In later years, the Alexanders lived on a farm near Sandy Hook, Missouri. James and
Mary Alexander had five children, one being Alfred Anderson Alexander, born 1806, in
Woodford County, Kentucky.
In 1827, Alfred Alexander married Alpha Ann Stephens. They later purchased from the
government approximately 700 acres of land four miles northeast of Tipton. The farm
produced corn, hogs, and flax. These products were hauled by oxen or mule teams to the
Missouri River to be sent to St. Louis by boat. During the Civil War, Union soldiers and
bushwhackers made many raids on the premises, taking mules, corn and other articles of
value. Alfred died in 1877, and the farm was passed on to the youngest of his thirteen
children, Alfred Brown Alexander, born in 1851.
In March 1880, Alfred Brown Alexander married Kathryn Helena Kenney, of Paris,
Kentucky, and they resided on the Alexander farm. He was engaged in general farming and
was an extensive dealer in stock of all kinds. He particularly enjoyed raising
Standard-bred horses, one of which was the famous Kentucky Union. Mr. Alexander was a
Judge of the Cooper County Court for several years. Judge Alexander died on the 4th of
July, 1897, and the farm was divided among his children.
On son, Alfred Kenny Alexander, shared his father's interest in horses and raised and
showed American Saddlebred horses on his farm just west of the old Alexander home place.
His children, Alfred Briscoe Alexander, Florence Alexander Ruffner, and Ruth Alexander
Gibson continue to own 100 acres of the original 700 acres purchased by Alfred Anderson
Alexander.
Anderson
One of the early teachers in this area was T.B. Anderson. He went to Kirksville
Teachers College and began teaching in 1880. He taught at many schools in Cooper and
Moniteau County, including Hooper Institute. One year he taught at Blackwater and had to
cross the Lamine River in a flat boat to get there. His wife, Jo Ann Allee, was a former
pupil. He moved to the Round Hill Community at the turn of the century and was active in
politics and religion as well as education.
T.B.'s uncle, Joseph Anderson, preached at Hopewell Church and was probably the first
school teacher in Kelly township. Joseph was also a preacher and sheriff of Cooper County.
The present sheriff of Cooper County, Sam Morris, is his great-grandson.
Atkeson
Andrew Atkeson and his wife, Jane, were married in Kanawha County, West Virginia, 1827.
To them were born: Sarah, Francis Marion, Jane, John Merlin, James Calvin, Mary, William
Nation and George Melvin. On coming to Missouri they left Charleston on a steamboat,
coming up the Mississippi River and the Missouri River to Boonville. They moved on South
where they settled at what is known as "Wolf's Spring," now in Moniteau County,
southwest of Tipton. This was about 1845.
Andrew, like other pioneers, worked hard to build up a homestead. They brought a very
small amount of their world's goods with them. First, there was a shelter for the family
of which they made their home of logs. Since there was no church, Andrew Atkeson opened
the doors of his pioneer home
for all the neighbors and friends to come and worship. Each Sunday there was Sunday
School, people coming in ox carts or walking for miles to have a place to worship.
Religion was a great thing with these pioneers and so it was years later after having
Sunday School in his home, Andrew Atkeson helped organize the First Methodist Sunday
School in Tipton.
Mary Atkeson married John D. Charles, September 14, 1870. His mother built the First
House in Tipton. Some of their descendants are still living in the county: Rose Charles,
Woods, Fortuna; Zora Charles Wright, Fortuna; Ruth Charles Welty, Versailles; and Omega
Charles Hutchison, Versailles.
Bestgen
Mrs. Andreas Bestgen Sr., nee Anna Catherine Kulschbach, came to America in 1847 from
Prussia, Germany, with her two sons, John Peter and Andreas, Jr., and a daughter and
son-in4aw, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wieant. They settled in Moniteau County, Missouri. Mrs.
Andreas Bestgen, Sr., died in 1853.
Her three children donated land for a cemetery and for building the first Catholic
Church at the present site of St. Andrew's Cemetery. The church was named "St.
Andrew" in honor of their deceased father, Andreas Bestgen Sr., who had died in 1840
in Germany.
John Peter Bestgen, born 1816, in Prussia, Germany, was first married to Elizabeth
Pillar. She died at an early age and was the first person buried where St. Andrew's
Cemetery is now. He later married Mrs. Anna Margaretha (Buescher) Kuttenkuler. John
Peter Bestgen was a farmer. Among his descendants living in this area are: George Thiel,
Sr., Charles M. Bestgen and Earl J. Wolf.
