Liberty Township

Upon the organization of Clay County, in January, 1822, the land on which the city of Liberty now stands was owned by John Owens and Charles McGee. Owens had built a house on what is now the northwest comer of Water and Mill streets some time the previous year, and kept a sort of tavern, or house of entertainment. His house was a rather large and roomy affair, and, as elsewhere stated, was used to hold the first courts in, and for other public purposes. McGee and Owens donated 25 acres to the county for county-seat purposes, which donation was accepted, and soon after the town was laid out.

The legislative act creating the county appointed John Hutchins, Henry Estes, Enos Vaughan, Wyatt Adkins and John Poage commissioners to select a "permanent seat of government" for the county, and provided that, until such selection, courts should be held at the house of John Owens. William Powe was afterward appointed on the commission. In their report to the circuit court July 1, 1882, as a reason for their selection, the commissioners say: "That, in pursuance of the object of their appointment, they assembled together on the 20th of March last, to examine the different donations offered the county, and continued in session three days examining the sites for a town; that after mature deliberation and minute investigation the tract of land owned by John Owens and Charles McGee was thought best adapted for the object for which it was designed, as being more central for the population, surrounded with good and permanent springs, lying sufficiently elevated to drain off all superfluous waters, in a healthy and populous part of the county, and entirely beyond the influence of lakes, ponds, or stagnant waters of any kind they, therefore, unanimously agreed to accept of the proposition of Mr. Owens and Mr. McGee of a donation of 25 acres each for the use of the county."

As soon as the town was laid out, which was in the early summer of 1822, improvements began to be made. The first sale of lots was on the 4th of July, and at that time nearly all of those fronting on the public square were disposed of. But up to about 1826 there were not more than a dozen houses in the place, and these, with perhaps one exception, were log cabins.

Early hotel-keepers were Leonard Searey who had a licensed tavern in the fall of 1826, and continued in the business for six or seven years; Laban Garratt, who opened a licensed tavern in December, 1827, and John Chauncey, who began in about 1832. These hotels, or "taverns," as they were universally called, were simple affairs, but were comfortable enough, furnished plenty of good, wholesome food, and were adequate to the demands of that day.

Probably the first store in Liberty was kept by Wm. L. Smith, the county clerk, who brought up a few goods with him from Bluffton in 1822, and sold them in his dwelling-house.

Liberty was first incorporated as a town by the county court May 4, 1829, on the petition of "more than two-thirds of the citizens," under the name and style of "The Inhabitants of the Town of Liberty." The following were declared to be the metes and bounds:

Beginning at the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 7, in the line of the New Madrid claim thence due west along said Madrid line to the southwest comer of said quarter section; thence due north along the line of said quarter section to the northwest comer thereof; thence due east along said quarter section line to the northeast corner thereof; thence due north along the line dividing sections 7 and 8, to the beginning comer at the mouth of the lane between Andrew Hixon, Sr., and said town tract.

This incorporation really included 160 acres of land, being the northeast quarter of section 7, township 51, range 31. The first board of trustees was composed of Lewis Scott, John R. Peters, Eli Casey, Samuel Ringo and John Baxter.

Describing Liberty in 1829, the year of its first incorporation, a writer in the Tribune in 1846 says:
The public square in Liberty then had two houses on the south side, one on the west, two on the north, and two or three on the east. Hixon's Wilson's, Bird's and Curtis' addition to the town were then in old Mr. Hixon's com field. There was one tavern (the same now [1846] occupied by Judge Hendley) kept by Leonard Searcy. Parties and balls were frequent, and often times attended by ladies and gentlemen from Fort Leavenworth, Richmond, Lexington and Independence. Preaching was uncommon, at least 1 never heard much of it. There was no church in town, but I think the Baptists had two or three in the country; perhaps at Big Shoal, Little Shoal and Rush Creek.

