Welcome to the website for the Randolph County Historical Society. Feel free to search our site for information pertaining to Randolph County's rich history. We do our best to provide resources for you to search family history, cemeteries, records, and other interesting facts. Your feedback is welcome. We hope you enjoy our site.
The Randolph County Historical Society joins many groups and organizations in the area in a salute to our military veterans in November with special displays in the museum at 223 N. Clark Street. This special month-long display highlights uniforms, caps, pictures and interpretation of events surrounding WW II.
A permanent display of items related to the military and favorite son, Five Star General, Omar Bradley has also been "dusted and straightened" for this special occasion. Both displays may be seen on regular opening days of the museum: Saturday, 9-Noon, Monday, 10-Noon and Thursday 1-3 p.m. The exhibit opens on Monday, November 2. Group visits to the museum on those days are invited with additional viewing opportunities by groups available by appointment.
The Randolph County Historical Society joins many groups and organizations in the area in a salute to our military
Other displays include railroad and railroad models, music and musicians of the area, businesses and industries, Lincoln School, classic clothing and of course lots of research materials for genealogy. Volunteers are available to assist with tours, or, self-guided browsing is encouraged. Contact the volunteers at the Society by calling 263-9396.
Contact for additional information: 660-263-9396
Or for an interview: 660-263-9396
They’re starting to bring in their used Christmas decorations for the Annual Used Christmas Decoration Sale at the History Center .
Do you have some that has just been lying around waiting to get pitched? You can bring it to good use by bringing it by and letting us
sell it in our sale. The sale is one of the three fund-raisers that the Historical Society has each year. The Decoration Sale, the White
Elephant Sale, and the Ice Cream Social help pay our largest expenses at the Center - gas and electricity. Anyway, the sale will be Saturday
morning, November 7 and it will continue for a couple of weeks during our normal operating hours. Come on by.
We have been helping Mary Bentz, of Bethesda, by doing research on the family of Glenn Hellensmith. Glenn graduated from Huntsville High School and then enlisted in the Navy in 1942. He was assigned to submarine duty on the U.S.S. Grunion. The Grunion sunk that same year, but no one knew where until 2008, when the three sons of the commander decided to find where their father died. The ship was found and all of kin of the crew were contacted. Mary Bentz, a niece of one of the men is writing a book with information about each of the men that went down with the sub. We’ll have some copies for sale when it comes out.
Dr. Bob Burton from Independence was here for the day a week ago do historical research on his ancestors. He is from the Burton Drug Store Burton’s. The Stinnett’s - Chuck and Carole Anne from California and Nancy Kempner from Omaha were here for a visit and renewed their memberships. Jennie Lou O’Connor Magan was by to confirm some of her family history. Maryland Clark from Orlando, FL came by while she was here for her 1951 class reunion. Maryland has contributed a lot of information to the family history section.
The Railroad Corner at the museum has been totally redone by J.W. and Linda Ballinger and Ingrid Jones. The diorama depicting the Confederate train robbery in Old Allen built by Neal Block, the Norfolk Southern model railroad, and items recently donated by Mrs. Mike Magown are displayed in an old glassed-in office bookcase that we have had for years. Mike was a Wabash Railroad engineer for many years. Come by for a look.
The baseball playoffs reminded me of a fellow from Randolph County that played one year in 1923 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Josie Klugman, b. 26 March 1895 in St. Louis, MO. The Dodgers were what is now known as the Los Angeles Dodgers. He started his career in 1921 and played two years for the Chicago Cubs before being traded to the Dodgers. The Dodgers traded him to the Cleveland Indians and he played there for a year and that was the final year of his playing career. He then became a minor league manager for the Indians for several years before coming home to Moberly.
Joe came to Moberly to work as a machinist in the Wabash Railroad Shops in 1919 where he worked until being signed by the Cubs. After coming back to Moberly he worked at the Signal Billiard Parlor for awhile before becoming a policeman and the Assistant Chief of Police. He was soon promoted to Chief and in 1940 he became Randolph County Sheriff. His wife Pauline worked at Patterson’s Department Store. We have found them living in at least three locations: 731 S Clark, 800 S Williams and 320 S. 6th Street.
It has been so long since I wrote my last column I had trouble getting started with this one. Many people have asked why I stopped writing and I don't have an answer. They say they enjoyed and missed reading the column. Charles Carter said he has been losing sleep since I stopped. He has never been able to finish reading the entire column without dozing off. Hmm. When I hear these comments, I always say to myself that I will start writing next week, but that has been going on now for about three or four years.
Getting older has nothing to do with it. In fact, one of my inspirations is reading every week a new segment of a book being written by my Aunt Harriet. She is in her 90th year. My cousin J, writes a blog about her activities every day. I hear that even the great authors sometimes get 'writer's block' and can't think of anything to write. I think of things to write about every day, but I just didn't do it - until now.
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65270 (660)263-9396
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