Andreas Bestgen, Jr., born 1818 in Prussia, Germany, married Catherine Alter in 1848.
In 1854 he bought land near Pisgah, Mo., and lived there but returned later to Tipton. He
was a farmer, stock raiser, and notary public. They were parents of nine children. Among
their descendants are: Louis A. Bestgen, Versailles; Helen Heinen Imhoff, California; Leo
J. Miller, Vincent G. Kammerich, Laura Gilbert Koechner and Louise Fischer Hainen Metzner,
Tipton.
Byrd
Peter and Nancy (McGahey) Byrd came from Terre Haute, Indiana, about 1865 with their
children: Christene, Mary, Amanda, Francis, Zerrilda, Alvin, Calvin, Sarah, Willis and
Robert. They purchased several acres of land on the north side of town. This land is now
part of the Tipton Colored Cemetery, old soldiers cemetery and the Tipton Cemetery
formerly the Masonic Cemetery.
In 1909 the State Industrial Home for Negro Girls was authorized. An institution was
built which provided accommodations for 70 girls and training in domestic science and
practical nursing. This was built where the old Byrd house stood. Lillie Byrd Clark used
to visit there after the place was converted to the Womens Correctional Center in 1960.
She would stand at the window and tell where the house stood and how the children used to
play under the old apple tree. She was a granddaughter of Peter, who was a wine dealer.
Claas
Peter Claas and his wife, Anna Dorothea (Busch) Claas, came to America from Dadtfeld,
Germany in 1841 with their four children. His occupation was farming; he and his family
lived on the farm which is now the residence of David Claas and family, his
great-grandson.
Their only living grandchild is Mrs. Maggie (Claas) Diehl. Among other descendants in
this community are: Irene Wolf Koechner, Victor Hartman, L.A. Hartman, Fred W. Schmidt,
Lorene Claas Kuttenkuler, Genevieve Kline Eichelberger and Alverta Bestgen Dueber.
Embry
This excerpt from The Tipton Times of August 25, 1892, tells a little about Dick:
"On Thursday eve, an oratorical contest was held in Thespian Hall, Boonville, Mo., by
the young men of the eighth congressional district. Hon. J.R. Walker, who is known over
the state for his liberality and encouragement to young men, offered fifty dollars as a
prize to the young man who would deliver the best English oration.
A large audience assembled to hear the orators, but it only took a few moments for the
judge to decide. In a few timely remarks, Rev. Leyburn awarded the prize to Mr. R.M. Embry
of Tipton, Mo.
Our town should feel proud of this talented young man. He won four honors while a
student of the Pilot Grove College. He is a fine thinker, an able and forcible speaker He
has a fine future before him. He is reading law at present with Hon. Jno. R. Walker and in
September will be a teacher in our public school.
The Times congratulates the young man on his success in this contest and others. Our
people are proud to know that one from their midst is so talented and hope his example may
incite others to more zealous work and grander results.
Hainen
In February of 1884, Peter N. and Mary A. Hainen purchased from W.P. Snorgrass one
hundred sixty acres of land on the south edge of Tipton. This farm was inherited by Joseph
A. Hainen, their only child. In 1906 Joseph married Ella J. Trecker. They lived on this
estate all their lives.
Ella J. Trecker was the daughter of Henry and Elizabeth Trecker, who immigrated to the
United States in 1882 from Germany their family of thirteen children. This family endured
the death of a child at sea. It took three weeks to cross the Atlantic. All the foods for
the voyage were non-perishable foods that were prepared long in advance by each family for
their own use during the journey as the vessel had no means of preparing food. Shortly
after the family arrived in New York, they were robbed of their money, which caused
untold hardships. But they continued to move on westward until they arrived in the Tipton
community. Here they joined other families and friends who had located earlier from
Germany.
Joseph and Ella Hainen had seven children: Olivia (Sister M. Bernard), Andrew, Leo,
Peter, Helen, Herman and Bernard. Andrew had the Dodge-Plymouth dealership. He died in
1964. Bernard presently owns the Buick GMC dealership in Tipton and his son, Bernard, owns
the Ford dealership. All three dealerships are located on a portion of the original Joseph
Hainen estate.
Hood
Luke Hood, from Winchester, Kentucky, arrived on the stage at Round Hill in 1856 and
settled in a little house just north of Seely Store. He married Minerva Chisa. Their
children were Turner, a Presbyterian preacher; Wallace; Matt; Effie; Rennie, a school
teacher; and Stella (Mrs. Alphus George)
Luke bought land at Smiley Creek and built a house on the hill. When they moved, they
had to stop at the foot of the hill and carry the furniture up the hill through the brush
to get to the house.
