Milton Tootle

More than any other man, Milton Tootle was the builder of the prosperity of Saint Joseph and the leader of its 'Golden Age. He came to the little town of about two thousand population in 1849 at the invitation of one of the owners of a general store. He became a leader of the merchants supplying goods to the emigrants for California in the 1850s and built up a great wholesale trade to the entire West. His building of Tootle's Opera House in 1872 was but the first of the cultural contributions which he and his descendants have made to Saint Joseph. Now in its sixth generation in the community, the family has maintained its leadership in business and civic responsibilities.

The Tootles came from England to Maryland before the American Revolution. The records of Coventry Parish, Maryland, show that in 1754. Abner Tootle (great-grandfather of Milton Tootle I of St. Joseph) contributed to a fund for the victims of the Boston, Massachusetts, fire. In 1758 Abner was listed on the muster roll of Captain Henry Casson's company in the French-Indian War. His name also appears in the list of accounts for quartering soldiers in that year. Abner's wife was Mary, and their son, Thomas Tootle, was born in 1759. The first federal census, that of 1790, shows living in Dorchester County, Maryland, the families of Thomas Tootell and John Tootell. In 1805 Thomas Tootle with his wife, Sarah, and his five Sons-Thomas B., John, Milton, Stewart, and James-migrated to Ohio, where they took up land in the Virginia Military Bounty on the west side of the Scioto River, about seven miles northwest of Chillicothe, Ohio.

John Tootle and Mary Armstrong were married on April 20, 1812. To them were born a family of six children, three sons and three daughters: Eliza, 1813-1891; Thomas Egleston, 1820–1908; Sarah, 1821-1876; Milton, 1823-1887; Joseph W., 1829-1860; and Mary Stewart, 1836-1843. The neighborhood where the various Tootle families lived centered around a crossroads called today "Tootles' Corners. In the Nine Hundred Acre field of Thomas Tootle nearby are the remains of a very old log cabin and the small family graveyard. One of the stones reads: “Thomas Tootle, son of Abner and Mary, his wife, who died September 18, 1824, aged 65 years, I month, and ten days.' Another one reads: “In memory of Sarah, wife of Thomas Tootle, Sen., who died Feb. 6, 1832, aged 78 years, 8 months, and 21 days. A few miles away is the old Armstrong farm which belonged to Mary (Polly) Armstrong's family.

John and Polly evidently made several moves. Eliza was born in 1813 in Ross County, where Tootles' Corners is. Thomas Egleston was born in 1820 at Marion, Ohio; while Milton was born in 1823 back in Ross County. In 1833 Eliza was married to Dr. James Livingston and they moved in 1837 to Glasgow, Missouri. In 1836.John and Polly took their younger children to Jerseyville, Illinois, where Polly's brother, Reed Armstrong, had a store. Thomas E., aged sixteen, stayed behind in Ohio, and got a job in a store at Columbus. Milton, aged thirteen, started to work in his uncle's store though he was small and barely tall enough to see over the counter. In 1838 Thomas E. came out to Jerseyville and went to work in the uncle's store. In 1840 Thomas E. left the family and joined Eliza and Dr. Livingston in Glasgow, Missouri. About the same time Milton left the uncle's store to go to work in another store owned by George Smith. John and Polly continued on in Illinois where John died in Grafton, near Jerseyville, on February 12, 1846.

In 1842 George Smith, aged twenty-eight, moved to Savannah, Missouri, to open a store, and took his clerk, Milton Tootle, aged nineteen, with him. Smith sent Milton to Atchison County in 1844 with a stock of goods, and in 1845 brought him back to Savannah to be in full charge, while Smith went to Saint Joseph. There Smith joined Robert Washington Donnell in opening a store, Smith & Donnell. That partnership ended in 1848 and Smith opened a new business, Smith & Bedford. The old store in Savannah which Milton was operating was on the west side of the Square and, until a few years ago, parts of the building were still visible in the alley. In 1848 Milton, aged twenty-five, decided to go into business for himself at Oregon, Missouri. But the next year he received a call from George Smith to join him in St. Joseph. Apparently Smith's health was failing, and he wanted Tootle in his business. The Saint Joseph Adventure newspaper of July 6, 1849, carries the following advertisements:

"NEW FIRM

SMITH, BED FORD & TOOTLE

“George Smith, Wm. H. Bedford & Milton Tootle, having associated themselves together at the former stand of SMITH & BEDFORD, St. Joseph, Mo.

'Would say to their numerous friends, customers, and the public generally that they have now a large and general assortment of Dry Goods, Groceries, Hardware, Queensware, Boots, Shoes, Iron, Nails, etc., etc. and will be receiving by the first boats still larger supply from the Eastern cities, all of which they intend selling at the very lowest prices, at Wholesale and Retail for Cash and Produce. "California Emigrants are particularly requested to call and examine our stock and prices before making their outfit, as we have purchased largely for that trade.

