President's Page - Miller County Museum & Historical Society

Progress Notes

Joe Pryor - News Tribune Article Monday, June 04, 2007

Monday, October 8, 2012

Progress Notes

We were saddened a couple of weeks ago to learn of the passing of Tuscumbia native Bamber Wright (photo 01).

01 Bamber H. Wright

Bamber was a descendent of two of Tuscumbia’s most well known early settlers. On his father’s side he was a descendent of James Lawrence Wright, who was one of our county’s early settlers (photo 02).

02 James Lawrence Wright 1818-1896

On his mother’s side he was a descendent of William Hauenstein, another of our county’s early arrivals (photo 03).

03 William Hauenstein Sr.

James settled in Miller County in the Little Saline Creek area north of Tuscumbia. William lived in Tuscumbia where he operated a mill in what is now Riverside Park which eventually evolved to become the Anchor Milling Company (photo 04).

04 Original Anchor Milling Company Buildings on Left

Bamber, who was associated with the Anchor Milling Company early on in his life, has been one of our historical society’s most important resources for learning about Tuscumbia and Miller County. Here is his obituary:

Bamber H. Wright

April 17, 1919 - September 24, 2012

Mr. Bamber H. Wright, age 93 years, of Jefferson City, Mo., died Monday, September 24, 2012, at St. Joseph's Bluffs.

He was born April 17, 1919, in Tuscumbia, Mo., the son of Homer L. and Elizabeth Hauenstein Wright. He was married on November 27, 1952, in Mary's Home, Mo. to Marcella Schell who preceded him in death on May 25, 2008.

A lifelong resident of the Central Missouri area, Bamber was a 1937 graduate of Miller County R-III in Tuscumbia, Mo. and a 1939 graduate of Iberia Junior College. He attended the University of Missouri at Columbia. He served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II, serving as a Staff Sergeant in the China, India, Burma Theatre of Operations. Bamber was employed with the Anchor Milling Company in their building materials stores in Tuscumbia, Eldon, and Eugene, retiring as a Vice President in 1987 after 40 years with the company. He was a deacon and active member of the Tuscumbia Christian Church. He was also a member of the Mid-American Lumberman's Assn.; the American Legion; the Forty and Eight through the American Legion; and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Bamber enjoyed reading, hunting, and watching Mizzou sports. Most importantly, he enjoyed spending time with his family.

Survivors include: three children, Philip Bamber Wright and his wife Sue of University City, Mo., Jack Schell Wright and his wife Tessa of Jefferson City, Mo., and Ann Wright and her husband William McInerny of Lee's Summit, Mo.; two sisters, Betty Lee Wright White and her husband Carroll of Wyandotte, Michigan and Barbara Wright Lyon of Alden, Iowa; eight grandchildren, John Wright, Sarah McInerny, Melissa Wright, Kevin Wright, Matthew McInerny, Katherine Wright, and Andrew Wright.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, and one sister, Matilda Wright.

Visitation will be at Freeman Mortuary from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Friday, September 28, 2012. Funeral services will be conducted at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, September 29, 2012, at the Tuscumbia Christian Church in Tuscumbia, Mo., with Brother Larry Schraer officiating.

Graveside services and interment with military honors will be conducted at the Tuscumbia Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Miller County Historical Society Museum or the Tuscumbia Christian Church.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Freeman Mortuary.

Here is a photo of the honor guard presenting military honors to Bamber at the Tuscumbia cemetery (photo 04a):

04a Honor Guard for Bamber Wright Funeral - 09/29/2012

And here is a photo of Bamber in uniform during WWII when he served in the far east (photo 04b):

04b Bamber Wright - WWII

We have fifty five references to Bamber Wright on our website. His biography was presented in this previous Progress Notes.

The obituary of Marcella, his wife, was presented in this previous Progress Notes.

The websites in which Bamber was quoted as a resource or contributor of information are located here:

We will miss Bamber greatly. He always had a smile and a kind word for everyone. His memory of the past was excellent. I spent many hours discussing with him Miller County and Tuscumbia history. And if you peruse the websites listed above which record Bamber’s knowledge of our history you will realize what a unique resource he has been for our historical society.

