Drynob History

According to the 1889 History of Laclede* the first land entries that appear are that of Abram Munholland, John Tucker, Robert Montgomery, D. B. Laxton, Benjamin Moore, William Maxey, John Honssinger, Robert Faires, Moses Bean, and W. P. Wisdom were among the early settlers on the Gasconade and Osage Fork.

The picture below was taken in August 2001 while standing in section 17 viewing sections 20 & 21.  Sections 17, 20 & 21 was once owned by Robert Faires and then later by George R. James.  The Osage River is located in the valley where the trees are in a row in the middle of the picture.

The old Phillips Cemetery is located above the Osage River on the grass hill.

Later many others settled in the area, among them was George R. James who purchased several acres of land.  He provided each of his children a portions of his land.  The 1912 Plat map of the area reflects the sections where George’s children and their spouses owned the land, as follows:

Drynob Mill

The Drynob Mill was ran by Allen Parham and then by John McElroy (1979 History of Laclede).

The Lebanon (MO) Daily Record, Thursday, September 13, 2001 published a picture of the mill:

Picture Caption:

Drynob Post Office

The Drynob Post Office was in operation from 1881 to 1956.  Many Civil War veterans who lived in the area picked up their monthly pension check here.  Some of the veterans were Thomas Bollinger, Andrew Core, Lester Blackman, John H. Lewis, Irvin Wood, Thomas Hill, Almo Myers, Bingham Mansfield, Martha Berry (widow of Nelson Berry), Allen Perhan, Mary Thornhill (widow of Asbury Thornhill), Alfred Shadle, Eli Martin, George R. James, George W. Munhollen, and Henry H. Lewis.

Picture taken in 1947

In the picture: Colin & Jerry Chambers

The Drynob Post Office is currently on located on property own by the Johnson’s.  The Johnson’s had converted the building into an antique store, however, the store is no longer open.  This property is located on Tampa Drive in Drynob.  The property legal description is Osage Township number 34 north, Range 14 west, section 22. 

Picture taken in 2001

Drynob Vicinity Sees Many Changes but Old Store And Mill Still There

Lebanon Rustic Republican, by Lois Roper Beard

Johnson Store at Drynob -- The store at Drynob, now operated by Frank Johnson, was built long before the turn of the century.  The store was bought by L. C. Detweiller in 1890 and it was Mr. Detweiller who gave the first bushels of wheat to be ground in the new mill.  The Detweiller family also purchased land near the store from George James in 1894 and built a beautiful family home.  The home in now also owned by Johnson family is in the process of remodeling it again.  The post office is now replaced by the star route carriers but the groceries are still there for the convenience of the community folks.

The rivers of the Ozarks have long been a hindrance as well as a blessing to man.  The construction of bridges has solved problems in crossing streams in most places.

Many years ago there was a post office located high on a dry hill on the east side of the Osage Fork River, it was called Dry Knob.  Isom Wood was the post master.

There were times when folks on the west side of the river were unable to cross at the Bean Ford to get their mail for several days because of high waters.

With the ever increasing population, and the good farming land on the west side it was decided to make it more convenient for the majority of the patrons and the post office was moved across the river and the name changed to Drynob.

A short distance from the building that housed the post office, and a general store the building that housed the post office, and a general store operated by Mr. Wood, there was a place called Moses Bean Inn.  It was a house of unusual size, consisting of one huge room used for the sitting room with another about the same size for a kitchen and dinning and big windows in each room.  The outside of the house was painted bright red.

There were plum trees, peach trees, and gooseberry bushes, and a great clump of Washington bower in the yard, with a rail fence enclosure.  The trees and bushes remained many years after the house was gone.

The Inn was indeed a blessing to weary travelers.  It was operated by the Moses Bean family.  One story remembered and retold may times by old timers was of the time when Jesse James put up at the Inn for several days.  Folks said he was a well mannered man, well liked and was welcomed by the Inn keeper.

The grist mill, where folk brought corn to have ground for meal was a blessing to many.  The mill was operated for many years by Allen Parham.  Just before the turn of the century he sold it to John McElroy, who obtained the mill rite and a large up to date water-powered flour mill was installed.

Times really boomed around Drynob.  It took a lot of labor to build that large building, prepare the water channel and install the equipment, but it was well worth it all to have goodies like pies and cakes and biscuits to eat most anytime, and not just on special occasions.

L. C. Detweiller, who had bought the store from Joe Bolinger, in 1890, gave the first one-hundred bushel of wheat to be ground in the new mill.  One of Mr. Detweiller's remarks was, 'I hope we always be able from here on out to have biscuits at our house at least for breakfast.'

Many times the mill year would be crowded with farm wagons and teams.  Sometimes the miller kept the mill grinding all night to get the flour ready for his customers.