There was but little use for doctors at that time, as the chills and fever were unknown, except in the Missouri bottoms, where but few persons had then settled. I recollect that the first case of chills and fever that occurred in the uplands excited great alarm and astonishment. It occurred, I think, in Platte Township. Liberty was always healthy. Not a death took place for several years after I came to it, except one or two persons who came to it laboring under consumption. Once a physician. Dr. Conway, was sent for to see a sick man at the Council Bluffs. It was regarded as a most hazardous undertaking, being in the winter season, and the doctor received a fee of about $250. There was no other physician nearer at that time; now there are perhaps a hundred, and a trip to Council Bluffs is a little regarded as it formerly was to the falls of the Platte.

The first settlers of Liberty were as clever, as sociable, and as good people as ever walked the earth. Many of them have gone to "that home from whence no traveler ever returns," and many of them are now still living. There was a kind of brotherhood existing among the people of Liberty and Clay County when I first came among them; nothing like envy or jealousy existed. They are perhaps more united yet than any other people in the state. This arose from the fact that the first settlers were almost entirely from Kentucky, and either knew each other, or else each other's friends before they came here.

A contribution to the Tribune, in December, 1846, in an article hitherto quoted from, describes Liberty as it was at that date:

Liberty now contains three taverns, a printing office, three blacksmiths, eight stores, three groceries, two drug stores, one hatter's shop, one tinner's shop, four tailors, three saddlers, three shoemakers, one carriage maker, two wagon makers, one tanyard, one bagging and rope factory, five physicians, six lawyers, three cabinetmakers, two milliners, 1 oil mill, 1 carding factory, a Methodist Church, a Reformer's Church, with neat brick buildings, and a Catholic Church under way; also a Baptist Church of stone; one school, kept by a Mr. Harrel, and a male and female school, under the superintendence of Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham. Our schools are equal to those of any town in the state in the ability of the teachers. Good houses to teach in are all that are lacking. The Missionary Baptists are making efforts to erect a church, and I doubt not will be successful. Efforts are also making to erect a large college, and judging from what has already been accomplished in the way of procuring subscriptions, it will go up on a scale commensurate with the wants of the surrounding country.

If there is a healthy spot in Missouri, it is in Liberty. It is finely watered, society is good, and in point of morals it is equal to any other place, and rapidly improving in that respect. There is stone enough in the streets to pave the whole town, and then enough left to macadamize the road to the Landing. These things will be done in due time. We have a "Union" Sunday School, numbering eighty scholars, and quite a respectable library attached to it. The day will come, if good colleges are erected speedily, when Liberty will be to Western Missouri what Lexington is to Kentucky, the focus of intelligence and literature. When once improved as it should and will be, no place will be more handsome. Two or three good coopers and a chair-maker would do well to settle in Liberty. The want of such mechanics is seriously felt by merchants' families and farmers.

March 28, 1861, the Legislature re-incorporated the town as "the City of Liberty," describing its site as "all that district of country contained within one mile square, of which the court house in Clay County is the center, the sides of said square being respectively parallel to the corresponding sides of said court house." The city is still governed under this charter and certain amendments.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Liberty was a flourishing town, with numerous well filled stores, a good woolen mill, rope-walks, hemp factories, etc., and was well known throughout the country. Its schools gave it something of favorable notoriety, as well as its commercial advantages. A branch of the Farmers' Bank of Lexington had been located here.

The Liberty Insurance Company, with E. M. Samuel, Michael Arthur and Gen. Doniphan as its leading spirits, existed for some years after 1850.

The Civil War left the town much the worse for its experience, but during the four years of strife and demoralization business was kept up and the ordinary municipal affairs received proper attention. The building of the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad was an epoch of importance, giving an outlet by rail to the marts of the world and swift communication by mail and express with important commercial centers. Yet it is maintained by many that in another sense the building of the railroad injured Liberty more than it benefited it, as it gave facilities for going away from town to trade, and caused sundry small towns to be built, thus diverting business away from the county seat, and affecting its material prosperity considerably.

Liberty owns its water plant. Water is pumped from South Liberty four miles in the greatest abundance. Also is lighted, houses and streets, by electricity. The electric lights are furnished by a power house in Kansas City, Mo.

