Efforts to catalog residences throughout Daviess County have been sporadic over the years. One grouping of eight Gallatin residences was published in the Daviess County Centennial Edition (September, 1937).
Many historical photographs were produced by the Shultz Studio in Gallatin.
Shultz Studio was prominent in recording Daviess County people and places for many decades. This photo was published in the Oct. 24, 1907, newspaper announcing the opening of the studio at the W.F. Shultz residence located at the corner of Jackson and Daviess Streets in Gallatin, MO (one block west of the square).
The following examples are photographs of farm homes and town residences archived by the Daviess County Historical Society:
This photo, taken about 1880, shows Mary Elizabeth McNeel Hill and Anna E. Hill Eads.The Hugh Tarwater residence in Gallatin, MO. Schultz Studio, date unknown.
Eads Family Gathering (unknown)Attorney Henry Clay McDougal’s residence while in Gallatin, MO, was located at Berry & Maple Streets. It was a 2-story brick home over a raised basement, which made the main entrance facing Maple Street elevated. This woodcut image was made by Martha P. Sellers.
During the late 1970s, an extensive study of communities throughout the region was done by Tom Carneal, longtime chairman of the History Department at Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville. His catalogs of residences and historical locations includes the following:
The Bob Barlow residence at 412 West South Street, Gallatin, on July 15, 1978.William Coen Residence, 401 West South Street, Gallatin, on Nov. 27, 1978.The Eddie Elbert residence at 201 East Grand Street, Gallatin. Photo taken Nov. 27, 1978.In 1978 the A.T. Ray Home was owned by Stewart Marolf who operated Thompson Implement (John Deere) in Gallatin. This was prior to the house being named to the National Register of Historic Places under the original homeowner’s name, A.T. Ray.
June, 2017 — Judy Elbert will be selling between 75 and 100 pairs of roller skates from the Elbert’s Skating Rink. The collection includes white high-top ladies’ skates and black three-quarter-top men’s skates and children’s skates.
After years of unuse, the Gallatin Skate Center is getting cleaned up to house a flea market. Approximately 75 to 100 pairs of leather roller skates are being offered for sale by property owner Judy Elbert. Although in storage for 25-30 years, these skates can be easily reconditioned for use.
The skates will bring back lots of memories for those who can recall gliding along the wooden floor in an endless circle and leaning into corners while going perilously fast. Others will remember the bumps and bruises from spins and flips and zigzags gone wrong, and may still have the scars to prove it.
The roller rink, located on the south edge of Gallatin, was once a popular activity for children, teenagers, and adults.
The skating rink has not been in business for many years and Judy said she has only sold a few skates in the past.
“People who used to skate at the roller rink would ask to buy a pair just for the childhood nostalgia,” she said.
Recently, when James Hawks asked to rent the lot bordering the rink for a flea market, he suggested that Judy put the rental skates up for sale.
“They’re still usable; they have good wheels; they’re all in pretty good shape,” Judy said. “They’ve been sitting for 25-30 years so they’re a little dusty. But they’re made of good leather and can easily be cleaned and reconditioned and put back into use.”
Edward Elbert (Judy’s father-in-law) and N.C. Bennett were partners in the building of the roller rink. N.C. was the contractor, and it was built it in 1964. Mr. Elbert and Mr. Bennett ran it together for five years. Mr. Bennett eventually lost interest, so Mr. Elbert bought his share. Mr. Elbert ran the roller rink until he passed away in 1975. After that, his wife Margaret Pauline ran it for the next two years.
Carl and LaJoy Abbs leased and renovated the skating rink in 1977. After that, Bonnie Lowe had a video business in the building for a number of years. That was the last time the building was rented out.
This photo, dated June 22, 1977, accompanied the newspaper article announcing the re-opening of the Gallatin Skate Center. Shown, from left, are youngsters Roger Woody, Teresa Frost, Kim Abbs, Kelly Elbert, Beth Schweizer and Slade Elbert with adults Carl and LaJoy Abbs who leased the rink. These young people — plus Jim Elliott, Mark Abbs and Chris Elbert who were not present for the picture — cleaned 787 ceiling tiles, and rebuilt 192 pairs of skates, including 1,536 wheels and 23,296 ball bearings, for the center’s re-opening.Carl Abbs offers a steady hand to Denise Focht. Carl and his wife, LaJoy, reopened the center to the delight of many throughout the Gallatin community.
