Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1911-05-04
MR.. BoTKIN's RECoLLEC.'
TIoNS.
The Circle of Merchants Around
The Public Square 40
Years Ago.

terview:
II promised You a short write
mp along the line of what found
in the business Square of Mexico
forty years ago; it turns ont to be
quite an undertaking to look back
so long ago and give a correct ac-
count of whom and how all were
then situated. Some may differ
with me and | may not be correct
all the way along, however.
81 left Springfield, Ohio, April
| l6, 1871. to locate at Emporia,
Kansas. ! arrived at Mexico the
morning Of April II, stopped at
the Martin House. then conducted
by Septimus Martin. My object in
stopping here was TO visit F. !.
| Roberts, now Of Rush Hill, with
whom 7 had served in the army
with for four years during theCiv-
War. Now, if there's anything
wrong about my not getting away
from here, Mr.. Roberts should be
held TO account and not me. but
few are living today Of the many
7 found in business here forty
years ago.
~ will begin at the southeast
corner of the Square, where Mr.
CraddOck is doing business, j. {
Smith was conducting a grocery
business: he died many years ago.
At the Savings Bank corner,
Jno. w. Reed was in the drug
business. He is today a prominent
dentist in this city. James and
William Beck were next, in the
jcwelry business: both died many
years ago. Next was Mr.. James
Pasqueth, in the manufacture of
harness and saddles; dead. Next
was Morris & Cauthorn, dry goods
; merchants; both dead. Next was
l Southern Bank. \ few of the
most prominent men connected
; with that institution were: Mr.
. Jas Galloway, Maj. Hiram Rick
ettS, w. NJ. Harper, VIM. sins
p and Mr.. Carson, all of whom ar,
: dead. Next, Woodward & Smith
dry goods merchants, both dead
Next, Joseph Ricketts,, dry good
, merchant; dead. Next, &. d. Fer
T. riS. hardware; dead Next, Mel
son Quisenbcrry conducted a stor,
known as The Grange Store about
. that time; both are dead. Tn,
]. south room of Shootman IS wa,
where p. $. Mitchell was in tn,
shoe business. He is living.
think Mr.. and Mrs. Shootman ha,
millinery in the next room. Boil
e are now dead. Northeast corner
u Harper & Coil were in dry good
r business. Both are dead. join
Coil died in 1871
"Where the Mexico Clothing
Co. is, j. NJ. Marmaduke and Jas
u Steward We're in dry goods bus
Il ness. Mr.. Marmaduke is dead
. Mr.. Stewart lives in st. Louis.
Is have lost sight of who did bushes
Il where Mr.. Purdy's drug store il
l' Next, Messrs. Williams & Rec
D. dry goods merchants. Both al
"a dead. Next was Baker e. Steel
d real estate and insurance. Nj
lie Baker died few months ago. NJ
It, Steele is here in good health an
IT. a busy man. Next was West
III Mills dry goods store "Unc
- Billy" West has been dead
H. long time. Mr.. Miller lives
s. Oklahoma. About that time Ca
50 roll & Bolts were in millinel
III business next room where Griff'
Is & Martin are. About that tin
r. Mr., Ryerson engaged in harnc
~ making whore Mr.. Poisson is
er business. Next, ! think, the VI
Council Bros. were in china al
~ glassware business. Tom McCo
II nell is dead Next, Lupton, Jo
y Sr., and Warner Potts were
~ furniture and undertaking bus
w. ness. Both are dead,
-" "John Wilkerson conducted
, restaurant on northwest cOrnC
He went to st. Louis from her
| lost sight of him. The nor
room of Ferris & Cauthorn W
idle at that time Next, Scharla,
IL. & Hall were in the drug businc