Liberty Lodge, No. 31, A. F. & A. M. At Liberty, has been in existence for eighty years. The dispensation was issued June 26, 1840, on petition of A. Lightburne, E. M. Spence, Josiah C. Parker, Lewis Scott, John M. McLain, Thos. M. Bacon, Henry. Coleman and Henry C. Melone. The first master, under the dispensation, was Josiah C. Parker, who was installed July 18, 1840, by three past masters, Thos. C. Case, Henry C. Melone and E. M. Spence, and resigned August 29th following because of certain "un-masonic conduct." A. Lightburne was made senior warden August 15, 1840. The charter was not issued until October 9, 1840, the first principal officers being Josiah C. Parker, master, and A. Lightburne and H. C. Melone, wardens The officers under the dispensation were Josiah C. Parker, master; A. Lightburne and H. C. Melone, wardens; Thos. M. Bason, secretary; Henry Coleman, treasurer; Andrew McLain and Edward M. Spence, deacons, and John Gordon, tyler. On the seventy-fifth anniversary of the organization of the lodge a celebration of the event; speeches were made by Hon. D. C. Allen and Col. W. H. Woodson, the oldest living members who were made Master Masons in Liberty Lodge, No. 31, A. F. & A. M.

Liberty Chapter, No. 3, R. A. M., was first organized under a dispensation, issued April 18, 1842 the charter was not issued until September 13, 1844 Some of the first members were: Alvin Lightburne, Frederick Gorlich and J. M. Hughes. The chapter meets in the Masonic Hall.

Knights Templar. Liberty Commandery, No. 6, K. T., was instituted by Geo. W. Belt, R. E. P. Gr. Com. of Missouri, under a dispensation issued October 16, 1865, to Samuel Hardwicke, Rev. Ed. G. Owen, John S. Brasfield, Dan Carpenter, W. G. Noble, S. H. Masterson, L. W. Ringo. G. L. Moad and Thomas Beaumont. Of the first officers Samuel Hardwicke was commander, Ed. G. Owen, generalissimo, and John S. Brasfield, captain-general. (These were appointed by the state grand commander.) Under the charter, which bears date May 21, 1866, the first officers were: Samuel Hardwicke, commander: E. G. Owen, generalissimo; J. E. Brasfield, captain-general; A. Lightburne and W. W. Dougherty, wardens; Dan Carpenter, prelate; Peter B. Grant, recorder; W. A. Hall, standard bearer; D. C. Allen, sword bearer; W. W. Dougherty, warder.

The charter members of Liberty Lodge No. 49, I. O. O. F., were Madison Miller, who was also one of the first members of Baltimore Lodge, No. 1, the first lodge in the United States, Larkin Bradford. T. K. Bradley, Geo. W. Morris, T. Leonard, O. C. Stewart, Wm. Lamborn and J. W. Wetzel. The charter bears date March 5, 1851. The first officers were: Madison Miller, noble grand; Geo. W. Morris, vice-grand: T. K. Bradley, secretary: John Neal, permanent secretary; Larkin Bradford, treasurer.

The Knights of Pythias have a flourishing lodge and own their Castle Hall.

Christian Church. Two small organizations formed in 1837 formed the Christian Church in Liberty. One of these societies was denominated the "Church of God," of whom were the following named persons;

 Others, making a total of about thirty-five members. The first officers were chosen on December 24, 1837. The deacons were John Thompson, Thomas M. Chevis and James Hedges. Bishops, T. T. Swetnam and Mason Summers. It is not known who the officers of the other organization were. In the month of May, 1839, the two organizations united, forming the present Church of Liberty. The minutes of the "Church of God" of August 13, 1837, show the church selected Liberty for the purpose of building a meeting house, and Thomas M. Chevis, Jonathan Reed and James Hedges were chosen trustees, to superintend the erection of the building. The church building was completed about 1839. Adding to and remodeling of the building has produced one of the most commodious and elegant church buildings to be found anywhere.