Luke's grandson, Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Hood George, still own this farm. It has been in
the family 102 years. It has three marked Thong trees on it. At one time coal mining was
started but did not prove profitable.
Martin
Joshua Martin, son of William and Martha Martin, lived near Round Hill on the farm now
owned by Arthur Pedego. Joshua married Elizabeth Edwards, daughter of Riley Edwards. Their
children were Henry, Green, Caleb and Louisa J. Caleb married Martha Ellen Fry, daughter
of Josephus Valentine Fry and Margaret Morris. Lousia J. (Jenny) married John W. White, a
cousin of Daisy Ferguson. Caleb was a grandfather of Stanley Potts who resides at Round
Hill now.
During the Civil War, there were many conflicts nearby because Missourians were divided
over the slavery question. Mrs. Caleb Martin told of three soldiers who were shot on their
farm and left for many days until they wrapped them in white sheets and buried them. There
are many stories of how prominent men were called to the front of their homes and shot in
cold blood by the enemies. Joshua Martin was shot down at his front yard gate in 1863. His
14-year-old son, Caleb, was standing with his father.
Miller
William Perry Miller was born in Ohio in 1824. He married Martha Jane Reed also of
Ohio. In 1866 he moved his family to Missouri where they resided northeast of Tipton on
the farm where the Dean Knipps presently live. In 1901 the Millers moved to town and
occupied the house in which Mr. and Mrs. Hadley Thomas presently reside. The Millers had
two children who reached adulthood. Jacob Reed Miller married Sadie Wensley; Laura Isabel
married Cyrus C. Maclay, owner of the Maclay and Co. - general store in Tipton. William P.
Miller taught school, painted, did sketching, made furniture, did scroll work, and farmed.
He devoted much of his time to scientific research. At the age of eighty, he wrote a book
entitled, "The Origin of Races" and the last work of his life was a compiling of
family history. William Miller was one of the charter members of the Tipton Presbyterian
Church and one of the first ruling elders and trustees.
Susan Swarner Fischer (Mrs. Benny Fischer) is a great great granddaughter of William
Miller.
Monks
William Robert Monks, a sailor, came to the United States from England to make his
fortune. After a number of years, he sent for his sweetheart, Mary Ann Barwood, and they
were married in New York in 1854. Mary brought her mother and two younger brothers with
her. In 1860 the entire family moved to St. Louis where Mary Ann and her mother operated a
millinery shop. William Robert drove horse drawn streetcars in St. Louis as he had in New
York. In 1868 the family again moved, this time to a homestead five miles north of Tipton
near what would later be Route 12. It was purchased from John J. Tucker for $4650.00 cash.
William Robert traveled back and forth to St. Louis frequently where he would buy
horses and mules harness worn and with sore feet from pulling street cars. After a rest on
the farm, these animals were then ready to be sold for farm work.
Mary Ann was known for her fine needlework and won several premiums at the Missouri
State Fair in later years. During World War I, although nearly blind. She and the other
women of the family knitted mittens, socks, and sweaters for the U.S. doughboys. Her
mourning veil was frequently loaned out around the neighborhood in times of sorrow.
The oldest son of Mary Ann and William Robert's nine children, also named William
Robert, married Mary Fidelia Sponcler in 1888. The farm is now owned by one of their sons,
Harry, and his children.
Petty
Francis Marion Petty, his wife Dellia, and four sons, Ben, Marion, Thomas and Jim, came
to Moniteau County by covered wagon from Indiana in 1856. They settled three miles east of
Tipton in a small community, which they called "Petty Town." Today this area
includes the farms of Leo Petty, Tena Potts, and Leonard Martin.
Francis Petty died only two years after arriving in the Tipton area. His four sons
worked together as brick makers and bricklayers. They set up brick plants on the farms of
Ben and Tom. Sand for making the bricks was taken off the Marion Petty farm. Even though
they made millions of bricks, a portion of the old sandbank is still there. They also had
plants at Linn Creek, Tipton and Versailles.
Many of Tipton's homes and businesses were built by the Petty brothers using bricks
from their kilns. They had the contracts to construct Ravenswood for C.E. Leonard at
Bellair, the Opera House and Methodist Church in California and the Otterville Hotel as
well as many others. Their bricks were used to pave Ohio Street in Sedalia.
