Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, Lee's Summit: taxes, plantations, population)

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by SilverDoc

If that's the one I've read, it pretty interesting. Even in his interview, you can tell that he's a low-keyed, laid-back, easy going person. His wife was the same way. I had been in their huge home on Main on numerous occasions, as my Mom used to clean their home. She had that job for 20 yrs until my Dad retired, and the folks moved out of state.

733 S. Main. It's still there, although several of the houses on that block have been torn down and replaced with one-story "modern" architectural homes

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

What Wikipedia does not mention is that William Chrisman was a local slave owner.

As was William McCoy after whom McCoy grade school was named.

This is not a condemnation of either man. It was just the way things were back then.

William McCoy was also the first mayor of Independence.

[SilverDoc]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

What Wikipedia does not mention is that William Chrisman was a local slave owner.

As was William McCoy after whom McCoy grade school was named.

This is not a condemnation of either man. It was just the way things were back then.

"In Jackson County, we cannot discount the contributions of African-American slaves whose labors aided thriving farm production. Independence was the home of Missouri’s largest plantation slave owner, Jabez Smith, who owned thousands of acres and hundreds of slaves."

Born in Pittsylvania, Virginia, USA on 2 Mar 1787. Jabez married Susan Royster and had 3 children. He passed away on 8 Nov 1855 in Independence, Missouri, USA.


http://books.google.com/books?id=EJBbh7oNZkkC&pg=PA599&lpg=PA599&dq=Jabez+ Smith+indep+mo.&source=bl&ots=Bi4ck-SKhu&sig=sfxuvOjqk4lz19WLzSDkCF8oAIo&hl=en&sa=X&ei =iAWCUP_MDab82gXUpYDICQ&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage& q=Jabez%20Smith%20indep%20mo.&f=false

[SilverDoc]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

733 S. Main. It's still there, although several of the houses on that block have been torn down and replaced with one-story "modern" architectural homes

Hughes Childers House

801 South Main

The Hughes Childers House is a superb example of the Queen Anne architecture that earned Independence the title of "Royal Suburb" of Kansas City in the late 19th century. The home was constructed ca. 1887 and was designed by local architectural firm Gibbs and Parker. The home was built for Mollie and Josie Hughes and is currently owned by the family of Petey Childers, local businessman who purchased the home for restoration in 1966. Listed on the National Register in 1994, designated locally in 1999.

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by SilverDoc

Hughes Childers House

801 South Main

The Hughes Childers House is a superb example of the Queen Anne architecture that earned Independence the title of "Royal Suburb" of Kansas City in the late 19th century. The home was constructed ca. 1887 and was designed by local architectural firm Gibbs and Parker. The home was built for Mollie and Josie Hughes and is currently owned by the family of Petey Childers, local businessman who purchased the home for restoration in 1966. Listed on the National Register in 1994, designated locally in 1999.

Wow, nice home. Not easy to get a good view unless Streetview to the right, then you can see the size and style. I believe there was a similar type home on W. Maple, down the street from the old WCHS that was torn down I suppose for whatever reason. Too bad the City and more people don't upkeep that street or that Petey didn't buy the whole block for restoration!

[SilverDoc]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

Wow, nice home. Not easy to get a good view unless Streetview to the right, then you can see the size and style. I believe there was a similar type home on W. Maple, down the street from the old WCHS that was torn down I suppose for whatever reason. Too bad the City and more people don't upkeep that street or that Petey didn't buy the whole block for restoration!

Yes, indeed! I agree that more homes, old businesses, old structures and the like should be preserved. Part of the problem I suppose, is that property is worth too much money, and people being people, usually have dollar signs in their eyes and if they think they can make a buck or two, well... Another I think, is not everyone is interested in preserving the past in any shape or form, and some think that the ones of us that are, are living too much in the past. My Daughter told me that one time. Later, I thought of a response I'd give her:

"If that's the case, then why do you take so many pictures of your kids and put them in albums to look at? Isn't looking at these albums later re-living the time the photos were taken, and doesn't it bring back memories, both good and bad?"

Here's a link to Paul Henning, Petey's brother in law: The Ballad of Paul Henning and The Beverly Hillbillies « The Daily Record

[SilverDoc]

Can anyone tell me how to submit full size photos? All I've been able to do is submit thumbnails.

Thanks!

[WCHS'59]

http://www.city-data.com/forum/faq/8...ing-posts.html

Here is a link to some instructions. I use Photobucket. MAD seems to be using something else.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by SilverDoc

"In Jackson County, we cannot discount the contributions of African-American slaves whose labors aided thriving farm production. Independence was the home of Missouri’s largest plantation slave owner, Jabez Smith, who owned thousands of acres and hundreds of slaves."

Born in Pittsylvania, Virginia, USA on 2 Mar 1787. Jabez married Susan Royster and had 3 children. He passed away on 8 Nov 1855 in Independence, Missouri, USA.


http://books.google.com/books?id=EJBbh7oNZkkC&pg=PA599&lpg=PA599&dq=Jabez+ Smith+indep+mo.&source=bl&ots=Bi4ck-SKhu&sig=sfxuvOjqk4lz19WLzSDkCF8oAIo&hl=en&sa=X&ei =iAWCUP_MDab82gXUpYDICQ&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage& q=Jabez%20Smith%20indep%20mo.&f=false

I could not get the above to work, but here is some information:

“My last name is Smith because I was born into slavery and my master’s name was Jabez Smith. You probably never heard of him, sonny, but he owned a big farm and about 300 darkies on Lexington road, at Independence, Mo. Yes, sir, Jabez Smith moved from Virginia to Independence in 1844, the same year I was born. I stayed on his place in Virginia until I was 7 or 8 years old, then Jabez Smith moved me to Independence.

“He was a fine gentleman, and when he was about 70 years old he married a young and beautiful woman. She was Miss Ann Eliza Keane, and she had more admirers than most any woman in the country in those days. All of the darkies sure thought a lot of Miss Ann.

“Then Jabez, he died, and in a few years Miss Ann married John W. Polk. Sonny, if you don’t know who he was, why, he served on General Price’s staff in the Civil war, and he was a colonel. When the war broke out they moved us darkies first to Arkansas and then to Memphis, and then to Vicksburg. I was two miles from Vicksburg and I was 21 years old, when I was set free.”


p. 599
Slave Testimony: Two Centuries of Letters, Speeches, Interviews, and Autobiographies
John W. Blassingame, Editor, Louisiana State University, 1977.

[pearjas]

Sutcliffe currently makes his home in Lee's Summit.

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Wikipedia list of notable graduates from Van Horn High School

Rick Sutcliffe - 1979 NL Rookie of the Year, 1984 Cy Young Award Winner, 3 time All Star