The early 1900s were good, productive years for Daviess County, MO, and the area. There were about three times as many people living in the county (compared to 2016 when this article was written and posted online) and the railroads shipped people and products through every small town.
Here are some other facts about Daviess County, taken from the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Inspection from the year 1900 (Volume 23 page 183):
Daviess County, MO, in 1900
- Present population 21,325
- Surplus Products Shipped in 1900
- Cattle, head 9,920
- Hogs, head 42,826
- Horses and mules, head 1,660
- Sheep, head 4,810
- Rye, bushels 1,322
- Hay, pounds, 1,108,000
- Flour, pounds 147,291
- Ship stuff, pounds 23,020 (either a low-grade wheat flour with high bran content or wheat offals used as a stock feed)
- Timothy seed, pounds 2,640 (a grass seed used mainly for hay, but also for pasture and silage)
- Millet seed, pounds 98,315
- Apples, barrels 490
- Hardwood lumber, feet 81,000
- Walnut logs, feet 99,000
- Fence and mine posts 1,050
- Cordwood, cords 168
- Cooperage, cars 7 (a cooper’s work or products; a cooper is one that makes or repairs wooden casks or tubs)
- Stone, cars 2
- Junk, cars 7
- Poultry, dressed, pounds 213,188
- Poultry, live, pounds 735,550
- Eggs, dozen 922,430
- Butter, pounds 241,125
- Cheese, pounds 1,965
- Peaches and plums, baskets 5
- Fresh fruit, pounds 4,380
- Dried fruit, pounds 1,305
- Dressed meat, pounds 4,790
- Game, pounds, 4,095
- Fish, pounds 859
- Furs, pounds 1,703
- Feathers, pounds 2,637
- Hides and pelts, pounds 48,115
- Lard, pounds 660
- Tallow, pounds 6,655
- Cider, gallons 100
- Vinegar, gallons 110
- Molasses, gallons 167
- Vegetables, pounds 2,500
- Canned goods, pounds 280
- Tobacco, pounds 765
- Wool, pounds 30,236
- Nuts, pounds 3,940
- Broomcorn, pounds 20,000
Wynne and Landes: farm scenes circa 1913 in the Jameson community area (courtesy Imo Brown)
Location and Resources: In northwestern part of State, about 50 miles northeast of St. Joseph. Its railroads are the Wabash, Q., O. & K.C., and the C., R. I & P. About 10 percent of the area is in timber, the chief varieties being oak, elm, hickory and walnut. The county contains limestone, sandstone and brick clay.
Manufactures: Flouring mills are operated at Gallatin, Jameson, Jamesport and Lock Springs; one each of lime, brick and cigar factories at Gallatin; combination saw mill, handle and cooperage works at Magill; cigar factory at Jamesport and cheese factories at Altamont and Winston.
New Enterprises Desired: Jamesport will offer substantial encouragement to a first-class flouring mill. Creameries and canning factories could be sustained at several points in the county.
Average Wages Paid: Carpenters, $2 per day; plasterers, $2.25 per day; painters, $1.75 per day; brick and stone masons, $2.50 per day; blacksmiths, $2 per day; printers, $1.25 per day; farm hands, $16 per month; household help, $2 per week.
Population of Incorporated Towns:
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- Altamont 288
- Bancroft 50
- Coffeeburg 390
- Gallatin 1,780
- Jackson 172
- Jameson 335
- Jamesport 728
- Lock Spring 246
- Pattonsburg 1,065
- Winston 457
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