ADELAIDE
By Peggy Smith Hake
Adelaide was a Miller County Post Office established in 1880. It was located in Franklin Township on the Osage River approximately 12 miles west of Tuscumbia and was the same distance south of Aurora Springs, its shipping point.
The small hamlet had a steam saw and grist mill where railroad ties were manufactured and shipped downriver. The price of the land surrounding the small settlement ranged from $5.00 to $15.00 per acre surrounding the settlement.
The population of 75 persons and the post office received mail three times weekly. Samuel Umstead owned a grocery store and was the local postmaster. A Mr. Saunders was the town's blacksmith; J.C. Bell was Justice of the Peace, and the grist/saw mill was owned by Adams & Marshall.
In October of 1858, many parcels of prime land were presented for sale with taxes due against the property for the year of 1857. The following is a partial list of names of the owners of these lands, the acreage available and the amount of taxes that were delinquent:
State Tax County Tax
J. H. Field 40 acres 34 17
N. Brouse 74 acres 34 17
Doctor Smith 80 acres 36 17
E. H. Spear 80 acres 45 33
Maurice Phelan 40 acres 34 17
Wm. Northrup 36 acres 40 25
Isaac Tinsley 80 acres 45 33
H. Sweeney 80 acres 50 41
John Estes 40 acres 40 25
R. Watts 80 acres 34 17
Clifton Landly Lots 1 & 4 34 17
In Mt. Pleasant
Wm. Sebastian Lot 10, Blk. 4 34 17
In Tuscumbia
The town disappeared after the turn of the century.
