Hattie Davish Week!

September 17-21, 2024      Schedule of Events

Self-Guided Driving/Walking Tour ONLINE

https://theclio.com/tour/2723

Tuesday, Sept. 17

Lectures by Joe Houts and Marshall White

Joe Houts will present a talk on Brigadier-General Jeff Thompson, 7th Mayor of St Joseph

who fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War.  Marshall White will also share some of his vast historical knowledge.

Light refreshments will be served.

7:00 p.m. @ Robidoux Row Museum     FREE!

Wednesday, Sept. 18

Available Tours, including Mount Mora Cemetery, the Glore Psychiatric Museum, and Jesse James Home

Hattie Davish's St. Joe Tour

10:00 a.m. @Mount Mora Cemetery, with Suzanne Lehr (45 minutes) FREE!

11:00 a.m. Glore Psychiatric Museum & Tunnels, with Kami Jones (1 hour) FREE!

Afternoon, Jesse James House Self-Led Tour, $5.00 admission

Thursday, Sept. 19

Screening of the Movie "Paper Moon"

Doors open at 6:30 PM     

Harrison Hartley will present a short history of the St Charles Hotel, 

location for several scenes in the movie. Refreshments will be available for purchase. 

7:00 p.m. @ Trail Theater     $5.00 Admission, Cash Only

Friday, Sept. 20

Lunch and Lecture with Anna Loan-Wilsey

11:30 - 1:00 p.m. @ Pony Express Museum     $25.00 per Person, Pay Cash or Check at Event

Luncheon will be catered by Joanie’s Fabulous Catering

Click HERE to Make a Reservation

Saturday, Sept. 21

Author Meet & Greet with Anna Loan-Wilsey

11:00 a.m. @ The Story Collective, Downtown St. Joseph     FREE

Saturday is also National Free Museum Day

Thank you to our program sponsors:

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS--Download a copy of discussion questions about the book HERE.

Historical Context Information

Enhance your reading experience with these historical notes, providing context and insight into the themes and events of A Deceptive Homecoming. Gain a deeper understanding of the story and its characters with this enriching background.

 Joseph Robidoux founded St. Joseph in 1843, and the city grew rapidly due to its strategic location on the Missouri River and the construction of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad.  The city played a significant role in the Civil War, with many battles fought in the surrounding area.  The Oregon and California Trails made St. Joseph a major starting point for travelers headed west in the mid-1800’s and throughout the 19th century.

St. Joseph, Missouri in 1893

By 1893, St. Joseph, Missouri was a city that was growing rapidly.   The population had grown to 60,000 people.  The city was a wholesale center for the building of the west and home to several packing houses.  There were 11 railroads, 70 passenger trains each day, 170 factories, 13 miles of paved streets, and the largest stockyards west of Chicago.  St. Joseph was major hub for livestock industry and the city’s economy thrived. The city’s proximity to the Missouri River and its accessibility by river, rail, and land made it an ideal location for trade and commerce. By 1900, the population grew to an estimated 100,000.  Many mansions and traditions from this era survive today.

Transportation in St. Joseph in 1893

The most common forms of transportation were either travel by foot or horseback, by wagons or carriages, by river travel on the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, or by railroads. 

St. Joseph was an early leader in the development of a mass transit streetcar system.  The first streetcar system began operation in 1866 under the direction of the Citizens Railway Company.  The first streetcars were powered by horses and mules, and then in 1888 an electric power line was installed.  In 1899 St. Joseph had 34.5 miles of electric street railway.  At this same time, New York only had 18.5 miles and St. Louis had 5.5 miles of electric streetcar.  In 1970 the streetcars stopped running and were replaced by a public bus system.  The first city cabs were horse drawn in 1878 and followed the trolley tracks.  The cost was 5 cents per ride from Krug Park to Lake Contrary.

