The Ray County museum will be open for entertaining in the parlor with Christmas refreshments and tours on Christmas Eve until 3:30 p.m. Be sure to bring your family and friends to see Your museum in all of her glory.
All of us have those before and after -Christmas blues so come on up and clear out the cob-webs of your hustle and bustle and enjoy a nice quiet stroll through the past and a parlor repast.
Christmas Eve, December 24th, 11:00- 3:30 p.m
December 26 & 27, 10:00- 4:00
Complimentary cider and other refreshments.
Free tours.
www.raycountyhistoricalsociety.com
816-776-2305
901 West Royle, Richmond
![[del.icio.us]](http://images.del.icio.us/static/img/delicious.small.gif){kind=small}
This was done with some new Microsoft software, that you will need to download to view the tour. I took these pictures right before the Veterns Picnic and it is of the World War I room. I have one other room that I will be adding here soon, WWII, and will add more if people would like to see more of the musuem. Please let me know.
Our Costume Rental Shop is now open to the public!
Come and try them on, get your style, find the accessories
and strut in your Victorian, Edwardian or Prairie style wardrobe!
Rental is priced for everyone.
Complete Costumes,
Dress
shoes
Hat
Gloves
(Petticoats/hoops are a small additional fee)
We have a wonderful assortment of Accessories for just that added touch!
For a small additional fee, you can rent for longer periods of time)
There are also a selection of custom decorated hats for your special occassions
While you there and would like a cuppa tea, tour our museum
Plus our new jewelry line of costume jewelry in Victorian period/era styles.!
selection and fitting.
Please call the Ray County Museum at : 816-776-2305
or, email- raycountymuseum@yahoo.com
The pictures represent a selection of our costumes.
Missouri River Flood
l993
Some of these pictures, I took
during the flood. Some I scanned from the book “The Flood of
‘93″ written and published by Gary and Liz Schroeder. They
wrote the book as a testimony, not of the flood, the devastation, but, of
the people who were our Heroes. They survived the trauma, we all
pitched in to help our fellow neighbors.
We Survived.
The lands are planted again,
the new levees have been built. Thanks to the farmers who all gathered
their Own resources, , rebuilt the levees and started anew.
The problems started in l992
with heavy rains all during the season, heavy snows that winter. The
grounds were already saturated, and then,. the Spring rains of l993
started. By August, ..the devastation began.
From South Dakota, the
snow-melt filled the river and came downstream, from the Mississippi and
Illinois, the river filled, and backed up into the Missouri. We were the
‘axis’ of the mingling of two Mighty and raging rivers.
Houses, cattle, whole slices of
river banks, and then fields, trees were all tumbling into the raging
waters.
One person in this area was
killed while trying to escape the waters. Thousands were homeless in
the area. Richmond was the ‘high’ point of land and we were an ‘island’ of
land for the homeless for miles.
There wasn’t One soul for
several counties who didn’t pitch in and help in Some way. Giving
meals to the ones sand-bagging, sand-baggers, clean up crews, giving
shelter, food and clothing.
There was no way to get to
Kansas City from any direction. We were ’stranded’ as a town for
weeks. Trains didn’t run, boats were the only transportation,
fishing boats, in-boards, they were All in use. And, a VERY
dangerous trip they took! You never knew what was in the waters to
run into.
The Hardin cemetery was the
lowest point. People around here still can’t really talk about it.
It wasn’t the first time the
cemetery has been flooded, but, in My life-time, I don’t know of anything
worse than what happened there. The National news stations picked up
on the tumbling caskets, families trying to retrieve them after the waters
went down. National Guard units were trying to hoist the coffins from the
waters, IF they could find them. Hundreds were lost forever.
Remains were found. Most couldn’t be identified. The cemetery
had family members buried there from the l800’s. Now, a memorial
remains in the cemetery for all the ones that DID have a resting place
there, and then,…..were gone.
JANUARY
2003
On the
East end of Willow Creek bridge, January, 2003
…NO BRIDGE, NO ROAD….LOTS OF
RIVER!!!!!!! I (MY HOUSE) WAS 9 1/2 MILES FROM THE RIVER, …..THE
NEXT RAIN, It WAS 6 1/2 MILES FROM THE RIVER
THEN….FIVE
MILES FROM MY HOUSE TO THE RIVER
This is the South end of the Lexington bridge. Would you believe, some people came from
Lexington to Richmond in a Fishing boat and had to DUCK to keep their
heads from hitting the bridge!?
The
Henrietta Flats- Bowling ally And other businesses
No, we’re
not building a Homecoming Float. Those are sand bags and the whole
community got their ‘flood shots’ (tetanus shots) and joined together to
pile sand bags.
The Trauma
of the Hardin Cemetery= July 12, l993
National guard unit digging up the caskets from
the sludge and slime.
The cemetery
‘is’ in the center of this picture (birds eye view from a plane)
I won’t show
any more pictures of the cemetery. It’s still too fresh in our minds. The
loss of the caskets rolling down the river, the families who had to deal
with this loss is still too great.
Out of
l544 burials in the cemetery, less than 400 remain.