The blacksmith shop was also a busy place.  When wagon tires became thin and needed to be to be shrunk or sometimes replaced the Smithy did the repair job while the farmer waited for his grinding.  Sometimes he put shoes on the horses or mules while the farmer waited.

The Smithy also made wagons and coffins.  Some of the blacksmiths names were J. B. (Buck) Phipps, Sam Davis, and Jim Bingham.  For a time there was two ships and both were kept busy.

The anvils played a large part in the Christmas celebration.  The men put two anvils together and shot off a large charge, which vibrated through the whole country side to harold the birthday of the Christ child.

In 1894 the Detweillers bought land near the store, from George James, and built a beautiful family home.  Mr. Detweiller built well, believing that a house built on a good foundation would stand.  After 70 years of service with repairs that house is one of the nicer homes of the vicinity today.  It is the home of the Frank Johnsons, who now owns the store.  The house is now undergoing another seig of remodeling, by the Johnsons.

Several of the old time millers were Isom Wood, Allen Parham, J. B. Phipps, W. D. Beard, Rev. M. E. Bingham, John McElroy, and Steve Pitman.  The last one to operate the mill was Bill Starnes. 

The school located about one and one-half miles form the store was known as Oakland.  There are at least six persons living in Laclede County, who attended classes there in the 1900's.  They are Pearl Wright, Ella Hall, Jobe Barnett, and Edgar, Ed Lee, and George Wrinkle.  Precious are the memories of those by gone, bare-foot days.  Three of the teachers mentioned were Andy Lewis, ? Alexander and Oscar Ch?.

Dr. Tom Casey married C. Detweiller and for seve? years following the death of Mrs. Detweiller the Caseys lived with the family.  Dr. Casey was especially fond of the young son and his brother-in-law, Milan.  Many times he had to cry hard to get to go with his beloved, doctor on his calls but he soon learned that he could win if he cried loud and long enough.

It was fun for the older boys to give the little fellows a chew of tobacco or a strong drink and it seems Milan was a good target for that kind of fun.  One time before his mothers' death she found Milan under the bed.  She coaxed and threatened but he wouldn't come out.  At last she moved the bed and picked him up.  Her sense of smell soon told the story.  The little fellow was truly a sick boy.

There was no church in Drynob but the hail over the store served the community well for church services as well as for many other civic gatherings.

One time a protracted meeting was in progress with Rev. Jeff Patterson and Rev. Charley McCallister as ministers.  Large crowds were attending each night and everyone was getting good from the meetings.  About the time of the close of services one night there was the most terrible noise over on the bluff.  Folks were so scared.  The ones going in that direction to their homes were ready to close the revival.  They were sure it must be some savage, wild animal and they would surely be devoured before they reached shelter.

So the men got their shot guns and went hunting.  There was Bill, Charley, Allen, Wyatt, Neal, Coon Bill and Roy.  Maybe others too, but they tramped the woods expecting most anything to happen, which didn't.  It was only a boys prank.

Wess and Lowell had rigged up what they called a drum bull.  They were having fun giving the folks the scare.  To hear Lowell describe the thing one would not wander at the noise it could make.

They found a groundhog hide that had been tanned to use for shoe strings.  They soaked it in the river until it was soft and pliable.  They carried the thing away over on the bluff and waited for the folk to come out ready to go home.  They they began making the noise by pulling a rosined string back and forth across the drum.  When the searching men got near they just stopped pulling the string and sit quietly.  While the hunters went on by.  They were never found.  We learned that boys were boys even in the "good old days".

Several old civil-war soldiers were citizens of the Drynob neighborhood.  It was a chore each month to go the post office and have a voucher filled and sent to the government so that they could receive their monthly checks.  Some of them were George James, D. V. Hempil, Tom Kinchilo, Almo Myers, Lester Blackman and M. E. Bingham.  There were man who had given a part of their life, endured hard ships, pain and sorrow to preserve the freedom of our land.

There were many good farms along the river with as many good farmers.  Once example the George James family of nine children, who each received a farm from their parents when they were old enough to make a start in life on their own.

With the many changes of times only one of those nine farms is owned by a descendant of Mr. and Mrs. James.  It is the farm given to daughter, Laura James Holmes, and is now the home of a granddaughter, Edna Holmes Lewis, and her husband, Alvie Lewis.

One of the heartaches of the old timers that are left is the neglected old graveyard, a place that was selected by fore-parents for the silent city of loved ones.  It has long ago been forgotten and is now grazed by cattle like any other place in the field.

Yes, time marches on, and we must face the changes bravely, but its good to go back if only in memories once in awhile.  We must face the changes if only in memories once in awhile.  We gain appreciation for those who blazed the path that our footsteps might not stumble over the rough spots as did theirs.

I want to say thanks to you Mrs. Wright, for a pleasant afternoon with you and for your help with the information for this story of Drynob.

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Last updated 01/25/2006