I have often written of my third great-grandfather, Capt. Peter Daly, an Irish-born soldier in the British army during the American Revolution who settled in Canada after the war. I’ve known Captain Daly’s story since childhood, as it was told me in letters from elderly aunts in Ontario, and long been proud of his loyalty to his homeland. more

Can you have too many stories passed down in a family? That seems to be the case in the genealogy of my Martin family branch. When there are two versions of the same event it’s hard to know which to believe and pass on. I have an extensive history of these ancestors tracing back to 1602. I know when the Martins came to America and how they journeyed down the Great Wagon Road, settling in North Carolina and fighting in the Revolutionary War. Judge Samuel Martin (b. 1776) and wife, Elizabeth (b. 1779) by all accounts were the first to arrive in Missouri in 1828. They left North Carolina and settled near Springfield, Missouri. Those facts are not in dispute. But the manner of their journey then turns into two different stories. Both were written by Martin descendants, and both were published in books. The first account, by Blunt Martin, describes a scouting party from Kentucky and a confrontation at Fulbright Springs. By Blunt’s account, the land around the spring that provides part of Springfield, Missouri’s, drinking water was the rightful claim of Judge Samuel since he had staked the area first. However, it seemed a Mr. Fulbright was there also claiming the land. But, as possession was nine-tenths of the law (as the saying goes) Mr. Fulbright won, kept the claim, and now has a well-known Greenway Trail, school, and housing development named after him. The second story, recorded in a book by Glain Martin, also tells of Samuel’s arrival in 1828 but omits mention of a spring or a Fulbright. In Glain’s well documented version, Samuel and wife, Elizabeth, were living in North Carolina in 1827 when he wrote to his sister and brother-in-law that in the next year he was going to “sell up and move to the Missouri- I am determined to go- and I wish you could go with us.” He also reminded them to be sure to vote for him in an upcoming county election being held. Judge Samuel made good on his promise and made the journey of approximately 1,100 miles with a whole community made of all his children, some who were already grown, and his many grandchildren. They traveled in carts or wagons pulled by three teams of oxen. They made a brief stop in Maury County, Tennessee, and joined former North Carolia neighbors, the Campbell and Polk families. It is recorded that when they left in the fall of 1828, they had as many as sixteen oxcarts and wagons and a large group of people, livestock, and supplies. At the end of the journey, Judge Samuel settled in Missouri on the James River in what would become Section 24 of Taylor Township. Two of his sons made their homes nearby. On the land that they settled in 1828, a new county was formed in 1833 by a special act of the legislature and named after Nathaniel Greene who was a Revolutionary War hero from North Carolina. The first session of the county court was held in the home of John P. Campbell. The new county charter called for three justices to be selected and Judge Samuel, due to having had some experience back in North Carolina politics, was first elected to serve. So, the move to Missouri was a success until 1835 when cholera hit Springfield and killed Judge Samuel’s son, Richard. It seems that Richard had amassed a large estate due to his running of the community whiskey still. It was noted that many prominent citizens were good customers of the still and several owed money at the time of Richard’s death. Judge Samuel was made administrator of the estate. Since the death was both unexpected and premature at Richard’s age of only 35, there was no will. Some sort of disagreement broke more

This weekend was a whirlwind of excitement in West Plains, and if you missed it, you missed out big time. Let's take a stroll down memory lane, shall we? more

Dear Readers, more

From those who know that I have a “copperhead problem” where I live, I’m asked almost daily whether I’ve seen any copperheads yet this year. I tell people that I’ve taken precautions in discouraging snakes by sprinkling Snake-Away granules around my property. more

Ever wonder why I named my weekly newspaper column “RFD”? more

It is really hot, isn’t it? And I’m not even in Missouri. I’m at the “Happiest Place on Earth” aka Walt Disney World. Actually, the temperatures back home in the Ozarks are hotter than here in Orlando. Humidity is about the same though. more

I've got a story to share with you today, one that's equal parts frustrating and enlightening. It's about an ordinary day turned into an unexpected lesson on why kindness matters so much in our little corner of the world. more

Dear readers, more

For those readers who keep up with my menagerie of pets, I regret to report that I lost my 15-year old St. Bernard-mix, Katie, a few weeks ago. Rebel, my Black Lab-mix, was showing signs of depression from the loss, so I found him a buddy @ Mountain Grove Animal Rescue a few days later. Dixie, the young Black lab-mix rescue, has been a handful, but both have now had their necessary surgeries at the vet and calmed down considerably. more