The icehouse for all the Petty brothers was built on Ben Petty's farm. In 1893, he
contracted pneumonia while helping cut the year's supply of ice from the Moniteau Creek
and died.
Marion Petty was a frequent exhibitor at the Central Missouri Fair in Tipton and in
1888 sent towering stalks of corn with giant ears to the St. Louis Exposition. Re was also
a violinist and ventriloquist. He did more building than the other brothers.
Tom Petty was in partnership in a butcher shop in Tipton for a time in addition to
being a partner with his brothers. He was sent to build a building in Mexico, Missouri,
which according to The Tipton Times of November 24, 1880 "will surprise the
nation."
Jim Petty left the Tipton community early in life and moved to Kansas.
Pulley
Aetna L. Pulley was born in 1878 in Cooper County, one of six children born to Carlos
and Susan Pulley. Judge Pulley's paternal ancestors were natives of Virginia who moved
west in pioneer times in ox wagons. His mother's people moved from Kentucky to Missouri
with oxen and on horseback in the early days.
A.L. Pulley attended Keener District School in Cooper county and Hooper Institute at
Clarksburg, Missouri. He married Lela Powell in 1895. Judge and Mrs. Pulley had three
children; Lawrence Opie, Beulah May and Gladys Louise.
The Pulleys were members of the Baptist Church and he was a member of the Venerable
Council of Modern Woodmen of America. He was a general farmer who stressed good livestock.
Judge Pulley was presiding judge of Cooper County Court at one time. His principal hobby
was breeding thoroughbred horses which he showed at many fairs. Mr. Pulley was proud of
his stallion, Sinor Moore.
Renshaw
The Fair Deal Farm, located seven miles northeast of Tipton, has been in the Renshaw
family since 1823 when it was homesteaded by Absolem Renshaw. The present owners are the
children of James T. Renshaw--Mrs. Eula Kerr, Mrs. Eunice Smith and Mrs. J.R Renshaw
James was a successful stockman and farmer during the 1900's. His parents died when he
was 14 years old, so his uncle, Jeff Renshaw, who was interested in breaking and training
horses on the Alexander-Renshaw farm, urged the boy to take up that work to support his
sisters and young brother. He became so adept at the handling of horses that he had no
difficulty in making a good living for the family. The most famous horse he ever handled
was Kentucky Union, a sorrel mare bought in Kentucky and brought to the Alexander-Renshaw
farm for breaking. Kentucky Union was a trotting horse and won races at Churchill Downs
and other noted racetracks.
J.T. Renshaw"s mother was a Taliaferro, and her parents came to Missouri from
Kentucky, riding two on one horse. Mr. Renshaw said that they walked part of the way to
rest the horse. J.T. married Gertrude Williams and they had four children: Dodge, Ralph,
Eula and Eunice.
Richey
In 1861, when the Civil War broke out, the John R. Richey family resided in St. Clair
County. John R. entered the Confederate Army and served throughout the war. Shortly after
he enlisted, his wife, Margaret (Keeton) and children left St. Clair County and drove to
Cooper county, with an ox team and wagon, bringing all their possessions with them.
The mother maintained the family and kept them together in their new home in Cooper
County until the war ended and the father returned.
They were the parents of the following children: John W., Andrew J., Nancy, Wesley,
James, Joshua, Rhoda and Robert. Andrew J. was the father of the late Nola Richey Pedego,
wife of Arthur Pedego. The Pedego's children are Arthur J. and Lois Dean.
Taylor
Ravenscroft Taylor was born in Granville County, North Carolina, 1820. He married
Martha Mills McCullough in 1843. She was born in Albermarle County, Virginia in 1818. They
had two sons, Richard and Robert. Richard married Mary Ann Pulley in 1867. Their children
were Ella, Richard (not married), Anna (Mrs. Joe Pulley) and Edward.
Mary Ann moved northeast to Round Hill after Richard's death in 1879. The stock ran
loose at that time so each settler put a bell on one cow and one horse so he could find
his stock. They built walnut rail fences to keep the livestock out of their crops. If a
rain came up during the day and the cows were on the other side of the creek, they would
swim to get home to their calves. She said in the spring and fall, there would be several
Gypsy trains and a few Indians following the Smiley. They would beg food from the
"settlers". She said a squaw and small maiden came to her door begging for food.
She gave them two chickens to catch. The squaw said "Sissie catch chicken." The
girl caught two and left.