A few of the pastors are here mentioned: Revs. A. H. F. Payne, Moses E. Lard, W. J. Pettigrew, Allen B. Jones, Josiah Waller, R. C. Martin, William H. Blanks, Francis R. Palmer, R. C. Morton, J. A. Dearborn, R. Graham, Frank D. W. Moore. Among these names are the names of mighty men in the pulpit, second to no men of similar calling in zeal and ability.

Liberty M. E. Church South. This church was organized in Liberty, in 1840. Among the first members were Peter B. Grant (cousin of Gen. U. S. Grant), J. B. Talbott, Dr. William B. Dougherty, and James Smithey. Their first church building was a brick, erected in 1842, and in 1857, a frame building was constructed at a cost of $1,800. At present their church building is a brick, modern in all respects, an ornament to the city. The present pastor (1920) is Dr. J. H. Jackson. Membership about two hundred.

St. James Roman Catholic Church. This church was organized in 1847, and a brick church building erected the same year, and the next year, was consecrated by Archbishop Kendrick, of St. Louis. The original members were: 

The pastors who served this church have been many, among them Revs. Bernard Donnelly, P. A. Ward, Jas. Murphy, Matthew Dillon, John J. Caffrey, Daniel Haley, Dennis Kennedy, Z. Ledwith, W. Lambert, James Foley, William F. Drohan, Fintan Mindwiller, Peter McMahan, Thomas Hanley, Michael Milay, Dennis J. Kiley, Joseph Beil, Peter J. Cullen and Edward Mallen. The present membership, including the missions through the county, is about 300. A new and elegant church building, with all modern conveniences, has been lately erected, which is an ornament to Liberty.

Presbyterian Church. The first regular Presbyterian Church in our county was organized at Liberty, on the 29th day of August, 1829. A number of persons convened in a grove in the west part of Liberty (Northwest corner of Kansas Street and Morse Avenue), and after a sermon, notice having been previously given for that purpose, they presented themselves and were organized into a church as follows:

"Rev. Hiram Chamberlain, of the Presbytery of Missouri, presided, aided by Rev. N. B. Dodge of the Harmony Mission. Letters were received in testimony of the qualifications of the following, viz: Archibald McIlvaine and wife, Mrs. Hannah McIlvaine, James McWilliams and Mary his wife, Walter Davis and Margaret his wife. William Modrel, Margaret Ward, Hannah Thompson, Isabella Moore and Jane P. Looney and her daughter, Polly W. Looney. The following persons were admitted on examination, they having been members of Presbyterian churches and removing without letters, viz: Robert Elliott and Sarah his wife, and Mrs. Mary Long. After these examinations were made, the following covenant was read to the members present and solemnly assented to by them: Having professed your sincere belief of the Holy Scriptures; your firm faith in the adorable Trinity; your hopes of pardon through Christ, your Redeemer, you, and each of you, do now in the presence of God and before these witnesses, enter into solemn covenant with this church that you will submit yourselves to its government and ordinances; that you will pray for its peace and enlargement; that you will study to promote its edification; that you will make the Word of God your constant rule of faith and practice; that you will most earnestly endeavor to walk in all ways of the Lord blameless; and that by a pure conversation and by holy living you will seek to convince the world of the superior excellence of our holy religion and try to win them over to the service of Jesus Christ. Do you thus covenant and promise?

Having given their solemn assent, the members were then informed that they were authorized to elect their church officers, and after an address to the throne of grace, imploring Divine direction, the following persons were declared duly elected: Robert Elliott, James McWilliams and William Modrel. Notice was given that the elders elect would be ordained on the morrow, and services were closed by singing and prayer.

The church met on August 30th, and after sermon the elders-elect were set apart and ordained according to the form of government of the Presbyterian Church. Attest: H. Chamberlain, Moderator."

Happily the complete records of this church are in existence, and from which the above was taken.

Mr. Chamberlain was the first pastor, and the church since has been served by the following ministers:

The full roll of elders in addition to the three named above is as follows:

The present elders are Lewis B. Dougherty, James S. Robb, W. L. Trimble, John Laipple, Irving Gilmer, John L. Dougherty and John M. Newlee.

