Mexico weekly ledger., 1895-10-31
REV. PITTMAN's RECOLLECTI0Ns
He Talks of the Baptist Association,
the Gold Seekers OF '49, the
Death OF Jesse James, Etc.

Friday night Judge John A.Guthrle
and Rev. and Mrs. n. K. P1ttman anu
President and Mrs. Yancey returned
from st. Joseph, where they attended
the sixty first annual session OF the
Missouri Baptist General ASSOCIATION.
Rev. N. r. Pittman yields himself to
a LEDGER reporter and says: II
lived in st. Joseph more than 10 years.
All that time / was pastor OF Patee
Park Church with which the General
Association met. st. Joseph is COM
mercial center of IS, 900 people. The
old Indian trader, Joseph Robidoux,
founded the town and named the
streets Felix, Frances, Edmond,
Charles, Angelique, S~ylvonic, etc.,
etc, for his children until the streets
gave out.
"Diagonally across Patee Park
Square from Patee Park Church is the
old Pixies Peak barn, somewhat re-
modelled. There at the old barn the
gold seekers in 1s49, 80 and 81 begun
in earnest their journey across the
plains for the Sierras and for Cali
fornia. The old 49ers endured hard
ship and peril enough for gold to
make Christians blush as they stand
in solemn certainty of gaining ever
lasting wealth. Many of the old gold
seekers of the Sierras died on the
plains while mirages danced before
their eyes. In 1885 | crossed to Cali
fornia in a Pullman car. l stopped a
whole day in the Mojave Desert where
many of the weary pilgrims broke
down and died. In one ray there
was a wagon which carried a family |
that made pathetic history. All the
oxen except one died. The husband
was worn and sick. The heroic wife
left her baby in the wagon with her
husband and she put n end of the
yoke on her shoulder and helped the
OK pull the wagon over the alkaline
plains of Mojave. A wife heroic,
courageous, determined like that one
would make a good church member,
ever if her husband was spiritually
sick.
"About five blocks from Patee Park
Church, at 1918 Lafayette street, is
the house in which Bob Ford killed
Jesse James on the Sd day of April,
1882. Jesse James had a brilliant,
vigorous intellect. One of the sad
dest things in this world is the misdi-
rection of human power. His father
was a very useful Baptist preacher.
He organized Providence Baptist
Church in Clay County, Mo. I have
preached in a revival in that church
with DIR. A. j. Emerson. have Wis
tied old Mrs. Samuels, the mother of
Frank and Jesse James. One of the
leading merchants in Kansas City,
one of the foremost servants of God
in Missouri, is Deacon T. M. James,
a blood-uncle of Frank and Jesse
James.
CAT the time Jesse James was killed
he was known by the name of How
ard. His residence was on a high hill
which sloped westward, eastward,
southwark. The streets are now cut
through the bluffs. Workmen were
this week excavating about the house
in order to bring it down from its high
place and make il more accessible to
Lafayette street. In 1885 l paid %
cents for the privilege of looking
through the house. There was the nail
in the wall on which Jesse was hang
ing picture when Bob Ford shot him
in the back. Jesse had confidence in
Bob and Bob was jes5e's guest.
"Relic hunters have damaged the
house. This writing is on the western
wall: "Anyone found destroying this
property will be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law" Other
signs r tackled up. One says: "Pay
% cents or stay out" Another says:
'Private property" Another says:
''Stay out or pay 25 cents" 1t is a
one story frame. Two windows are
on the west side. The house fronts
north with two windows and a door.
'The General Association was sue
cessful. Speeches were eloquent,
pocketbooks were generous, fellow
ship was delightful, hospitality was
wealthful. President A. K. Yancey
and Mrs. Yancey we're prominent and
helpful in the meetings. Judge
Guthrie is book-keeper and banker of
the General Association. Mrs. Pitt
man and / were at home among our
friends and with the church with
which we spent 10 happy years. This
In ennnUh tnIk for 0na tinnap