By the time you read this, another Father's Day will have come and gone, and I have no idea how I spent the holiday, because I’m writing this in late May. more

Get ready, West Plains, because something extraordinary is about to happen in our beloved Historic Downtown West Plains Entertainment District! Tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m., we’re kicking off a brand-new event that promises to be the highlight of your summer, an evening of outdoor music that will make your heart sing and your feet tap. more

What do you do when you have two stories, both in books, about one ancestor? Most people don’t have information that goes very far back into their family tree, but I seem to have dueling stories. I can trace branches of my family tree in the Ozarks (specifically Howell and Ozark County) back to 1838. I didn’t realize that it was kind of rare for ancestors to stay in one place for that many generations. Thanks to the genealogists and writers in my linage I know the names, important dates, and places they lived. I can see who they married and all their children, and most importantly the stories of their lives. In my story of the Martin clan that began in 1602 in Scotland, I am to the year 1776, when Samuel Gilbert Martin was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. His wife, Elizabeth, born in 1779, in that same area were the great grandparents who got us to Missouri. But just how is a matter of debate. There are two published accounts of how they came from North Carolina and they differ quite a bit until the family arrived in what would be Greene County, Missouri in 1828. The first tells that Samuel and seven other men set out on foot to explore the Ozarks. They had the clothing on their backs, a flintlock rifle, lead for bullets, a hunting knife, gunpowder in a horn, salt, a frying pan, and a tinder box. They also had a blanket or buffalo skin since it was early spring. At Paducah, Kentucky, they “secured” two boats which carried the eight of them down the Ohio and across the Mississippi. When they landed, this account says, they walked through a “forest swamp” and pushed in a northwest direction each day. They climbed up higher and higher ground through the roughest parts of the Ozarks until they finally emerged from the forest and saw a broad open prairie of buffalo grass (later to be Springfield, Missouri.) At the extreme northwest corner was a large spring that Samuel “staked out” by making the “proper markings that would secure the land against any newcomers.” When the others had finished claiming and marking their land, they returned to Paducah where they had left their families. The author of this story states that “staking out” land was an unwritten law among pioneers- a warning to those who came later to find another home. But the problems of getting their families back to their claims proved to be a formidable task. Taking the same route as they had done before, they built rafts to float down the Ohio and Mississippi. Traveling in ox-carts through the Ozark Mountains on Indian trails, carrying tents, bedding, farm tools, and provisions was treacherous and slow going. Much to Samuel's consternation, it had taken six months to return to their claims. I had to chuckle because the writer was so descriptive (and a little corny at times) when he told this story. He described the state of the travelers towards the end of the journey as having an “odor that defies olfactory imagination, one that repelled all except the less-respecting flies and mosquitos.” I’m not sure what prompted him to include this detail. The last day of travel found the group arriving to their “Promised Land” only to find two families feuding over the land Samuel had previously staked out. As Samuel joined in “asserting his authority in having the earliest claim” he could see that real trouble was brewing- “the shooting kind.” The author states that a Mr. Fulbright became bellicose (demonstrating aggression and willingness to fight-I had to look that one up.) He adds that Samuel, being a peaceful and God-fearing man (or Fulbright fearing) withdrew from the situation. more

Dear Readers, more

The first week of Summer Reading 2024 was a busy one! Thirty readers registered for the month-long program, and fifteen attended the first activity on June 7 with Marty the Magician. A favorite with young and old alike, all ages attended this first “magical” activity of the month. more

Not too many years ago could be found on many dairy farmers’ calendars the telephone number of their “cow breeder.” more

My next column will be about how my ancestors from North Carolina immigrated to the Ozarks. They went to the Springfield area, which wasn’t actually incorporated until 1838. Samuel Martin and clan arrived ten years before that in 1828. more

Last weekend was nothing short of spectacular here in West Plains! We were graced with not one, not two, but three major events: the Old Time Music Festival, the Heart of the Ozarks Fair, and the HOBA Bluegrass Festival. It was a weekend packed to the brim with activities, sounds, and flavors that catered to everyone in our community. more

Dear Readers, more

The energy is building in downtown West Plains, and it’s absolutely thrilling to witness. The collective efforts of our dedicated business owners, passionate property owners, and the ever-enthusiastic Downtown Revitalization Board are propelling us toward the vibrant, bustling downtown that we've all been dreaming of. It's a transformation that promises excitement, warmth, and a sense of community like never before. more