Second Baptist Church. The following is an abridgment of an historical sketch as furnished by Prof. R. P. Rider:

The early records of the church were destroyed in the burning of the Clay County Court House in 1857, and, as our people, then, as now, little realized the importance of preserving historical data, no effort was made to rescue the fading facts in the history of the church. The second record-book embracing the period from 1857 to 1869, has gone into undiscoverable hiding, quite as disastrous to our present purpose, as was the fire.

Consequently, for our history prior to 1869, we must rely upon the memories of those then interested in its welfare; some of whom have kindly furnished us with personal reminiscences. These reminiscences, though not always reliable history, we have by careful comparison, found very valuable; and, as they have been mutually corrective or corroborative, we have succeeded in gaining an apparently authentic historical outline. We have received some little aid from casual notes and minutes of association found in the archives of the Missouri Baptist Historical Society. In 1843 a few brethern and sisters, some of whom had previously been allied with the Primitive, or Anti-Mission Baptists, but who entertained beliefs with regard to Missions, Sunday Schools, and other aggressive Christian work, at variance with their religious beliefs, and others who had come to Liberty, Missouri, from nearby states where they had belonged to United or Missionary Baptist churches, desired to form a church of their own faith.

Rev. A. P. Williams, who was then the Pastor of the Baptist church at Lexington, Missouri, and who, as a good bishop, was accustomed to visit the brethren in fields remote from his own vineyard, assisted by the Rev. W. C. Ligon, Pastor of the Baptist Church at Carrollton, Missouri, aided them in doing so. Thus on the second day of May, 1843, a Missionary Baptist Church was organized in the town of Liberty, Clay County Missouri, with the following named brethren and sisters as constituent members:

William D. Hubbell and his wife, Eliza Hubbell, and William P. Hubbell, their son. John W. Cockrell and his wife, Elizabeth Cockrell. Robert Minter and his wife, Martha Minter. Mrs. Harriet Minter. Mrs. Amanda McCarty. Miss Betsy Dabney. Twelve members.

Its first pastor was a man whose name is honored among the Baptists of the early history of Missouri. Rev. A. P. Williams, from 1843 to 1845, was the so-called pastor, but for a few months of that time, alternating with Rev. W. C. Ligon, so that between the two the church enjoyed the, at that time, somewhat rare privilege of having preaching twice a month.

It would seem from tradition that Elder Williams resigned and left the care of the church for a short period of time during a part of the year 1846-7 and resumed it again in 1848 and 1849, for when Professors Dulin and Lockett came to Liberty at the close of the year 1849. Elder Lockett writes in his reminiscences "Rev. A. P. Williams had resigned the pastoral care of the church but a few months before and they were then without a shepherd."

Professors Dulin and Lockett assumed charge under conditions mentioned above. This joint pastorate continued until the middle of the year 1851, when Professor Lockett withdrew and presumably left Professor Dulin in full charge, but under what conditions we have been unable to ascertain. Some of the reminiscences to which we have had access refer to Elder Dulin as Pastor till 1855, but other records which bear upon their front the conditions of greater reliability, state that he was frequently and casually called upon to serve the Church as occasion demanded during the time, three or four years, that he was principal of a Young Ladies' Seminary in Liberty.

In 1854 Rev. B. T. F. Cake assisted Elder Dulin in a meeting, and shortly thereafter was elected pastor. We have been able to learn none of the conditions or circumstances of this pastorate, but it appears to have terminated in about one year. During the next year we find frequent reference made to preaching done by Rev. W. C. Ligon, but whether this work was of a mere casual kind, serving the church while he was acting as financial agent for the college, we have been unable to learn, but from the frequency of mention and the character thereof, presume that for something like a year he gave a double service, that of financial agent to the college and of pastor to the church.

He was followed by Rev. Josiah Leake, and he in turn was succeeded by Rev. J. B. Link. As it is pleasant to place foot on solid earth after one has been floating about among nebulae for a while, allow us to quote a few lines written by Rev. J. B. Link himself: "About the first of December, 1857, the writer became pastor. The church then had a good brick house of worship, very comfortably, but plainly finished. It was not enclosed till a few months later. At this time the church enjoyed a very good degree of prosperity."