I received a letter recently from Mildred Gray (photo 05), former Tuscumbia native, who had an anecdote to share about “Pretty Boy” Floyd (photo 06) whom I had featured on the previous Progress Notes of September 10, 2012.

05 Mildred Gray

06 Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd

As I had mentioned in that previous Progress Notes, sightings of Floyd were not unusual in Miller County.

Mildred wrote:

Dear Joe,

My nephew John Michael Smith sent me what you wrote recently about Pretty Boy Floyd. I thought you might be interested in some of my memories about him and his activities in Miller County.

I was a teenager and Lafe King was sheriff. This was not the same Lafe King who was a Miller County native, but another man who had moved here from elsewhere. One day the town got word that Pretty Boy Floyd was coming from Columbia and was going to pass through Tuscumbia. My sisters and I were in the front yard of our house which was connected to the Hillcrest Café just across Highway 52 from the school house in Tuscumbia (photo 07).

07 Hillcrest Restaurant - 1933

Suddenly, we saw Lafe King, the sheriff, speed off from the jail house driving like crazy (photo 08).

08 Miller County Jail

It was said he was out to capture Pretty Boy Floyd. This was not the first time Mr. King had tried to intercept Mr. Floyd; however, Floyd was a very clever man and was always able to avoid the law here. I am sure Mr. King must have been very frustrated because Floyd always eluded him.

Now there were two sisters who lived in St. Louis who were the granddaughters of an old man who lived in the Bear Creek area south of the river (name omitted). He used to bring his wife to town in his team and wagon so she could work for some of the town people. The girls always came to the annual Tuscumbia picnic to enjoy the dancing on our large outdoor dance floor down at the Riverside Park (photo 08a).

08a Riverside Park Pavillion, Bandstand and Dance Floor

They certainly showed us “hicks” the newest dances and wore what in those days would be called “scanty dressing.” They danced “cheek to cheek” with their posteriors prominently protruding behind. One of the girls, (name omitted), was known to be a girl friend of Pretty Boy Floyd.

It just so happened, or maybe the girls knew ahead of time, but the day Pretty Boy Floyd was rumored to be coming through Tuscumbia the girls came to one of the country dance affairs down at the Riverside Park. And certainly the rumors of his coming had reached the news media because a reporter already was on hand down at the park who was interviewing (name omitted). It wasn’t long after that the girls disappeared and for awhile sightings of Pretty Boy Floyd in Miller County began being reported. Some of the reports might have been due to the hysteria during that time regarding the ruthless gangster, but enough were reported by locals known to be trustworthy that no doubt existed Floyd was in the area.

Thanks for sharing your memories of Floyd with us Mildred.

Recently, MCHS board member Jim Clark shared with me some interesting information about his father, Arthur Clark, regarding the Osage River where Arthur worked on the steamboats which were a major avenue of commerce many years ago (photo 09).

09 Arthur Clark

Arthur kept meticulous records including maps of all the locations on the river where the steamboats landed to deliver and receive goods or produce. In Arthur’s own hand writing is recorded here a list of the places the steamboats often stopped along the river including the mileage from the river’s mouth (photos 10 and 11).

10 Arthur Clark's river mileage from Osage River Mouth - 01
Click image for larger view

11 Arthur Clark's river mileage from Osage River Mouth - 02
Click image for larger view

On another list Arthur created are the names of the islands in the Osage River between Tuscumbia and the Missouri River where the Osage River ended (photo 12).

12 Osage River Islands

Later in his life Arthur was involved with the construction of Bagnell Dam. He was part of a group which performed surveys for the dam before it was built and provided various other skilled labor tasks at the dam in later years.

You can read Arthur Clark’s biography which I presented in this previous Progress Notes.

Another well known local person who passed away recently was Carl Williams, the well known proprietor of “Carl’s Markets” in the Osage Beach and Lake Ozark area (photo 13).