SMITH, BEDFORD & TOOTLE

“HEMP ! HEMP ! HEMP !

“We are prepared to receive, store, and bale any quantity of Hemp on account of owners, on the best terms, having a large and commodious Brick ware-house immediately on the river. Any articles of produce or merchandise entrusted to our care will receive prompt attention.

SMITH, BEDFORD & TOOTLE

'LATE NEWS FROM CALIFORNIA

IMPORTANT TO EMIGRANTS

“We take this method of calling the attention of emigrants to the late arrivals of California supplies at the Sign of the Elephant, amongst which will be found:

30. doz Hickory Shirts

15   `` Checked ``

12   `` White ``

35 `` Coats

3 `` Hatchets

10 gross Playing Cards

Butcher and Pocket Knives

California Cook Stoves

Camp Kettles

Camp Coffee Mills

1000 lbs. Bar Lead

Ballona Sausages

10 bbls. Pure Brandy

40 kegs Powder

50 half kegs Powder

50 quarter kegs Powder

Western Reserve Cheese

English Dairy Cheese

25 doz. Assorted Flannel Shirts

12 `` Calico

30 `` Pants, assorted kinds & qual.

5 `` Belts and Scabbards

10 `` Waterproof Hats

6 `` Spades & Shovels

India Rubber and Gum Elastic Cloaks, Coats, Capes

Pants, Canteens, Blankets, etc.

California Saddles, Blind Bridles, Collars, Harness,

Traces, Log Chains, Hatchets and Hand Axes

Boston Crackers No. 1

Mackerel, in Kits

40,000 lbs. Hickory Smoked Bacon

20,000 lbs. Superfine Flour

California Match Safes

20 bbls. and half bbls. Alcohol

40 Boxes Scotch Herring

Emigrants' Guide to California, neatly bound

In addition to the above, we have a large and well assorted stock of Dry Goods, Groceries, Hardware, Cutlery, Queensware, Boots Shoes, Hats, Caps, etc., etc. which we will sell, wholesale or retail, very low at the Sign of the Elephant.

SMITH, BED FORD & TOOTLE

On July 8, 1849, George Smith died. Milton Tootle called upon his two brothers, Thomas E. and Joseph W., to join him, and with the addition of William G. Fairleigh, an employee of Smith, Bedford &

Tootle, they formed a new firm. Advertisement in Adventure on October 12, 1849:

“NEW FIRM

TOOTLES & FAIRLEIGH

Successors to Smith, Bedford & Tootle

“Have purchased the entire stock of the late firm of Smith, Bedford & Tootle, and taken the store recently occupied by them, where they will continue business. The stock being large and well selected they hope to receive a liberal share of patronage. One of the firm, Mr. Tootle, is now absent making large purchases for the Fall and Winter trade. The stock of Iron and Groceries now on hand is full and complete.

“Any quantity of Nails, Molasses, Salt, Tar, Rosin, Rice, Soaps, Candles, Stoneware, Dye-Stuff, Paints, and Oils on hand for sale low by Tootles & Fairleigh, at the Sign of the

ELEPHANT

"Large stock of fine Liquors, Bar Fixtures, Oysters, Sardines, Candys, etc. just received and for sale low by Tootles & Fairleigh at the Sign of the

ELEPHANT"

Many of the merchants, in those days, made easier the identification of their places of business by a symbol as well as a sign. Smith, Bedford & Tootle had as their symbol the representation of an elephant in front of their store. The new partnership was apparently not entirely satisfactory to Mr. Bedford, for on October 12 appeared in the Adventure the following:

"NEW FIRM

WM. H. BEDFORD and WM. A. RIDDLE

having associated themselves together in the Wholesale and Retail Dry Goods and Grocery Business also Receiving, Forwarding, and Commission Business, beg leave to inform their old friends and customers and the public generally, that they are now receiving and opening one of the Largest and most Extensive assortments of Dry Goods, Groceries, Hardware, Cutlery, Queensware, Books, Stationery, etc., etc. ever brought to St. Joseph. “Our House of business is situated on Main Street, opposite the Edgar House. Persons cannot be mistaken in our location if they will look for the SIGN OF THE LION--(not Elephant).

BEDFORD & RIDDLE

20,000 Lbs. Iron, assorted, for sale at the sign of the LION

BEDFORD & RIDDLE'

CASH paid for any quantity of Beeswax, Dry Hides, Tallow, Deer Skins, Feathers, Furs, Peltries, Etc. at the Sign of the LION.