The farm is now owned by Gentry and Ralph Taylor, her grandsons.
Veulemans
John Francis Veulemans, born 1802 and Mary Theresa (Van den Poel) Veulemans, born 1798,
emigrated to the U.S. from Antwerp, Belgium, in 1835. With their seven children, they came
to the port of New York. By boat they came up the Hudson River, through the Erie Canal to
the Ohio River, where he constructed a flat boat. Then on it, the family floated down the
Ohio and Mississippi Rivers to the mouth of the Red River, Louisiana. Here he ascended the
Red River to Natchitoches (a town near Shreveport), where they stopped and settled. It was
their home until 1841, when due to the unhealthy climate--three of their youngest children
had died--they moved north with two horse teams to Versailles, Missouri and then to Round
Hill in Cooper County, Missouri. John homesteaded land in this area (presently owned by
Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Potts) and became a successful farmer, marketing his livestock by
foot to the market in St. Louis, Mo.
When John bought some additional acreage, a clock and a Negro slave named
"Larry" were included with the farm. The family liked Larry and found him to be
very trustworthy. After the Civil War, he was free to leave but stayed with them off and
on for some time. They tried to educate him as best they could. He became a Baptist
preacher, using the name "Larry Veulemans," and his name is on record at the
Second Baptist Church in Tipton. He is buried at Prairie Grove Cemetery, Tipton, Missouri.
John Francis Veulemans and his wife were the parents of nine children, and then three
of those children reared families in this community. Among their descendants are: Elva
Whittaker and Dick and Clara Bull Scott, Bunceton; Henry F. Hartman, Joe J. Hartman, John
D. Veulemans and Thomas P. Veulemans, Tipton.
The Veulemans' brought with them two wooden chests in which they kept their most
valuable possessions while crossing the ocean. Only one chest still exists and is the
property of Joe J. Hartman, Tipton. It was made by Martin Van den Poel in Belgium. The
chest (with the year "1814" engraved on the lid) was used as an altar when Mass
was celebrated at Round Hill. Every so often a priest would come through on horseback and
read Mass at the Veulemans' home.
Mr. Martin Van den Poel (maker of the chest) and his wife, a brother and a sister to
Mr. and Mrs. John Veulemans, also came to America and settled at Round Hill. They had no
children.
Yontz
Harriette Yontz came to Missouri with her children in a covered wagon from Mifflin
County, Penna. In 1870 she homesteaded near Round Hill on the farm which now belongs to
Mrs. Henry Fischer. The children were Lewis, Charles, Ann (Mrs. Isaac Williams) and
William, father of A.C. (Dorney) Yontz.
"Dorney" was the second youngest of the family. October 20, 1909 Dorney
married Ledwina Tegethoff, St. Louis. Their children were Norbert, Bill, Arthur (Babe) Jr.
and Mary Ann (Linnebur).
William served in the Civil War where he met a southern girl from Virginia, Margaret
Swyres. They eloped and settled on the farm which now is the land north of town known as
the Knipp farm. To this union eleven children were born.
The families entire life has been spent in the Tipton Community except for the years
they lived in Clarksburg. During that time, Dorney built the Clarksburg elevator which
later burned. Returning to Tipton, he engaged in the trucking business and also the buying
and feeding of livestock. In 1946 he built the Yontz Meat Packing House on East Moniteau
Street in Tipton.
Dining out
The gourmet cooks and the fancy restaurants of today pride themselves in the tasty food
that they can offer their customers. With refrigeration, freezing of food, fast
transportation from growing areas to the table, and our increasing variety of prepared
foods, we would expect our present day dining out to surpass the menus offered in Tipton
at the turn of the century. In 1893, The Tipton Times published the Christmas menu
available for banquets during the holiday season at the City Hotel in Tipton:
- Oysters -- Raw, Stewed, Fried
- Celery
- ColeSlaw
- Roasted Almonds
- Sweet Mixed Pickles
- Queen Olives
- Pickled Onions
- Meats -- Sirloin of Beef Sugar-cured Ham, Pickled Beef Tongue, Boneless Turkey,
Galantine of Chicken en Bellevue
- Young American Cheese
- Preserves
- Celery Sauce
- Lobster Salad
- Chicken Salad
- Cake -- Angel, Carmel, Chocolate
- Ice Cream
- Pineapple Fruit
- Vanilla
- Grapes
- Oranges
- Mixed Nuts
- Assorted Candy
- Bread - Graham, Rye, Plain
- Drinks - Tea, Coffee, Cocoa
