office,
Henry Steffen. The musical directors have been
Caspar Roesslein and the present director, H. W.
Dreyer.
On the 4th of July, 1882, the society was pre-
sented by the ladies of Manchester with a silk ban-
ner, the cost of which was one hundred dollars.
Bonhomme Lodge, No. 45, F. and A. M., was
organized in the early part of 1841, with Peter Kin-
caid, W. M. ; A. C. Tindal, S. W. ; Lewis Dozier,
J. W. ; I. F. Hale, Sec. ; William Bassett, Treas. ;
Frederic L. Billon, S. D. ; Vespian Ellis, J. D. ;
and Caleb Carman, Tyler.
The first lod"e-room was in the old hotel that was
1902
HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.
built in 1830. The Past Worshipful Masters have
been, in succession, Peter Kincaid, Dr. William Bas-
set, I. F. Hale, H. H. Duval, John Shotwell, Dr. A.
B. Barbee, W. D. Clayton, Vincent Henderson, Dr.
James H. Hall, Thomas Ennis, James M. Brewer,
John H. Brewer, Charles McQuerry, and Dr. G. W.
Wyatt.
The present officers are Kennett Shotwell, W. M. ;
Dr. Clay Wyatt, S. W. ; James M. Brewer, Sec. ;
John D. Woody, Treas. ; John H. Brewer, Tyler.
The lodge has been prosperous from the first.
Manchester Lodge, No. 435, K. of H., was insti-
tuted Jan. 29, 1877, with ten members. The first
officers were George Straszer, P. D. ; James M.
Brewer, D. ; William Overbeck, V. D. ; C. H. Cor-
bin, A. D. ; R. Padenstecher, R. ; R. M. Higgins,
F. R. The P. D.'s have been, in succession, J.
Brewer, R. M. Higgins, Henry Dietrich, George
Straszer, Jacob S. Gates, Jacob Eschenbrenner, J. H.
Schaberg, and William Overbeck. The present
officers are J. H. Schaberg, P. D. ; William Over-
beck, D. ; Jacob S. Gates, V. D. ; Henry Seibel,
A. D. ; George Straszer, R. ; Henry Dietrich, F. R.
The lodge has a membership of thirty-eight, and has
a surplus of two hundred dollars in its treasury.
St. George's Branch, No. 24, of the Catholic
Knights of America, was organized June 5, 1882,
with thirteen members. The officers are Victor
Nichols, president; S. J. Clark, vice-president; Wil-
liam Kurtenback, secretary ; and Bernard Schuh,
treasurer. It is a life insurance and general aid society.
Ballwin is a town of three hundred inhabitants
on the Manchester road, twenty miles west from St.
Louis. It derived its name from John Ball, who
in 1804 came here and located a farm where the
village now is. In 1837 he laid out the town in
blocks, each two hundred and nine feet square, and
consisting of four lots. One of these blocks was re-
linquished to the town for a Methodist Episcopal
Church, and another adjoining it for a burial-ground.
The lots thus laid out were sold as they were required
by those who came to make the town their residence,
but the early growth of the place was not rapid. Ten
years after it was founded there was a store here, kept
by Thomas Nichols, also a tavern by John C. Hart-
man, and a blacksmith-shop, carried on by Henry
Harman. At that time there were twelve dwellings
in the town. Since then its growth has been gradual
and steady till it has reached its present size. An
addition to the town of nine blocks has been made,
and all have been sold. There are now here four
general stores, two hotels, a saddler, two shoemakers,
a cabinet-maker, and two blacksmiths.
In 1849, Frederick Schelp established at Ballwin
a manufactory of wagons and agricultural implements
in a small way. The business gradually increased till
1854, when the establishment was burned. It was
immediately rebuilt on a larger scale and the business
continued.
In 1873 a new and larger shop was rebuilt in place
of this, which was demolished. Since that time
facilities have been added as the business has in-
creased, till nine hands are constantly employed.
The manufacture of light carriages has been added
to the business, for the supply of the home market
and for shipping. Since 1881 the business has been
conducted by the firm of F. Schelp & Sons.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. A Methodist
Episcopal Society was first organized here in 1846,
consisting of twelve members. The first place of
worship was a small log building erected by Mr. Ball
for church and school purposes. In 1855 a frame
church building, twenty-four by thirty feet, was erected
at a cost of one thousand dollars. This was used till
1870, when it was converted into a public school-
house, and the present tasteful brick edifice was
erected. This stands on the Main Street of the town,
is thirty-five by fifty-five feet in size, and cost four
thousand five hundred dollars. The society owes no
debt.