In 1858-1860 Dr. Ed. I. Owen, Professor of Ancient Languages in the college, supplied the pulpit. He was a Welshman, and a learned man. The first title accounts in a measure for the sturdiness of his piety and the strength of his fealty to the Word, and the second, for his elegant diction, and for the cloister-like peculiarities of the old-time scholar and bookworm, that manifested themselves in his daily life. He resigned his charge in 1860, and was followed by Rev. William Thompson, President of the College a man of rare ability as scholar, orator and leader of men.

In 1865 Brother Barrett was called for a second year for one Sunday in the month with Rev. Asa N. Bird for one Sunday. This arrangement gave the church Sunday services twice a month. At the close of this year, June, 1866, Bro. Barrett resigned and Bro. Bird was elected to serve the church and preach two Sundays in the month. Bro. Bird resigned at the close of the year, and in June, 1867, Rev. X. X. Buckner was elected. He served one year and was elected for the second, but could not serve and Rev. A. Machette accepted the call extended him.

Elder Machette was associated with the Rev. X. X. Buckner in conducting a school for young ladies, and his care of the church, like others who preceded him, could not have been pastoral in the strict sense of the word. He could simply preach and assist in the administration of the affairs of the church. Still nothing is said about the frequency of the Sabbath ministrations, but from the salaries offered, $1,000 it is presumable that the organization had now (1868-9) grown into the stature of an "all-the-time" church. It is certain that succeeding pastors were pastors indeed, devoting their whole time and energy to the cause.

The church, during the greater part of the year was endeavoring to find a pastor that would meet the growing demands of the people. Having failed in this for the time, they induced Dr. Rambaut, president of the college, to assume the duties of pastor, in addition to his duties on the Hill and in the state. They thus secured a remarkable preacher, but his health soon failed and he was compelled to resign in March, 1872. In June of the same year Bro. Wm. Ferguson, then a student in the college, afterwards editor of the Central Baptist, was elected as supply pastor. This connection was maintained for a few months while the quest for a pastor was continued. Finally in the spring of 1873, at the church meeting of April, Rev. H. M. Richardson first presided as ex-officio moderator. Thus commenced a successful pastorate of eight years.

Dr. W. R. Rothwell was elected to act as moderator in all business meetings in the interim between the close of Dr. Richardson's pastorate and the coming of the new leader, to be elected.

In August, 1881. the church elected Rev. B. G. Tutt, of Mai-shall, Missouri, to shepherd the flock into whose fold he himself had been baptized in 1858, while a student in William Jewell College.

The first year of Elder Tutt's pastorate seems from the church record to have been a prosperous one in the mission of soul-winning. Several who are now our most faithful members were received into the church during that year; and throughout the period of his incumbency the growth of the church, though moderate in numbers, was healthful and substantial.

The church soon afterwards extended a unanimous call to Reverend Sam Frank Taylor, then of Columbia, Missouri, to become its pastor, and in some time in January, 1891 exact date not given, a letter of acceptance from him was read to the Church.

After a successful pastorate of nearly three and one-half years, Rev. Sam Frank Taylor resigned to become president of Stephens College for Young Ladies at Columbia, Missouri.

Rev. T. P. Stafford, Th. D., fresh from an extended and successful course of study in the Seminary at Louisville, was chosen to supply the pulpit during the summer of 1894. The church were so well pleased with his ministrations that in September of the same year they called him to become their pastor, which call he accepted.

Dr. Stafford's pastorate closed in February, 1900, subsequent to his definite resignation tendered three months before, leaving the church in a harmonious condition and numbering 450 members.