By far, the Elbert’s Skating Rink heyday was in the mid to late 60s.
“During those years, it was quite popular with the young people around here; there was skating every night,” said Judy. “On Friday and Saturday, there was an early night and then a late night session. Whole church congregations and other organizations would rent the building for skate parties on Sunday.”
Eddie Elbert was still running the rink during the heyday. “He loved skating, even when he was in his seventies,” Judy said. “He’d skate with the kids and have a wonderful time.”
Judy’s late husband Spence was also involved with the skating rink and would go down every night after working at the department store and stay until the rink closed.
Part of the fun at roller skating rinks involved contests testing skater prowess, as demonstrated here by Todd Evans in 1977.
Speed skating around Stacy Kirkendoll is Jerry Barlow in this photo snapped during the re-opening of Gallatin Skate Center in 1977.Jessica Eskridge, left, was all smiles rolling onto the skating rink.The skating rink was a favorite place for area youth to meet and make memories to last a lifetime. Shown are childhood buddies Denise Focht, Stacy Kirkendoll, Shelly Williamson and Candi Love. By 1980, Gallatin Skate Center housed a video business and skating rolled into nostalgia.Youngsters enjoying their roller skating are Jason Love, Loren Adkins, and Alan Wood (1977).Friendships strengthen as youngsters depend on each other to learn how to skate. Shown here is Jenny (?0, Stephanie Bradley and Amber Burns in 1977.Debbie Pittzenbarger and Shelley Fales demonstrate “skating low,” a skill necessary to compete in The Limbo contests.Roller skating served up plenty of humiliating moments… but all in fun. Here Alan Wood weathers a spill yet still laughs at himself in such a splitting predictament.Candi Love demonstrates how the athletic agility of girls can rival that of the boys in roller skating. (1977)
In 1917, Harry Hope and wife Lenna moved to Gallatin and acquired an interest in the L.T. Killam & Co. Undertaking business and changed the name to the Gallatin Undertaking Company (G.U.C.). The Hope Funeral Home was born.
In 1917, Harry Hope and wife Lenna moved to Gallatin and acquired an interest in the L.T. Killam & Co. Undertaking business and changed the name to the Gallatin Undertaking Company (G.U.C.). The Hope Funeral Home was born.
Harry Hope
At first it was a two-fold business with half being a furniture store and the other half being an undertaking business.
In 1918, the business announced they would liquidate their furniture business and devote their time to the undertaking business. At this time, they were still advertising broadcloth, best grade steel caskets, steel vaults, marble tombs, and high-grade burial garments.
The announcement also stated that there wouldn’t be any charge for embalming or for any kind of hearse — motor vehicle or horse drawn — or car for the family.
Lenna Hope, also an undertaker, became the first lady embalmer in Daviess County and one of the few in Northwest Missouri. Mrs. Hope devoted most of her work to taking care of the women and the children while Harry would cater more to the men. In one of their sale promotions they advertised five points:
1. Service
2. Low prices on the best funeral supplies
3. The best equipment money could buy
4. Arrangements taken care of
5. Years of experience in the undertaking business.
In 1925, the furniture store was no small business and advertised everything from large pieces of furniture to baby buggies.
Hope Funeral Home was located south of the Gallatin United Methodist Church, facing north on Van Buren Street. Harry Hope purchased the inventory of the Gallatin Undertaking Company in 1917 and then operated one of the oldest funeral homes in Northwest Missouri. L.O. “Stub” Richesson married into the family, operated a furniture business and acquired half interest in the funeral home upon Harry’s death in 1941. In 1969 the third generation of Hope’s starting serving Daviess Countians when Jan and her husband, Steve Helton, returned to Gallatin and purchased the funeral home in 1982.
Stub Richesson joined the firm. At first his duties were mainly in the furniture store, but he soon graduated to the funeral business.
The furniture store had a seven day sale and all merchandise was sold below cost as they didn’t want to move it or store it. They gave people a chance to move it for themselves and at a large savings. Two advertised items were $350 Baldwin piano for $200 and a $550 Baldwin player piano for $350.