Communication in St. Joseph in 1893

Long-distance communication was slow and laborious, often taking days or even weeks to reach its destination. Local communication was more accessible, with many people relying on face-to-face interactions and printed materials for information and news.  People communicated in the following ways:

1. Face-to-face conversations

2. Letters written by hand or typed on typewriters

3. Telegrams sent through telegraph offices

4. Telephone calls (although not yet widespread)

5. Printed newspapers and newsletters

6. Handwritten notes and messages

7. Postcards

8. Town criers or public announcements

9. Messengers or runners

10. Mail delivered by the United States Postal Service

Recreation in St. Joseph in 1893

Entertainment options were limited compared to today, but people still found ways to have fun and socialize:

1. Attending theater performances and vaudeville shows at the Tootle Opera House.

2.  Taking a stroll through the city's Krug Park.

3.  Enjoying a picnic or boat ride on the Missouri River.

4.  Participating in sports like baseball, horse racing, or cycling.

5.  Joining social clubs or organizations, like the Elks Lodge or the Women's Christian Temperance Union.

6.  Attending festivals and fairs, like the St. Joseph Fair or the Missouri State Fair.

7. Taking a trip to a nearby attraction, like the Jesse James Home Museum.

8. Enjoying music and dance at local saloons or dance halls

Lake Contrary in 1893

Lake Contrary was formed by the meandering Missouri River and got its name from Contrary Creek, the original water source for the Lake.   By the 1870’s, hotels were being built along the eastern shore of Lake Contrary. Accommodations at Lake Contrary varied from elegantly appointed hotels to fisherman’s cabins.  In 1883 a St. Joseph newspaper reported: “Since we have a passable road to the lovely Lake Contrary, there is less preparation among St. Joseph people for a summer tour abroad than has even been known at this season of the year.  With a little effort and the expenditure of a few thousands of St. Joseph’s immense wealth this could be made one of the most attractive resorts on the continent.” Travel to the lake was mainly by horse and buggy or steam trains by the Santa Fe. 

By the turn of the century, Lake Contrary was becoming the entertainment center of St. Joseph with a horse racing track, bicycle races, fancy exhibitions, and music provided by the Patriarchs Militant Band.  One feature was Miss Zo Zelda, the “Dauntless Queen of the Air,” who, while using her teeth to grasp a trapeze bar attached to a parachute, would cut herself loose from a hot air balloon that soared a mile high over the racetrack.

The first annual Chautauqua at Lake Contrary was a brilliant affair of nine days devoted to literacy, musical and spiritual entertainment.  This was a gathering of thousands of people with ample accommodations.  Visitors could stay in town and ride the trolley to the Chautauqua grounds, or take accommodation in hotels, club houses, restaurants, and boarding houses that were available to suit both the wealthy and those of modest means.

Summer was not the entire focus of life at Lake Contrary.  Winter activities included ice boating and skating parties.  Winter was also the time for a seasonal occupation—harvesting ice.  In the era before electrical refrigeration and commercial ice houses, immense blocks of ice were cut from the lake and stored in large icehouse located along the eastern shore of the Lake.  Once the ice was put in the ice house, it was packed in straw to insulate and slow its melting.  Property owners along the lake were paid twenty five dollars per lake front for the privilege of removing ice from the lake.  The ice was about two feet thick and cut with ice cutting saws.  Several shifts were used for continuous twenty four hour operations.   The large pieces of ice were floated in open channels to the ice houses and placed on a conveyor belt which carried the ice to the top of the ice houses and dropped it in.  After 1919 the ice cutting operations on the lake ceased in St. Joseph.

Churches in St. Joseph in 1893

8 Baptist Churches

4 Christian Churches

2 Congregational Churches

4 Episcopal Churches

2 Jewish Synagogues

6 Lutheran Churches

17 Methodist Churches

7 Presbyterian Churches

7 Catholic Churches

Cathedral Church in 1893

From 1880 to 1900 Cathedral Church was a parish of immigrants.  The Catholic population exploded by the immigration of Italian, Irish, German and Polish nationalities.  In 1891 the church on Cathedral Hill filled up with every Mass with at least 4 masses held each Sunday. Bishop Hogan, an Irish immigrant, served as the first Bishop of the Diocese of St. Joseph from 1868 to 1880 and the first bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City in Missouri from 1880 to 1913. 

Famous 19th Century St. Joseph Residents:

*Jessie James was a notorious outlaw who was born and raised in

  St. Joseph.  He was an outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla and leader

  of the James-Younger Gang, and maintained Southern sympathies.

   His cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head on April 3, 1882.                        

* M. Jeff Thompson was nicknamed The Swamp Fox for his raids on the swamps of Missouri and Arkansas.  He was a strong Confederate supporter, served as mayor of St. Joseph, took down the U.S. flag at the post office.  He succumbed to tuberculosis and is buried at Mount Mora Cemetery.