13 Carl Williams

Carl was raised in Linn Creek but lived most of his adult life on D road just over the line in Miller County. He was one of the original members of the Lake of the Ozarks Square Dance Team which won the Ted Mack Amateur hour prize back in the 1950’s. The dance team later performed on the Grand ‘Ol Opry and made several tours thereafter for a number of years. He was a good friend and brother in law of Lee Mace of the Ozark Opry, who was married to Carl’s sister, Joyce (Williams) Mace. Here is a photo of Carl with the square dance team (photo 14):

14 Lake of Ozarks Square Dance Team

The names of those in the photo are:

Spurgeon Atwill, Tolliver Lawson, Kathleen Daugherty, Lee Mace, Joyce Mace, Carl Williams, Eileen Hopkins Williams, Dillard Stamper, Nellie Abbott, Bill Morris, Jimmie Skiles, Gene Spencer.

We have three references to Carl on our website:
http://www.millercountymuseum.org/archives/080721.html
http://www.millercountymuseum.org/archives/100531.html
http://www.millercountymuseum.org/archives/100621.html

Here is Carl’s obituary:

Obituary
Carl D. Williams

Carl D. Williams, age 84, of Kaiser, Missouri, departed this life on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at Lakeside Meadows in Osage Beach, Missouri.

Carl was born February 15, 1928 in Linn Creek, Missouri, the son of John T. and Audrey (Woolsey) Williams. Carl proudly served his country in the United States Army, 23rd Infantry Tank Company from 1950 through 1952, and was honorably discharged at the rank of SGT 1st Class.

Carl was united in marriage on March 4, 1960 in Miller County to Eileen Hopkins and together they shared 52 years before his death.

Carl owned and operated Carl’s Markets over a span of 58 years, which included Carl’s Market 1, Carl’s Market 2, and Carl’s Village Market. Carl had given 34 years of dedicated service as a board member of Central Bank of Lake of the Ozarks where he had 100% attendance from 1975-2009. He was also a member of the Lake of the Ozarks Square Dance Team from Lee Mace’s Ozark Opry.

Carl was a hard working, patriotic man who loved his country and was honored to have attended the Inaugural Ball of President Ronald W. Reagan and Vice President George H.W. Bush on January 21, 1985.

Carl is survived by his loving wife Eileen of the home; his daughter Belinda Phillips and husband, Drew, of Linn Creek, Missouri; his sister Joyce Mace of Osage Beach, Missouri; his sister in law Ruby Williams of Kaiser, Missouri; along with several other relatives and many friends.

Carl was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers Bob Williams and John Vernon Williams; and his brother in law Lee Mace.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, September 25, 2012 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Hedges-Scott Funeral Home in Osage Beach, Missouri.

Funeral Services will be Wednesday, September 26, at 22:00 a.m. at the funeral home.

Interment with full military honors will be at New Hop Cemetery in Kaiser, Missouri.

Memorial donations are suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association and may be left at the funeral home.

Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family at Hedges-Scott Funeral Homes.

Arrangements have been placed under the care of Hedges-Scott Funeral Home, Osage Beach, Missouri.

Recent visitors to the museum included Elizabeth and Pamella Kellison Voegtli (photo 15).

15 Elizabeth and Pamela Kellison Voegtli - Relatives of John Kellison of Iberia

Pamela said she was a descendent of John Kellison of Iberia who owned a saddle and harness shop in the late 1800’s.

Other visitors included Jenae Wahlbrink Miner and Justine Wahlbrink originally of Eldon. They were visiting the day that Sandra and David Shelton, formerly of Eldon, were hosting the museum. Here is their photo with Sandra and David (photo 16):

16 Jenae Wahlbrink Mine, Sandra Bear Shelton, Justine Wahlbrink and David Shelton (behind)

Here is the Miller County Historical Society's Fall 2012 Newsletter (photo 17):

17 MCHS Fall 2012 Newsletter
Click image to read the entire document in PDF format

That’s all for this week.

Joe Pryor

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