Caskets,
body parts were un=earthed. There are still many that haven’t ever been
retrieved. Skulls, etc were found in fields, some never will be.
As of l994,
The Federal government denied funds to rebuild levees so this wouldn’t
happen again.
WHERE THERE USED TO BE CROPS AND HOUSES, …..NOTHING BUT
WATER AS FAR AS THE EYE COULD SEE.
THESE PICTURES, TO ME, JUST ABOUT
SAYS IT ALL.
THAT’S NOT THE END OF THIS STORY…..
New Levees have been built and, we have our NEW bridge!
Ike Skelton Bridge- Missouri River
Tags: 1993, Albany Missouri, Cox, flood, Hankins, Lexington, missouri river, Old Albany, orrick, ray county flood, Shelby, William T. Anderson
The Elmira Community of Northwest Ray County
Northwest Ray’s very earliest settlement was made in an area often spoken of these days as “up around Elmira”. The very first pioneer settled on what is now known as the Lloyd Knutter farm in 1825. That John Field may have been a Virginian, but most of those early settlers who followed him were from Kentucky or Tennessee. By 1835, enough of them were in the area to require a log schoolhouse, which stood on the very site of Clay district. The so called ‘battle of Crooked river”, a day’s skirmish between Mormons of adjoining Caldwell and militia company of Ray took place in November of 1838, in a wide valley one mile south of that school.
Just when a Mr. McClain began operating a water powered grist mill near the Ed Knutter ford, on up stream a bit from where said skirmish took place, is not known,. Said ford was about a half mile south east of where Elmira would be founded many years later as a depot town.
Elmira- Past
In 1866, however, when Isom Allen installed a steam powered sawmill on the bank of that same middle branch of Crooked river, he chose a site about two miles north of the one by that ford; and equipped it with a grist milling facilities. Shortly after, he also built a general store. Presently Harrison Hunt was running a second store at that river bank site between steep hills. (The site can be easily found on the Ray county plat of 1914 by noting where the Ray-Caldwell county line road dips briefly south, where said stream enters Ray).
By 1870, enough businesses were established and enough homes had been built close by for Dr. J.H. James, graduate of Chicago’s Rush Medical College, to decide it would be a good place to ‘hang out his shingle’. He and one Adrian Gordon built a partnership drugstore the following year. Things went on as was customary in such small settlements
I’m sure there were more injuries
than reported, but, since this wasn’t the age of tele-communications, some
went un-reported. (kb)
Captain William M. Jacobs was caught
in front of the C.D. Sayre’s, by the falling debris from the store and the
Masonic hall, and completely buried, and was not found till eleven o’clock
the followed day (Sunday).
Squire Bellis was buried by the
fallen debris of Jackson & Patton’s lumber yard. Mr. Bellis
resided in the country, and was killed while seeking safety in the lumber
yard.
John Campbell had started from M.C.
Jacob’s drug store for his home in the eastern part of the town, and when
having reached a point on Lexington street, just behind Brown and
Limerick’s lumber yard, was killed by the passing missiles.
Mattie Holman, aged five years,
a child of W.r. Holman, was killed.
Miss Martha A. Ross, who was living
at Ephraim Holman’s was crushed by the falling building and died in a few
moments.
Mrs.. Mary Joy was struck and killed
by the falling house of F.W. Joy.
Mrs. Martha A. Casey was instantly
killed.
James Duncan, at Powell & Son’s
shop was caught up by the wind, carried one hundred yards, and mortally
wounded. A missile was driven into his head, entering near the nose.
He lived but a few moments.
Miss Josie Couch, at the resident of
William Marshall, was disemboweled, and died in a short time.
William A
Donaldson, Esq., was on his way from his law office to his residence, when
he was struck by flying debris, and died in an hour or two.
Mrs. Alving Child
was mortally wounded and died in a short time.
Andrew Nating,
son of Samuel Nading, was killed in the wreck of his father’s house.
Miss Florence
Word, whose thigh was broken, died on Tuesday evening, and was buried the
next day.
Francis M. Ball,
severally bruised bout the head, legs and body, died on Monday.
An infant child
of Charles Ottman’s lived till Tuesday, when it died of injuries received
in the storm.
Mrs. Salina
Bohannon died on Thursday morning.
Miss Sarah
Burgess, Berry Fox, Thomas J. Bohannon, Laura Washington
Several injuries
were mentioned.. I won’t list all of those.
Tags: Albany Missouri, Cox, Hankins, Old Albany, orrick, Shelby, William T. Anderson
Charly Ford Shoots Himself Through The Heart
Richmond Conservator, Richmond, Ray County, Missouri
May 9, 1884
Front Page
The Last Of Earth
A report spread through the city Tuesday morning that Charlie Ford, one of the slayers of Jesse James, had committed suicide at his father’s residence, two miles east of the city by shooting himself through the heart.