* Eugene Field in 1875 was a city editor for the St. Joseph Gazette and married Julia Comstock, then 16 of St. Joseph.  They had eight children, five of which reached maturity.   Field’s poetry is widely praised.  In 1889, he wrote “Lover’s Lane, Saint Jo.”  Other childhood poems Field wrote  are “The Gingham Dog and Calico Cat,” “The Sugar Plum Tree,” “Winken, Blynken and Nod,” and “ Little  Boy Blue.”

Safety and Defense in 19th century St. Joseph

Safety and defense were largely individual responsibilities, with limited government support.

1. Limited law enforcement: The city had a small police force, but crime was still prevalent.

2.  Outlaws and gangs

3. Gunfights and duels: Settling disputes with firearms was not uncommon.

4. Fires: Wooden buildings and limited firefighting resources made fires a constant threat.  Fire Department existed since 1865.

5. Health risks: Poor sanitation, contaminated water, and inadequate medical care made illnesses and epidemics a concern.

6. Natural disasters: Floods, tornadoes, and storms posed a threat to the city and its residents.

7. Vigilance committees: Citizens formed groups to take matters into their own hands, often leading to extrajudicial justice.

8. Home defense: Residents relied on firearms and other measures to protect their homes and families.

9. Community watch: Neighbors kept an eye on each other's properties and looked out for suspicious activity.

10. Security measures: Businesses and homes employed basic security features like locks, bars, and safes.

Charities in St. Joseph in 1893

State Hospital for Insane Number 2/Missouri State Hospital No. 2

St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum

Home for the Friendless was a comfortable alternative to the poor house for elderly women.

The Ladies Union of Benevolent Association with the Home for Little Wanderers at 28th and Calhoun. Today this is the Noyes Home.

Education in St. Joseph in 1893

Public Schools-The St. Joseph Board of Public Schools was incorporated by an act of the Missouri Legislature in January 1860.  Three schools were built and opened in April 1860.  The district ceased operation in May 1861 due to the outbreak of the Civil War.  Schools resumed operation under Edward Neely’s leadership in October of 1864. 

Some problems that schools faced were the battle to raise educational standards, to address needs of special education students, to provide free textbooks, and the major concern for educators was how to finance public education.  These are, of course, problems that still concern us today.

Edward B. Neely was Superintendent from 1864 to 1904.  He was noted for thoroughness and the way he drilled his pupils on the principles of their studies.  He was a disciplinarian, always maintaining perfect order.  His schools were praised for excellence and efficient management.  He reported several obstacles that interfered with education of his students.  One was irregular attendance.  Others were short periods of attendance and notes asking that the students be released early from their studies. He felt that the study of the Constitution of the United States should be compulsory.  He  also believed that no student was fit to graduate without a reasonably accurate and confident acquaintance with the English language.  He introduced the graded school concept.  Neely once  stated that the public should rejoice because “the more they are taxed to establish institutions of learning, the fewer taxes they will have to pay to the erection of jails, penitentiaries, and poor houses.”  He was a leader and mentor to youth, a prophet of their perfection, and an inspirer of their higher life.

St. Joseph Female College in St. Joseph in 1893

Private women’s college that opened in 1875 by the English born Rev. Elijah S. Dulin.

Located for its operating years in the Patee House.

Attended by boys and girls who wore school uniforms and could attend as boarding school students or day school students.

40 weeks of instruction for day school cost was $50.

40 weeks of instruction for boarding school cost was $180.

Preparatory was comparable to our high school containing school of History, English, Mathematics, Natural Science.  Intermediate was next level.

Collegiate was highest level.  Curriculum consisted of moral philosophy, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, German, Italian, piano, organ, vocalization, painting, drawing and shellwork.

Education of Black Students

The law provided for separate schools for black children when their numbers in a township exceeded 20 children.  The 1875 census listed 570 school aged black children in the district who attended school in a number of rented buildings.   In 1875 Lincoln School was opened.   The Colored High School was opened in 1885.  The enrollment was low as compared to the elementary schools.  The major reason was that black students had to walk 16 -20 blocks to get to school.  Many were poor and did not have the proper clothes for winter.  Also, the older students were compelled to stay with younger children while their parents worked.  Many dropped out of school before graduating.

Women in St. Joseph in 1893

Traditional role was to support her husband, care for house and children,

although many women also worked outside of the home.  Some worked as housekeepers, domestics, dry good clerks, seamstresses, dressmakers, bookkeepers, millers, servants, and restaurant keepers.

Teachers and nurses could not be married to continue in their careers.  Teachers were required to follow a strict code of conduct.  They could court, but not marry.  No rouge was allowed.