The church had the services of its former pastor and others as supply during the time that they were in quest of a successor to Dr. Stafford, so that all the meetings were sustained and interest in the work was not allowed to flag. August 12, 1900, the Pulpit Committee reported in favor of calling Rev. F. W. Eberhardt, of Paris, Ky. The adopting of this report was deferred for one week that wide notice might be given of the meeting and its object, and to call forth as large an attendance as possible. At the time appointed, in a full meeting of the church, Brother Eberhardt was called unanimously to the charge of the church. In a short time his letter of acceptance was in the hands of the Pulpit Committee indicating that (D. V.) he would preach for the church on Sunday, September 9.

In November, 1907, Pastor Eberhardt tendered his resignation to take effect the fourth Sunday in December.

Thus ended a pastorate of over seven years. A period of strenuous labor by our leader, and rich in large spiritual and material rewards. When he came to us he found us a somewhat sturdy band of 450, giving to missions and benevolent objects about $1.48 per member. When he left us were were a sturdier band, numbering 775, and giving $2.55 per member.

The Sunday School had grown from 275 to 575. The prayer meeting from two hundred to between four hundred and five hundred.

During the time that the flock was without an under shepherd it was well fed and kept in good working order by the supply pastors, Dr. J. P. Greene and Rev. C. M. Williams, but everyone rejoiced when at the end of a nine-months quest, the South sent us from Greenwood, South Carolina, one of her treasured sons to go in and out before us. Dr. H. A. Bagby, in October, 1908, commenced a pastorate with us that, from his intelligent appreciation of existing conditions, his sympathetic yet strong and tactful grasp on the helm, gives promise of a pastorate the equal of any that the church in its life of sixty-six years has enjoyed.

On the day of __, 1920, the church was consumed by fire. Nearly $500,000 has been subscribed to build a church building with ample accommodations for many years. Dr. 0. R. Mangum is the present pastor. R. P. Rider, J. W. Kyle.

Liberty is widely known as a school town. The presence of William Jewell College makes it possible for boys to complete their education from the first grade to their college degree without going away from home. Unfortunately the burning of the Liberty Ladies' College has retarded the higher education of girls, but a movement is being made, which will take care of this in the near future.

Liberty High School is a first class high school, with an enrollment of 227 boys and girls. It is fully accredited so that the graduates may enter any institution of higher learning in the country. It not only takes care of the academic work in English, history, science, literature and languages, but has manual training, domestic science, teacher training and commercial departments. It is distinguished in that the teacher of agriculture is the county farm advisor.

The people believe in providing the best training for the boys and girls who are to be future citizens. Tangible evidence of this is found in the S. G. Sandusky building which was completed at a cost of $45,000, and which is one of the best arranged public school buildings in the country. This elementary school is unique in that it not only takes care thoroughly of the work in the traditional three "r's" but its program includes manual training, domestic science, picture and music appreciation, drawing, free play, calisthenics, nature study, hygiene and social civics. These activities are provided for in a special program which occupies one hour each day just before the close of school in the afternoon, and is organized on the "Gary Plan." The boys and girls get the benefit of these vitally interesting and useful functions at a time which in the ordinary school is wasted in idleness and mischief.

All of these advantages are secured with a low tax levy. Eighty cents on the hundred dollars in Liberty yields a fund which is more than equal to a one hundred-cent levy in most towns of same size. Urban Lake, Liberty's playground, is located about two miles west of Liberty, on the interurban at the station formerly called Urban Heights, and now Belleview.

The lake itself is a semi-natural body of water of about ten or twelve acres and the entire grounds comprise about twenty-five acres, which have been improved with bath houses, wells, beaches, boats, camping grounds, airdome, and other improvements that with the shade, blue grass and water go to make it a first class summer resort. The main part of the grounds are lighted by electricity and the waters are kept well stocked with fish, and the place is kept clean and is free from the rowdyism usually found at such places.

This resort is necessarily a Liberty institution and a great many of the Liberty people take advantage of it for their recreation and go there for boating, bathing, fishing, picnicking and camping, but the reputation of the place has spread until it is attracting large numbers from' other places.

The Odd Fellows Home for aged indigent Odd Fellows, wives, widows and orphans of Odd Fellows, is located about one mile south of the Court House in Liberty, on what is known as the Liberty Landing road, which is a continuation of South Leonard Street.