BEDFORD & RIDDLE'

The boom years of business in Saint Joseph had begun. Several hundred thousand California-bound emigrants arrived by steamboat in the decade following 1849, and most of them purchased their wagons and supplies for the trip across the plains here. Tootles & Fairleigh got a large part of this business.

In July 1853 the following advertisement appeared in the St. Joseph Commercial Cycle.

"TO CALIFORNIA AND OREGON EMIGRANTS

Good Crossing near St. Joseph

'Whitehead's Ferry, 4 1/2 miles above St. Joseph, on the Missouri River, is on the nearest and best route from St. Joseph to the Iowa Mission, Fort Kearney and all other places on the northern route to California and Oregon, beyond these points.

The undersigned has two good Boats in good order and can cross from 5 to 700 head of Cattle per day. He also has good and sufficient lots on each side of the River for the accommodation of the Emigrants with large herds of stock, which will be provided gratis to those favoring him with their patronage.

“In conclusion I will say that you may rely upon being crossed at my Ferry with safety and dispatch. Mistake not the place.

James R. Whitehead

“My Ferry is within one-half mile of the Prairie on the other side of the River and no brush intervening. Opportunity of losing cattle very poor.

Milton Tootle's mother, Polly Armstrong Tootle, had apparently moved to Savannah, Missouri, after the death of her husband, John, in Illinois in 1846. Joseph W. married in Savannah on October 15, 1848, Sarah McCord, sister of James McCord. Polly died in St. Joseph in July 1851, a victim of cholera.

In 1859 the Western Bank of Missouri was organized with Milton Tootle as president and Bela M. Hughes as cashier. The Pony Express, supplying ten-day mail service between Saint Joseph and Sacramento, California, started on April 3, 1860, and ran until October 1861. An unprofitable operation, it was forced to mortgage its property and borrow from Ben Holladay. He foreclosed in July 1861 and sent Bela M. Hughes, his cousin, to Denver to take charge. Hughes was succeeded as cashier of the Western Bank in 1862 by James Lawrence O’Neill. Mr. O'Neill died in February 1865 and in January 1866 Milton Tootle married his daughter, Miss Catherine O'Neill.

Joseph W. Tootle had died in July 1860 and about that time Thomas E. Tootle decided to leave Tootles & Fairleigh to go into the banking business. The name of the firm was then changed to Tootle & Fairleigh which it remained until 1872 when Mr. Fairleigh retired and traveled abroad.

The business had been very prosperous. Milton Tootle was forty-nine years of age, and he had been in Saint Joseph twenty-six years. He decided to build a theatre. He employed W. Angelo Powell as architect and John De Clue as builder. The total cost of Tootle's Opera House was $165,000 and it was hailed as the finest theatre in America west of the Mississippi River. The opening night was December 9, 1872, with Miss Maggie Mitchell playing in "Fanchon, The Cricket. The first box on the right side of the theatre was always reserved for the Tootle family and their guests.

After Mr. Fairleigh's retirement, the business became Tootle, Craig & Company, and in 1881 Tootle, Hosea & Company. Starting in the original store near the riverfront, the business gradually moved east to Second Street, to Third Street, and finally in 1884 the magnificent building of Tootle, Hosea & Company was built at 113 North Fourth Street. This building was demolished in September 1973 under the Urban Renewal program.

Mr. Tootle had three children: Frances Sublett, born 1870 (later Mrs. E. C. Dameron); Milton, Jr., born 1872; and John James, born 1874. His residence was on the west side of Fifth Street between Faraon and Robidoux. He stood at the very top of the wholesale dry goods business of the country, and Marshall Field I is reported to have once said: “I hope I may someday have as fine a wholesale business as Mr. Tootle has.

Mr. Tootle died very suddenly on January 2, 1887, shortly before his sixty-fourth birthday. He is buried in Mt. Mora Cemetery. His sons, aged fifteen and thirteen, were too young to go into the business, so after the death of Mr. William E. Hosea, Mr. W. W. Wheeler and Joshua Motter, who were active in the business, formed a partnership with Mrs. Tootle to carry on the business of Tootle, Wheeler and Motter. After a time Mrs. Tootle sold her interest and the business became Wheeler & Motter, which was to grow to be the largest wholesale house in Saint Joseph.

In 1889 Mrs. Tootle purchased from William M. Wyeth the palatial home at Eleventh and Charles Street which E. J. Eckel had built for him. Mrs. Tootle then employed Tiffany and Company of New York for the interior decoration. Mrs. Tootle lived until 1917, spending much of her time in traveling abroad, and at her home in Riverside, California. Her son, Milton Tootle, Jr., occupied the large Saint Joseph residence until his death in 1946.