The pastors who have served this society have been
Revs. H. Hahman, 1846; John Keck, 1848; John
Hoebner, 1849; H. Ellerbeck, 1850; C. Hoeck,
1851; W. Bollert, 1853; H. Toelle, 1854; C.
Bonn, 1855 ; H. W. Schmidt, 1857 ; W. Koenicke,
1858 ; W. Floreth, 1860 ; G. Boeseng, 1862 ; John
Roelle, 1864 ; Henry Meyer, 1867 ; U. Roeder, 1868 ;
W. Schwind, 1871; C. Ska, 1873; J. M. Dewein,
1874; H. Pfaff, 1877 ; W. Schwind, 1879; Th.
Hehner, 1881. The membership is eighty-one.
MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH (COLORED) of
Ballwin was organized about thirty-five years since. In
the absence of records but little can be learned of its
history. It has a framed house of worship, and about
twenty members. The pastors that are remembered
were Revs. Emmanuel Cartwright, Willis Stafford,
and Tinley Lucas.
ST. MATTHEW'S LODGE, F. AND A. M. (Colored),
was organized in June, 1881, with Moses G. Mass,
W. M. ; Samuel Taggart, S. W. ; and Frank Darby,
J. W., and five members. It has now sixteen mem-
bers, and James Powell is W. M. ; Frank Darby, S.
W., and Thomas Salerne, J. W.
Fenton. The town of Fenton was laid out early
in the present century by William Long, and was
named in honor of the female branch of his family.
COUNTY OF SAINT LOUIS.
1903
During many years it had very little the appearance
of a village ; no more than two families resided there
till 1838. In that year a store and a saw-mill were
erected at this place by James Hibbert, and in 1842,
Samuel T. Vandover and David Sigler established
small stores (Mr. Hibbert having removed) in log
buildings, neither of which is now standing. At
about the same time when Mr. Vandover opened his
store he started the first blacksmith-shop here, and
during many years the village consisted of no more
than six families. In 1833, Mr. Vandover, Caleb
Bowles, Samuel Rudder, and several other residents
of the vicinity established a private ferry over the
Meramec River, on the south side of which the town
is located, and in 1835, Jabez Ferris established at
this point the first public ferry, which he conducted
till his death in 1848, after which Mr. Vandover and
Mr. Bowles carried it on till the erection of the bridge
over the river here. This bridge was built in 1854-
55 by a company that was chartered by the Legisla-
ture. Of this company Samuel T. Vandover was the
first president, followed in 1862 by Isaac Sullens.
The bridge was built by J. C. Hall, contractor, and
its cost was nineteen thousand dollars. By a pro-
vision in the charter the county might at any time
become the owner of this bridge by paying for the
stock held by individuals. This was done in 1874,
and the bridge became free. It is a wooden Howe-
truss bridge, built on piers, and it has a length of four
hundred and eighty feet. This bridge affords a cross-
ing for the Gravois road, which connects Fenton di-
rectly with St. Louis. The town has grown to its
present size (about one hundred and fifty inhabitants)
within the last twelve years. In 1882 a fire oc-
curred which consumed four buildings in the centre
of the town.
Fenton was incorporated Dec. 28, 1874. The first
board of trustees was composed of Jacob Fritschle,
James M. Bowles, Charles Williams, Henry Temper,
and E. J. Thurman. The presidents of the board
have been Jacob Fritschle, 1874; E. J. Thurman,
1876; Henry Temper, 1877; John Desalme, 1879;
Henry Temper, 1880; John Desalme, 1882. The
clerks of the board have been James M. Bowles,
1874 ; Anthony Roberts, 1876 ; and Frederick Weh-
meyer, 1879. The town has two stores, one hotel,
one drug-store, one wagon-shop, one blacksmith-shop,
one shoe-shop, and two physicians.
Many years since a saw-mill was built at Fenton.
On the foundation of this, in 1872, James Halpine
erected a corn- and flour-mill, and this he sold to
Henry Temper in 1875. On the site of this Mr.
Temper in 1878 erected the present Fenton Flouring-
Mill. It is a frame building, forty-two by twenty-
four feet, besides the stone engine-house which ad-
joins it. It has three run of stones and a set of
rollers, and the machinery is driven by an engine of
fifty horse-power. It is a merchant mill, and the
flour manufactured here is sold in St. Louis and in
various other markets in this region. About twenty
thousand barrels of flour are annually manufactured
in this mill. The barrels for this flour are made in a
cooperage which is carried on by Mr. Temper. Twelve
hands are constantly employed at this establishment.
FENTON METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH SOOTH.
At an early day a class was in existence in the
vicinity of Fenton, and the name of William Brock is
remembered as one of the early leaders of this class.
Thomas Williams is remembered as the first local
preacher here.
