Washburn

Washburn Postcard

The town of Washburn was originally called Keetsville after J.T. Keets. When the Butterfield Overland Mail passed through Keetsville following the Old Wire Road in 1858 the town was composed of about 12 houses. Later the town name was changed to Washburn. The Frisco tracks were laid west of Washburn to a new town called O'Day, which was built near the tracks. A school and post office were erected halfway between the two towns. Eventually the two towns merged into one. Today, 1988, Washburn has a fine consolidated school. From Back to Barry

Washburn from Early Barry County

Washburn is one of the oldest towns in the county. We tum the yellow pages of time back to 1840, when Judge Cureson moved to Washburn, land where the town now stands. Later J. T. Keets became owner and laid off the town ca!1ed Keetsville. The town lay on what is now Highway 37, east side. It was and still is in town lots from the B. F. Wines' home to the Oswald home, including both places. The town square of Keetsville was located on Highway 37 and is still an open square. At that time the road through Keetsville was known as the Old Wire Road. The town square was given to Keetsville by Mr. Keets for a public square as long as it was used for that purpose and when not to be reverted back to Tom Keets.
Later the town's name was changed to Washburn. When the Frisco tracks were built a short distance west of old Washburn, a new town was built near the tracks called O'Day. First dwelling houses erected on the site of O'Day were those of John A. Ellis and Lewis Pratt; the first business house erected by Felker and Johnson. A schoolhouse was erected about half way between the towns, also a post office. J. B. Hurst was appointed postmaster. The first ticket agent at Washburn was J. A. Pegley. No date was found when the two towns became one. At this time, well versed county historians tell us at one time there were only two towns, Keetsville and McDonald (McDowell) in all Barry County. Keetsville was destroyed by fire between 1860 and 1865 and rebuilt in 1868.

Walter Jones Canning near Washburn

Washburn Prairie Settlement

Samuel Washburn was the first settler on Washburn Prairie. In 1828 he settled on what is now the Sol Sparkman’s children's farms, near the Sparkman Spring. Mrs. Alene Sparkman-Parks lives in a house built on the old Washburn house site. Bryant Sparkman lives in hollering distance of Alene to the east and Mat about the same distance to the west. And, based on legendary history, by 1840 scattering houses dotted the prairie over the entire area. Among the earliest settlers were the Lecompts, Aults, Fosters, Adcocks, Durhams, Wines, Waldens, McClures, Frosts, Sparkmans, Weathers, and others. Traveling in wagon trains others came to the Prairie, seeking new homes in a new country, leaving their homes in Tennessee, Kentucky and other older states, and by 1857 such family names as Varner, Hopkins, Fulton, Longley, Rains, Hood, Lockwood, Parks, Montgomery, Herron, Cowherd, Martin, Lane, Lough were mentioned as new settlers on the Prairie. In early days of the settlement a Baptist Church was built near the site of the first dwelling house, a cemetery was platted just south of the church house. A stroll through this cemetery accompanied by tombstones so weathered, names cannot be read; tombstones with dates reaching back, far hack into the eighties. The first schoolhouse stood near where Alene Sparkman-Parks' home is now, (1960). Time leaves its mark, true of this settlement, though through the years the Prairie has weathered droughts, storms, panics and depressions it still remains a progressive farming and stock raising section of Barry County.

