Hiram Long was a native of Claremont, New Hampshire and was born May 22, 1827. He was the youngest of fifteen children, and his father, Simeon Long, was a retired sea captain. Mr. Long spent his boyhood days on a farm and pursued the course of study of the common schools. At seventeen years … > More >
Whenever I think of my grandparents
I wonder, “Just how did it feel
To leave comforts and loved ones and cherished spots
And ride to the end of steel?”
And what did they find when they arrived?
Only a sprawling space
And tents the only abode for awhile
In this wild and lonely place.
But … > More >
Christian Braggan and his wife were born in Germany but came to Missouri before the Civil War and settled on a farm that was located where the Ed Lambert home now stands. He owned all the land that was to become known as the Braggan’s Addition and to this day is still called that. This … > More >
Murton (Murt) Sommerville came to Marceline from Oskaloosa, Iowa at an early age and married Celia Snider who was born east of Marceline before the town was organized. They had eleven children, one Mrs. Ray Helton, who still resides here.
Murt Sommerville and Garrett Eilert organized the Marceline Concert Band about sixty years ago. … > More >
Keeping a sharp lookout for marauding renegades, Emma Williams and her three young sons came to Missouri during the turbulent days of the Civil War to be united with her husband, Owen Williams, who had gone before her to seek employment in the St. Louis area.
LeRoy, the eldest son, shot rabbits for meat, … > More >
In the spring of 1887 the Claiborn Fox Jackson family came to a place in Linn County which later was named Marceline.
This family consisted of Claiborn, the father; Laura Bell, the mother; a daughter, Etta; a daughter, Sarah Ann; a son, James William; who is still living in Marceline.
For a brief time … > More >
The early days of the “Magic City” (as our town was called) were marked by excessive unlawfulness. Fights, murders and thievery being in the headlines as did incendiary fires which did a lot to make our early history black. If a Saturday night passed without two or three fist fights on main street ending up … > More >
As told to John Keller by Thomas Moss
I, Thomas Moss, was born in Chariton County, Missouri, June 8, 1880, the son of Leonard and Manda Moss on their farm near Mike. My age now is 83 years, and I have lived in Linn and Chariton Counties all my life. I attest the following to … > More >
The United States Army Mothers was founded in Kansas City, Missouri, by Margaret Jackson on September 25, 1940. Post No. 7 at Marceline, Missouri, was organized September, 1942, at the First Baptist Church and Edith Bealmear was elected the first president and a charter was formed. There are still two of the original charter members … > More >
Fred Cochran was born in Marceline, Missouri, June 22, 1924. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James S. Cochran. He went to school here and graduated with the class of 1943. While in high school, he studied art under Neva Lamb and after that took his formal art training during the years immediately … > More >