A society was organized about 1830, and services
were held in the houses of Thomas Williams and
others in the vicinity. A small log church, which is
still standing, was erected on the Gravois road pre-
vious to 1840, and here the society worshiped till
1860. In that year the present church edifice was
erected in Fenton. It is a neat frame building,
thirty by thirty-five feet in size, and its cost was one
thousand dollars, which was paid before the dedication
of the church, and the society has now no debt.
In 1844 the society became divided, a portion affili-
ating with the Methodist Episcopal Church North.
This schism has ceased to exist. A portion of the
records of this society have been lost or mislaid, but
the following names of preachers who have served the
church are remembered : Revs. J. N. W. Springer,
William Alexander, T. M. Cobb, George W. Horn,
Nathaniel Talbott, John W. Robinson, and J. M.
Clayton. Others whose names cannot be recalled have
officiated here.
ST. PAUL'S (CATHOLIC) CHURCH, FENTON. A
church building was erected in Fenton in 1879, and
services were first held in it on Christmas in that year.
It is a wooden building, thirty-two by twenty-six, and
its cost was thirteen hundred dollars.
The congregation consists of about forty families,
one-half of whom are German, and services are held
in both German and English. The congregation is
served by the pastor of St. Peter's Church in Kirk-
wood. Although this is a young organization, it has
no debt.
FENTON LODGE, No. 281, F. AND A. M., was or-
ganized May 2, 1868. The charter members were
H. S. Jacobi, W. M. ; - - Stelham, S. W. ; A.
Bowles, J. W. ; T. S. Long, S. D. ; James Bowles,
J. D. ; John R. Vandover, Sec. ; William L. Pipkin,
1904
HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.
Treas. ; John T. Hawkins, Tyler; William Barnett,
Martin C. Helterbrandt, Thomas Byrns, Leonidas
Wilson, Larkin Williams, W. A. Pratt, and S. B.
Belew, nearly all of whom came from Bonhomme
Lodge, No. 45, at Manchester.
The Past Masters have been H. S. Jacobi, Ander-
son Bowles, T. S. Long, James A. Bowles, Samuel T.
Vandover, H. F. Steinhauer, B. F. Holcombe, E. J.
Thurman.
The present officers are H. F. Steinhauer, W. M. ;
William Stafford, S. W. ; David Bowles, J. W. ; John
H. Wilkins, Sec. ; Henry Temper, Treas. ; George W.
Anderson, S. D. ; Jeremiah Strickland, J. D. ; and
John McDonald, Tyler.
The lodge has always met in its own hall. It has
one thousand dollars invested. The present member-
ship is fifty-one.
FENTON LODGE, No. 180, A. 0. U. W., was or-
ganized in February, 1880, with the following charter
members : Frank Stowe, P. M. W. ; George W. An-
derson, M. W. ; John Brummer, F. ; Albert Cable,
0. ; William Brethold, R. ; Frederic Schisler, F. ;
Peter Brossard, R. , Frank Weber, G. ; Andrew Payne,
I. W. ; William Kohler, 0. W. ; Peter Barton, Charles
Heller, Henry Hoffmeister, William Schisler, Otto
Spitz, William Young, and John Zufall.
The presiding officers of the lodge have been George
W. Anderson, Frank Stowe, John H. Wilkins. The
present officers are Cornelius Dillon, M. W. ; Otto
Spitz, F. ; John Stouse, 0. ; William Brethold, R.
and F. ; Peter Brossard, R.
One death has occurred in the lodge since its or-
ganization. The membership is twenty-five, and the
lodge is prosperous.
Kirkwood. 1 " The town of Kirkwood was founded
in the early part of the year 1853. During that
year the Pacific Railroad was in process of construc-
tion. H. W. Leffingwell, R. S. Elliott, and others,
being impressed with the necessity of a suburban home
for families who desired pure air, and to rear their
children away from the contaminating influences of a
large city, initiated a movement to build a town on
some high, healthy locality on the line of the Pacific
Railroad, a short distance from and easily accessible
to St. Louis.
" An association was organized composed of forty
persons, including many of the best men of St. Louis,
for the purpose of selecting and purchasing a site for
the town. This duty was by the association assigned
to H. W. Leffingwell and William R. Pry. They ex-
1 This sketch of this town was prepared by W. S. Stewart in
1 875, and embraces the main facts in its history to that time.
amined several eligible localities east of the one finally
selected, but at last determined to ' cast their lots'
among the beautiful groves where since has grown the
pleasant and substantial town of Kirkwoud.
" They purchased of Owen Collins one hundred and
twenty acres for twelve thousand dollars, of Thomas
Wash eighty acres for six thousand four hundred dol-
lars, and A. S. Mitchell forty acres for three thousand
dollars, making two hundred and forty acres for the
town site, at a cost of twenty-one thousand four hun-
dred dollars.