Abortion was illegal.

The Married Women’s Property Act allowed women to own and control property, including real estate, and to write wills.

Limited access to credit:  Women, especially married women, faced challenges when trying to access credit and loans without a male co-signer.

These rights and laws did not equally apply to women of color, who faced additional barriers and discrimination.

Women’s Clothing in 1863

Women’s fashion in 1893 was influenced by Victorian styles, emphasizing modesty, elegance and refinement.  Women’s clothing was characterized by:

1. Long, floor-length dresses and skirts, often with layers of petticoats underneath.

2. Tight-fitting corsets and bodices, emphasizing a narrow waist.

3. High-necked blouses and dresses, often with a lace or ribbon trim.

4. Long sleeves, often puffed at the shoulder.

5. Hats and bonnets, adorned with feathers, flowers, or lace.

6. Gloves, worn everyday to go shopping or call on friends.

7. Bustled skirts, with a frame or padding to add volume.

8. High-button shoes, with laces or buttons up the front.

9. Parasols or umbrellas, used for sun protection.

10. Shawls or wraps, worn for warmth and modesty.

Medicine and Mental Health in St. Joseph in 1893

In 1893, medical doctors in St. Joseph, Missouri, treated ailments with the limited medical knowledge and technology available at the time. Treatment options likely included :

- Herbal remedies

- Medications like aspirin, morphine and opium

- Surgical procedures under anesthesia

- Rest, ice, compression and elevation for injuries

- Quinine for malaria

- Digitalis for heart conditions

- Casts for broken bones

- Amputations for severe injuries or infections

- Bloodletting and purging

- Trephining for head injuries

- Mercury for syphilis

- Arsenic for skin conditions

- Laudanum for anxiety and insomnia

- Patent medicines with untested ingredients

- Home remedies passed down through generations

- Folk remedies like poultices

- Spiritual healing and prayer

- Rest and relaxation at spas and health resort

In 1893, people with mental health issues in St. Joseph, Missouri, were often treated with a combination of:

1. Institutionalization: Patients were admitted to asylums or insane hospitals, such as the St. Joseph State Hospital, where they were often subjected to inhumane conditions and treatments.

3. Restraints and isolation: Patients were often restrained in straitjackets or isolated in padded cells.

4. Pharmacological treatments: Medications like opium, morphine, and bromides were used to sedate patients.

5. "Moral treatment": Patients were encouraged to engage in activities like reading, writing, and manual labor to promote mental health.

6. Spiritual and religious treatments: Patients were often prayed over or given religious counseling.

7. Phrenology: A pseudoscience that claimed to determine personality and intelligence by examining skull shape and size.

8.  Bloodletting: A practice where blood was drained from the body to "balance" the humors.

It's important to note that these treatments were often unproven, ineffective, and sometimes harmful. Mental health care at the time was largely unregulated and often inhumane.

Medical Colleges in St. Joseph in 1893

There were three medical colleges in St. Joseph in 1893.  The St. Joseph Hospital Medical College, located at North Second Street and Francis, was founded in 1876.

Then in 1878, The College of Physicians and Surgeons was located at Third and Robidoux.   These two medical schools merged in 1889 and became Ensworth Hospital Medical College, located at 7th and Jules.  Lastly, in January of 1881, the Northwestern Medical College was located at 8th and Sylvanie.

Hospitals in St. Joseph in 1893

St. Joseph Hospital Center was founded in 1874 by the Sisters’ of Charity.  This was called Sister’s Hospital.

Lunatic Asylum Number 2 was opened in 1874 with 25 patients. However, the 275 beds filled up quickly.  The hospital was pretty much self sufficient, with the patients themselves rising most of their food on the farmland that surrounded the hospital grounds.

Bibliography:

Rutt, Chris L. History of Buchanan County & the city of St. Joseph and Representatives Citizens.  Volume 1, 1826-1904.

Weeks, Clyde.  Lake Contrary Days of Glory 1880-1964. 1992. Blacksnake Creek Press, St. Joseph, Missouri.

St. Joseph Cathedral Parish-Our Story 1845-1985. 1995. Walsworth Publishing Co., Marceline, Missouri.

Special thanks to Sarah Elder, Jenna Sanders, and Gary Wilkerson who guided this research.

For more information:

https://stjosephmemorylane.com/. Devoted to memories of St. Joseph, Missouri from when it was first founded until the present.

https://www.sjsd.k12.mo.us/our-district/history.  A history of St. Joseph School District.