Washburn Strawberry Growers' Association

Washburn School January 30th 1906

Washburn in Goodspeed's 1888 History of Barry County
Washburn, or Keetsville, at an altitude of 1,560 feet, is eight miles southwest of Cassville, and 307 miles from St. Louis, on the St. Louis & Texas Railroad. The prairie of the same name stretches out before this hamlet, while all around one of the finest agricultural regions in all the Southwest is to be seen. Samuel Washburn settled one and one-half miles east of the village, where M. B. Sparkman now resides. John Durham settled one and one-half miles north, where Widow Montgomery now resides. In 1876 the pioneer's old home was occupied by Mrs. Lecompte, the original owner having moved to Texas years before, where he was killed by Indians.
In the year 1840 Judge Cureton moved to Washburn Prairie and bought the location where the town of Washburn now stands, after which J. T. Keet became the owner, and Keet laid off the town called Keetsville. The town was destroyed between 1860-65, and in the years 1867-68-69 it was rebuilt. A petition from the people of Keetsville was presented to the court in April, 1868, by A. J. Stewart, asking that the old name of this town be changed to Washburn. The petition was granted. Reuben Bierley's addition to Washburn was surveyed by E. C. Frost, March 25, 1881, and acknowledged April 21, that year. Bierley's addition to Washburn, on Section 25, was acknowledged March 29, 1881. Smith's addition to Washburn was acknowledged by C. A. Smith and M. G. Smith, October 7, 1887.
When W. B. Adcock arrived in 1856 J. T. and James Keet's dwellings and their small store building stood about 300 feet north of the present hall building, near Dr. Sparkman's present residence. Samuel and Abe. Oakley's blacksmith shop occupied the place where T. P. Mooney's store stood, prior to its removal to O'Day in the fall of 1887; Dr. Clemens and the Wither's black- smith shop were also here, and W. L. and Robert Sims kept the hotel; Dr. Strong's cottage and a few other buildings. Prior to 1856 John O. Burton and John Cureton were in business here. Garrett Moore and son established business here before the war, and Keet was postmaster. After the war J. R. Smith and Squire A. H. Cave were postmasters. They were succeeded by A. J. Stewart. In 1870 W. B. Adcock was appointed, but he was succeeded in August by D. A. Mills; J. S. Hale succeeded. In 1872 H. K. Legg had charge until R. T. Booth was appointed. W. R. Felker, now of Rodgers, was the next postmaster. Robert R. Moffatt succeeded Mr. Felker in 1881, and served until succeeded by W. B. Adcock in 1882. In 1885 W. K. Bayless was appointed, vice Adcock, resigned, and on the removal of Bayless to Cassville, M. B. Durham was appointed January 1, 1887.
The town of Washburn was incorporated August 4, 1880, on petition of J. M. McClure and others. A. J. Stewart, J. N. Brooks and J. M. Moore were named as trustees. Elijah Moore was a general merchant here years ago, continuing in business until the beginning of the war. In 1869 or 1870 he resumed trade. Washburn business in January, 1871, was represented by T. P. Mooney and B. F. Windes, hotel proprietors; T. P. Mooney, M. S. Inman, B. F. Windes, E. M. Moore's Brother and Legg & King, general merchants; Bragg Adcock, druggist; William F. Town- send and D. A. Mills, grocers; J. W. Elliott, silversmith; Blennerhassett & Co., hardware men; H. K. Legg, J. H. McDonald, J. Plummer and J. W. Eggleston, physicians. Washburn in 1872 is said to have contained between 200 and 300 inhabitants, six general stores, three drug stores, a stove and tin store, three hotels, a boot shop, a jewelry store, and a school with Mr. Geyer, principal. In 1880, when the population was 575, the business and other interests were as follows: Berryhill & Dunham, J. Devereaux, Felker & Bayless, Inmon & Legg, J. T. Johnson & Co., McClure & Good, general stores; W. B. Adcock, Jesse King, R. A. Houston and M. H. Jeffries, druggists; Mrs. A. Foster and T. P. Mooney, hotels; Daniel Ash and D. B. Bradley, millers; Inmon & Reece's flouring-mill; Moore & Salmon's saw-mill; W. B. Adcock and W. S. Hurst & Co., saloons; R. A. Houston and Pocock & Frost, grocers; Miss Evans, milliner; J. C. Thomas, constable; W. K. Bayless, justice; W. R. Felker, real estate agent; J. W. Eggleston, J. H. McDonald and T. J. Means, physicians, and S. M. Cozard, attorney.
In February, 1860, Joseph G. Peevey was licensed to keep a dram shop at Keetsville. In February, 1873, the dram shop petition of V. M. Lassiter, of Washburn, was met by the remonstrance of W. F. Windes, A. J. Johnson, A. J. Stewart, W. E. Frost and others. A. A. Johnson & Co. and A. D. Atchison, general merchants; Bigelow & Hale, blacksmiths; Dr. M. B. Sparkman and Dr. S. W. Chandler; Rev. J. N. Brooks, of the Missionary Baptists, may be said to make up the business and professional circle of Washburn in 1888. In 1859 a small newspaper was issued there by one Winger, and it is remembered only as Winger's Journal. In later years, Prof. White's Gazette had a short term of life in the prairie village.

Old Washburn School in 1919

Washburn Progressive Club Organized 1913

Societies in Goodspeed's 1888 History of Barry County

Washburn Lodge 200, A. F. & A. M., was chartered in May, 1860, but the charter was destroyed in 1861. Barry Lodge No. 367 was chartered June 20, 1870, with the following named members: William M. Pardue, A. R. Roller, James Holt, Charles Sparkman, Winter Frost, William Warner, Sevier Frost, Josiah Dougherty, J. M. Durham, Stephen Felker, H. K. Legg, J. H. McDonald, C. F. Copage, M. Hamilton, William M. McClure, Richard Merry, James M. Goff, James Lillard. The names of Masters are William M. Pardue, 1870-71-72-74; A. R. Roller, 1873; J. N. Brooks, 1875-84; A. F. Ault, 1876-77-78-80-82; W. K. Bayless, 1879-83-85; H. K. Legg,1881; F. N. Reese, 1886-87; J. T. Brooks, 1888. The names of Secretaries are Winter Frost, 1870-71; J. W. Elliott, 1872; W. R. Mitchell, 1873; B. F. Windes, 1874-75; H. K. Legg, 1876-77-78; A. F. Ault, 1879; W. K. Bayless, 1880-81-82; John M. Wasson, 1883; Winter Frost, 1884-85-86-87; A. D. Atchison, 1888. Present number of members is forty-eight.
The cornerstone of the Masonic lodge at Washburn was placed in July, 1876. J. J. Park was marshal and C. S. Bryan and W. M. Pardue, orators, and B. F. Windes, Judge Holt, Francis Ault and James M. King, a committee of reception. In this hall the lodge has a $500 interest.
The Odd Fellows lodge was organized February 16, 1871, with the following members: W. O. Evans, J. B. Houston, J. W. Elliott, George Hubbert, A. R. Roller, E. M. Moore, W. R. Mitchell, M. S. Inmon, J. M. Hale and E. M. Frost. The Past Grands are T. N. Reese, D. G. Reese, J. M. Johnson, J. T. Brooks, J. N. Brooks, James Holt, S. W. Chandler, J. W. Elliott, J. M. Hale, W. B. Adcock, J. B. Huston, J. M. King, W. R. Felker, John M. Wasson, T. S. Frost. The Secretaries were J. T. Brooks, M. B. Durham, D. G. Reese and Winter Frost. The interest of the society in the Masonic building may be placed at $500.