Exeter

Exeter 1900s

The town of Exeter, located four and a half miles west of Cassville and nine miles from Panacea Springs (Mineral Springs) dates back to October 1880. It is the highest point in the county being 1,572 feet above sea level. The Exeter Republican newspaper was established by J.L. Zook. In 1882 the Republican was moved to Mineral Springs, then, later to Cassville. The plat of the town of Exeter was recorded in October 1880. Incorporation proceedings were approved February 7, 1881. The Exeter Village had been chartered in 1880 with hopes of becoming the county seat of Barry County. Because Exeter was on the main line of the Frisco Railroad it would have been a good location for the county seat. However, when the hotly debated issue came before the voters on November 7, 1906, Exeter lost her bid to become Barry County's seat of government. Hundreds of tourists rode the train to Exeter on their way to Mineral Springs. They completed their journey by stagecoach furnished from Exeter. The Cassville and Exeter railroad was built between Exeter and Cassville and dedicated on July 4, 1896. Laying of the rail began June 11,1896 at Exeter and were laid into Cassville on June 20, 1896. The 4.8 mile railroad connected Cassville, a town without a railroad, to the Frisco line at Exeter.

Exeter Flouring Mill

From Goodspeed's 1888 History of Barry County
Exeter, four and a half miles west of Cassville, and nine miles from Panacea Springs, dates back to October, 1880; is the highest point in the four counties, being 1,572 feet above sea level. Among the first public buildings erected was the Union Church, which furnished a place of worship to the Baptists as well as to Southern and Northern Methodists. The Exeter Republican was soon established by J. L. Zook; then the public school building. The Village of 1880-81 was made up as follows: C. W. Chamberlain, McClure & Good and Smith & Lee, general stores; J. T. Horner & Co. and Foster Brothers, druggists; Gregory Brothers, commission house; G. W. Isbell, clothing and music; J. M. Nance, grocer and restaurateur; W. W. Munday, furniture and lumber; J. P. Dawson, tinsmith; J. A. Bare and J. C. Pearce, blacksmiths; S. Smith, lumber yard; Preston, Gibson & Coo's ' sawmill; Talbert & Co. and Wooten & Co., hardware; Stubblefield's hotel; E. E. Brown's restaurant; W. A. Bashe, railroad, telegraph and express agent; Livingstone & Pearce, carpenters; J. T. Horner, physician; J. M. Stubblefield, justice; Revs. J. P. Dawson, Baptist; Huff, Southern Methodist, and J. C. Pearce, Northern Methodist, preachers; J. L. Pearce, constable and M. C. Messer, postmaster.
The village was incorporated February 7, 1881, and the following named trustees appointed: James Stubblefield, W. A. Bascher, James M. Nance, Miles T. Abernathy and J.L. Lee. The location is on the northwest corner of the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 27, Township 23, Range 28. The plat was made on the southeast quarter of Section 27 and northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 34, and southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 26, in Township 23, Range 28, for George A. Purdy, and acknowledged by him September 29, 1880. Gregory's addition to Exeter was platted by George Parrish, and the plat acknowledged by Green B. Gregory, July 19, 1881. Gregory's second addition to the town of Exeter was acknowledged Oct. 21, 1883. The plat of the town of Exeter was recorded in October, 1880. The object of the establishment was to secure the county seat. Palace Hotel, Exeter was begun by the Scotch Company, in 1882, and J . M. Bayless of Cassville, purchased the unfinished building, which was afterward completed. Mrs. Ludwig conducted a hotel here until November, 1885, when M. S. Inmon purchased the house and has since conducted it as a hotel. Societies - Exeter Lodge A.F.&A.M. No. 514, was chartered October 12, 1882, with following members: John F. Webb, H. F. Goode, James M. Stubblefield, P. A. Boucher, George C. Abbott, J. L. Lee, W. S. Herrell, S. G. McCracken, Stephen Felker, I. N. Stubblefield, W. F. Yager, Joseph Rogers, W. Boucher, W. O. Evans, Thomas B. McCary, W. Y. Weatherly, G. B. Gregory and others. The Past Masters are H. F. Goode, 1882-83; John Webb, 1884; M. T. Abernathy, 1885; J. M. Stubblefield, 1886; B.F. McCary, 1887; G. C. Abbott, 1887-88, and M. C. Lucky, Acting Master. Secretaries are named as follows: W. A. Boucher, B. F. McCary, M. C. Lucky, 1886-87; John Webb, 1888. The lodge numbers thirty members. I.O.O.F. Lodge No. 443, Exeter, was chartered May 22, 1884, with the following named members: M. L. Abernathy, J . C. McBride, Robert Cowan, R. S. Champ and W. A. Bash. The Past Grands are W. A. Bash, 1884; M. G. Lucky and J. P. Briscoe, 1885; J. C. McBride and C. C. Mitchell, 1886; G. C. Abbott and J. N. Barr, 1887, and R. C. Kemper, the present Noble Grand. The Secretaries of the lodge were: J. M. Barr, W. R. Kingsberry, Dr. J. J. Overton, W. A. Bash, and M. C. Lucky, present Secretary. There are thirty-three members in the lodge, owning the building in which Thomas Kersey & Bros. store was in 1887-88.

Exeter Academy 1885

Memories of Exeter by Ollie A. Thorsell
My earliest memories of Exeter are about 1916. We had moved to our farm on Washburn Road south of Exeter from a homestead in McDonald County, and Exeter was the only town I knew. I thought it smelled so city-like because the merchants used coal stoves and the train made lots of noise and puffed out coal smoke. We brought our produce to sell to A. D. Taylor Produce which was chickens, eggs and cream. The cream was tested for butterfat in a fascinating machine and the customer was paid accordingly. Mr. Charles Ellston had a general store where we bought our shoes for the winter, and in the spring we bought black patent leather Mari Jane slippers. They had a strap that fastened around the ankle, and a ribbon bow on the toe which soon lost off. But they lasted all summer for Sunday. We went barefoot at home. Mr. Ellston had a great way with children. Always, when we bought shoes, he would give us each a striped sack with candy. When Papa went to town alone, he would bring back a striped sack full of striped sticks. Peppermint was red striped and lemon was yellow striped. Once in a while he would take one of us to town with him on the wagon. As we bounced along home on the spring seat we would be eating a dime's worth of cheese and crackers. It was a marvelous treat! Mr. Pilant had the drugstore. I was always awed but fascinated by him because I heard that he could take off warts. I was really convinced when Veri Stubblefield showed me his perfectly clean hands with his warts all gone. There was another store I always visited on my rare trips to town. That was Kersey Brothers General Store. They had a machine you could put a penny in and chewing gum would come out. If you were lucky, you got several sticks, but I never was lucky. Then there was the depot. There were benches for people to sit on while they waited for the train. And spittoons! I didn't like them because people using them missed more often than they hit. Town was a marvelous place. And I looked forward to the day when I would complete the country school and attend the high school. Then I could go to town every day.

Exeter Depot 1942

Exeter from Early Barry County

Exeter, first incorporated Feb. 7, 1881. Exeter flourished for several years and is rich in county history, but unfortunately most of the early history is buried in the deep past. The first hotel, the Palace was owned by Mr. Bayless, and today hotels are, too, buried in the past. Population in 1959 was 500 and it is a fourth class city. Exeter experienced a destructive fire, the exact date, not available, at a loss of between $100,000 and $200.000. Proof that Exeter is still on the map is shown by highways and Farm to Market roads, threading their way through the town in all directions, leading to nearby apple orchards, grape vineyards, strawberry fields and general farming fields.

Bank of Exeter 1986