Dr. W.W. Mosby Jr., was summoned to the scene of the tragedy and found that the unfortunate man had shot himself with a heavy revolver through the left breast making a small hole out of which poured the purple life drops and after laying about an hour in an unconscious condition he went to join his victim in the realm of shadows. His parents stated that he got up and eat his breakfast, showed no sign of depression, went up stair to his room and in a short time there-after hearing the report of a pistol they went up and found him laying in bed with his coat off and the blood pouring out of the wound made by the fatal shot. Dr. Gant, Coroner, and other went out, an inquest was held and the particulars as above was incorporated in the following verdict:
We, the jury, having been duty sworn, of Ray County, State of Missouri diligently to enquire and a true presentment make in whit manner and by whom Charles Ford, whose dead body was found at the residence of J.T. Ford, two miles east of Richmond, Mo, on the sixth day of May A.D. 1884, came to his death, after having heard the evidence and upon full inquiry concerning the facts and a careful examination of said body do find that the deceased came to his death by a shot from a pistol in his own hand, with suicidal intent.
G.W. Turner, Forman
G.N. Noding
J.W. Warnistad
S.G. Clement
R.D. Asbury
C.W. Brown
Slowly but surly the Almighty moves in the affairs of men. We might moralize on this tragic end of a man in the bloom of life, but the pallid corpse gaping wound and lusterless eye out weigh all sermons, the suicide has passed beyond the power of mortals he is before the bar supreme, there let him rest happier far no doubt that at any time since he took part in an act that gave him a wide notoriety. We learn that he had become an habitual opium eater, that he had used an ounce of morphine within the past week and had sent to town for a fresh supply, as he was suffering intense pain from catarrh of the bladder, which combined with a gloomy outlook for the future rendered him morbid, hence he resolved by a bold stroke to end all his troubles, his own hand pointing the shot that sealed his fate, thus soling the supreme problem of four thousand years.
Bob Ford came down from Kansas City and the dead man’s wife from St. Louis to attend the funeral, and were much affected, his wife fainting and her grief seemed insupportable. The remains were interred in the city cemetery Wednesday, a large number of persons being in attendance, many drawn thither through curiosity. After the funeral Mrs. Chas. Ford and Bob left for their respective homes, and thus ends another chapter in the annuals of the bandits of the border.
JOIN us in our 36th Ray County Historical Society’s Annual Meeting. Sounds boring, it WON’T be!
Bring a dish (side or dessert) and join us for a friendly supper, followed by the election of our new board members and officers and a special program by Rod Fields on the Ray County Poor Farm.
As a member, you can participate in nominating for the board members and also elections.
If you’re not a member,…why not? We have different scaled levels of membership, so join us, now and be a part of the Ray County community and preserving our history!
Remember, all members have an automatic 10% discount on purchases from the museum, gift shop, costume rentals and publications.
Try a gift certificate this Christmas or any time for that special person!
See you there!
RICHMOND CONSERVATOR
RICHMOND, MISSOURI, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1896
vOLUME #-NUMBER 33
HORRIBLE TRIPLE MURDER
MRS JESSIE WINNER AND HER TWO CHILDREN BRUTALLY MURDERED. ONLY RIVALED IN ITS SICKENING DETAILS BY THE MEEKS MURDER IN LINN COUNTY
Coroner’s Jury Ask That the Husband and Father be Held for the Murder.
The crowd with the sheriff after the murder at the Winner cabin
A horrible triple murder, rivaling in all its sickening details that of the Meeks family in Linn county a year or two since, was perpetrated in a small log cabin on the E.T. Watkins farm, eight miles northeast of this city, some time during Monday night.
For four years past Jesse Winner has rented a few acres of land from Mr. Watkins and each year has raised a crop of corn. Winner is a coal miner and when work was to be had in the mines in this city he has accepted it. It has been his custom to work in the mines during the week and go to the farm and spend Sunday with his family. Last Sunday he was out as usual, coming back to town Sunday evening. On Monday he cleaned up his room at Mine No.11, where he had been employed and prepared to go home Tuesday morning to gather his corn. Tuesday morning while he was sitting on the court house fence a messenger arrived in town and brought the startling news that his wife and two children had been murdered.
Click the link just below for a lot more, full details and (warning) very graphic photographs
Tags: Albany Missouri, Aull, Cox, G.W. Duncan, Goldie, HANGING, Hankins, James Nelson, Jesse Winner, Lackey, Lafayette, Lexington, Missouri, murder in Ray County, Nelson, Old Albany, orrick, Poor Farm, Ray County Poor Farm, richmond missouri, robert McCorkendale, rope, Senator William Corkendale, Senator William McCorkendale, Shelby, triple murder, W.H. Teagarden, William Douglass, William T. Anderson, Winner
Our Costume Rental Shop is now open to the public!
Come and try them on, get your style, find the accessories
and strut in your Victorian, Edwardian or Prairie style wardrobe!
Rental is priced for everyone.
Complete Costumes,
Dress
shoes
Hat
Gloves
Starting at $45.00 per event
(Petticoats/hoops are a small additional fee)
For a small additional fee, you can rent for longer periods of time)
There are also a selection of custom decorated hats for your special occassions
While you there and would like a cuppa tea, tour our museum
selection and fitting.
Please call the Ray County Museum at : 816-776-2305
or, email- raycountymuseum@yahoo.com
The pictures represent a selection of our costumes.