The Home is maintained and supported by the Odd Fellows of the State of Missouri, under the direct control of a Board of Trustees elected by the State Grand Lodge, and is comprised of six members of said Grand Lodge, and three lady members elected from the Rebekah Assembly, which is the ladies' auxiliary of the Order of Odd Fellows.

The plant comprises three main buildings whose actual cost totals $325,000.00, all of which has been fully paid. The Administration building on the south was built and dedicated in 1900, and houses the younger members of residents of the Home; here also is the laundry and dairy and domestic science departments. The building in the center is used for school purposes on the first floor. In the basement is the band room, where the Home band holds its practices. On the second floor is the Auditorium, which is equipped with a stage, and has a seating capacity of about three hundred persons. Sunday School and church services are held here regularly every Sabbath. This building was erected in 1904.

The building on the north is the Old People's Home. It was built in 1906 and was remodeled in 1911, when there was added a first-class hospital fully equipped with all the modern conveniences. Here also are cozy parlors and sun porches for the enjoyment of the aged residents, whose declining years are made as pleasant as every modern equipment make possible.

In 1913 and 1914 the heating and lighting plant was moved and enlarged, and an up-to-date refrigeration system installed, also a sanitary dairy barn and a building to cure and care for meats was erected and equipped for their individual uses.

The Home shelters and is educating at this time sixty-four boys and forty-eight girls whose ages range from two years up to sixteen years, and the Old People's Building has under its sheltering roof forty-two aged and infirm brothers and thirty-four sisters, a total of 188 persons who are enjoying the privileges of one of the finest, if not the very finest Home of its kind in the United States.

The grounds which comprise the properties consist of 257 acres of fine and fertile land, which is cultivated for the use and benefit of the residents of the Home. The broad lawns in front of the buildings are nicely and tastefully arranged and terraced. Fine shade and ornamental trees and shrubbery add much to the beauty and enjoyment of the happy and contented family that find in this Odd Fellows Home a real home in everything that makes such a place the dearest place on earth.

Liberty is connected with Kansas City, fifteen miles distant, by a well-constructed, high-speed electric line, which boasts of having electric automatic block signals protecting you all the way. The cars are built of steel and run hourly in each direction, being about 99 per cent, on time. An "express service at freight rates" is maintained, giving this town two complete daily deliveries.

Liberty is truly a good place in which to live. It is very attractive because of its natural beauty. She has much of the inspiring charm of mountains without their great height and inconvenience, and all the liveliness of the prairie without the monotony. Her lawns are covered with stately trees, the homes of songsters which fill the air with music. Her beautiful homes express the wealth and comfort of her people and the glad hand of welcome extended to visitors is an expression of her Southern hospitality for which she has long been famous. Her churches are active and progressive. Added to her natural beauty, and the charm of her homes and churches, the schools are her greatest asset. The presence of William Jewell College enables the boys, at least, to get the training from the primary grades to a college degree and there is hope that a like provision will soon be made for the girls. The public and high schools are teaching not only the "Three R's" as in the olden days, but are teaching the boys and girls to use the five senses and the ten fingers in the kitchen and in the carpenter shop, and in music and art, and nature, and science.

Liberty is nearer in actual minutes of travel to the business section of Kansas City than many residence sections of the city itself. She thus enjoys the advantages of the good things of the city without being compelled to endure the bad. Space will not permit mention of the many achievements of the Liberty Community Club which has been active in bringing about the paving of her streets, the establishing of an adequate water and light system, building of a hotel, entertaining of visitors, and finally helping materially in bringing about Clay County's greatest achievement, the voting of one and one-fourth million dollars to build two hundred miles of paved roads connecting Liberty with every hamlet and village in the county. This club is open to all who are for the up-building of the community because they believe that the man who lives five miles from the public square and is engaged in the production of something to feed and clothe the people is just as much a part of Liberty as is the man who lives only five blocks.

Clay County| AHGP Missouri

Source: History of Clay County, Missouri, by W. H. Woodson, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, 1920.