" The grounds were then surveyed and divided into
forty blocks, and these blocks sub-divided into lots,
and wide avenues and one street were laid out at right
angles, as follows : Beginning on the north and going
south were established the avenues named Washing-
ton, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe, with
Main Street located between Jefferson and Madison
Avenues; on the west and going east, Jackson, Van
Buren, Harrison, Clay, Webster, Taylor, and Fillmore
Avenues, leaving off the names of some of our illus-
trious Presidents and substituting the no less illus-
trious names of Clay and Webster.
" The hotel block they then located on the west side
of the town block bounded by Webster, Jefferson,
and Taylor Avenues and Main Street, and a hotel of
rare architectural beauty, fronting on Main Street, was
erected at a cost of fourteen thousand dollars. This
hotel was destroyed by fire in December, 1867.
" The lots were sold at auction May 26, 1853, the
prices ranging from two hundred dollars to seven hun-
dred dollars per acre. The name of the town was
then to be selected, and the very appropriate and
euphonious name of ' Kirkwood' was proposed by Mr.
R. S. Elliott and adopted by the association, partly
from respect to James P. Kirkwood, then chief engi-
neer of the Pacific Railroad, and partly in view of the
fact that the building of churches (kirks) in the wood
or groves of the town was already contemplated, thus
suggesting Kirkwood.
" The year following there were added to the town
blocks on the east and south, divided by the following
streets and avenues : On the east, Smith and Walker
Streets and Clark and Holmes Avenues; on the
south, Scott, Elliott, and Leffingwell Avenues.
" The first charter incorporating the town was
granted by the Missouri General Assembly, Feb. 20,
1865, and amended Feb. 27, 1869."
In 1870 the population of the town was twelve
hundred. In 1880 it was reported by the census
marshal at twelve hundred and eighty, but this was
believed to be less than the true number. It is now
(1883) estimated at two thousand.
COUNTY OF SAINT LOUIS.
1905
The following have been officers of the town since
its incorporation :
TRUSTEES. 1865, H. W. Leffingwell, Albert G. Edwards,
Richard S. Elliott, William T. Essex, Lucius D. Moore, Francis
Berg, Henry T. Mudd; 1866, J. W. Sutherland, Francis Berg,
Albert G. Edwards ; 1868, Richard Holme, John Pitman, Joshua
L. Tracy, August Metzelfeldt; 1869, Thomas L. Mills, Armstead
0. Grubb; 1871, Lemuel G. Pardee, Theodore Hegee, Michael
Higgins; 1872, John Pitman, Joseph R. Matthews, William
Armintrout; 1874, A. B. Garrison, Matthew W. Leet, Levi
House; 1876, John W. Andrews, William T. Essex, Joseph R.
Matthews; 1878, James B. Roberts, Henry A. Hyatt, Charles
A. Lawton, George W. Tracy, Matthew W. Leet; 1880, George
H. Gill, John W. Andrews, Dr. John Pitman; 1882, H. A.
Hyatt, George W. Tracy, M. W. Leet.
CLKRKS AND EX OFFICIO TREASURERS. 1865, Francis Berg;
1871, Thomas L. Mills; 1872, Lemuel G. Pardee; 1873, Niram
H. Allen.
CLURK. 1874, Niram H. Allen.
TREASURER. 1874, Niram H. Allen.
MARSHALS. 1865, Henry S. Allen; 1866, Lemuel G. Pardee;
1869, James Martin; 1871, James W. Musick ; 1873, John W.
Matthews; 1876, William Armintrout; 1878, John C. Farris;
1882, John H. Hayes.
RECORDERS. 1869, Lemuel G. Pardee, Egbert W. Halsey,
John W. Sutherland; 1871, Lemuel G. Pardee; 1873, Hugo S.
Jacobi; 1878, Cortez A. Kitchen, William S. Stewart.
ATTORNEYS. 1873, James S. Cornwell; 1875, William S.
Stewart; 1877, William S. Bodley.
The town has two general stores, five grocery and
variety stores, two drug-stores, two boot and shoe
stores, three restaurants, one bakery, one wagon-shop,
two blacksmith-shops, one barber, one livery -stable,
two wood and coal yards, one jeweler, two tin-shops,
two attorneys, and two physicians.
THE ATHEN^EUJM in Kirkwood was erected by a
joint-stock company called the Kirkwood Hall Asso-
ciation. The capital stock of this company was fifteen
thousand dollars, in shares of one hundred dollars each.
It was erected in 1874, on the corner of Webster and
Adams Avenues. It is two stories in height, and the
second story has a large hall, with stage and scenery,