The Hopes always tried to stick to their motto “A square deal for everyone is the basis of everything we make.” They moved to a new location on the south side of the square, truly making it “a square deal.”
Harry Hope died in 1941, and Stub acquired one-half interest in the funeral home. Mrs. Hope received her 50-year pin from the Missouri Funeral directors Association in 1967. In 1969, Steve and Jan Helton returned to Gallatin after Steve completed his mortuary science education and got his embalmers license. Steve and Jan purchased the funeral home in 1982, making it the third generation of Hope’s services.
In 1914, in a tribute to Tom Yates, Gov. A.M. Dockery told how Yates brought him to Galatin in 1874. In that tribute, Dockery wrote the following record of how they got together to start the Farmers Exchange Bank in Gallatin:
In 1914, in a tribute to Tom Yates, Gov. A.M. Dockery told how Yates brought him to Gallatin in 1874. In that tribute, Dockery wrote the following record of how they got together to start the Farmers Exchange Bank in Gallatin:
“I first made his (Mr. Yates) acquaintance as a senior member of the drug frim of Yates & Dillon in Chillicothe and as a director of the Chillicothe Savings Association… our relations during the six years of our residence and association at Chillicothe were as they have always been (during the past 46 years) — very close along business, social and fraternal and other lines of activity.
“In January, 1874, I had practically completed arrangements to remove to Milan and engage in the banking business at that place… Hearing of this contemplated removal, Mr. Yates induced me to abandon it and aid him in the organization of a bank at Gallatin.
“As a result of this understanding, on March 4, 1874, we bought the banking business of (Mr. G.) Armstrong and (Mr.) Thompson and on the 20th of that same month organized the Farmers Exchange Bank with Mr. Yates as president and myself as cashier.”
The Farmers Exchange Bank was opened for business on March 20, 1874, with subscribed stock of $50,000. Thomas Booten Yates was elected president, Gabriel Feurt, Judge of the county court, was vice president; and Dr. Dockery was cashier and secretary. Others on the first board of directors were Capt. John Ballinger (postmaster), B.F. Dillin, Moses Brown, B.G. Kimball, Capt. N.B. Brown, A.L. Buzzard, J.P. Drummond, A.W. Gay, W.M. Brostaph (druggist), and D.H. Davis (druggist).
In 1881, this bank was the only bank in Gallatin and had paid in capital and retained profits of $14,000. Deposits increased from under $40,000 to nearly $200,000 (roughly $5 million in today’s economy). New directors included Hadley Brown, Jacob Poage, William Ray, R.M. Barnett, R. Downing and the governor’s grandfather, Alexander Dockery Sr.
In about 1888 the bank moved into a new building that it rented across Jackson Street to the south. The old office became the Stephens Farm Loan Company, with Tom Yates as president.
In 1892 Yates moved to organize the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Jamesport (later known as the Commercial Bank). He operated it for about 10 years. Yates continued to run the Stephens Company and kept his residence in Gallatin. Milton Ewing and John Meade took over the Farmers Exchange Bank that year. The original subscribed stock was not reported as all paid in until 1899 when John Meade became president.
In 1910 the Exchange Bank’s deposits were down to $134,000. A new building was constructed across the intersection northwest and was home to the bank in 1913. The bank owned its first home. This building became the Bank of Gallatin in 1927 and the post office was also resident there from about 1918 to 1942.
When the Farmers Exchange Bank closed in March, 1926, it had $540,000 in deposits, capital and surplus of $110,000 and $800,000 in loans outstanding. The Jameson banks closed the next week with deposits of $120,000. The Bank of Jameson was largely owned by stockholders of the Farmers Exchange Bank of Gallatin, which lasted 52 years.
During the 1970s Dixie Murray Chapman bought a desk at an auction and found a number of documents in the desk drawers, mostly checks signed by Daviess County Treasurer Lee R. Pierce.The original advertisement measure 5-3/4″ x 7-3/4″ and printed on both sides. The Farmers Exchange Bank building in this woodcut stood at the corner of North Main and Jackson Streets, at the northeast corner of the Gallatin business square. Little is known about advertisers E.C. Weston or James A. Mayers. [Johnnie Black Collection]
