Sight-Seeing
Hickory County
MUSEUM
John Siddle Williams House
The John Siddle Williams House (Hickory County Museum)
the residence of a prominent early citizen of Hickory County, Missouri.
In the 1850’s, John Siddle Williams built a large two story
home in Hermitage, so substantial that it survives today as home to
the Hickory County Museum and Historical Society and was placed
on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
John Siddle Williams was one of the early settlers of Hickory
County, Missouri, migrating with his wife Charity Davis Williams and
two small sons from Wilson county, Tennessee around 1840. His
brother, James Dee Williams, as well as his brother-in-law Thomas
Davis also accompanied them. Later, in 1856, his younger brothers
Robert Nathaniel Williams and Stephen Marion Williams moved from
Tennessee to join them. The Williams families settled in Hermitage
where they built their homes.
They had a tanning yard set up where they produced leather,
which was used to make shoes for the people of the area.
Hermitage, in the log home he built. When Hickory County incor-
John Siddle Williams was also elected to the Lower House
of the Missouri General Assembly in 1852, 1856 and 1860. His last
term ended with the beginning of the Civil War.
John Williams house in Hermitage, Missouri, built in the
respected public servant and legislator, but also a prosperous farmer.
John Williams was one of the wealthiest men in Hickory County and
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teenth century upper-class Missouri farmer could build using only
local building materials and labor” stated the National Register
Nomination.
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Butterfield Line
Missouri Route - Relay Stations
Built In 1855
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On a time line, the two and one-half year operation
the history of transportation in the United States. But this shortlived
operation captured and held the imagination of Americans
because it stitched together the growing country from sea to
sea.
Through the 1840’s and 1850’s there was a desire for
better communication between the east and west coasts of
the United States. The overland mail route across the west was
realized.
transportation. The president of the Overland Mail Company
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coaches left St. Louis and traveled southwest to El Paso, on to
Tucson and Los Angeles, then through California’s Central Valley
The total journey was 2,757 miles and took 25 days.
people, had 139 relay stations, 1800 head of stock and 250
Concord Stagecoaches in service at one time.
put them through. He gave them instructions such as, “drivers
and conductors to be armed but to shoot only when lives of
passengers are endangered” and “no shipments of gold or silver
to be carried to cut down on attacks by highwaymen.” Each
driver had a 60-mile route and then a return for a total of 120
miles.
When the Civil War broke out in 1861, the mail company
had no choice but to change the route. Instead of traveling
southwest, they had to go across the Great Plains. From there,
they continued through the Rocky Mountains, the Great Basin
and over the Sierra Nevada Mountains to San Francisco.
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ried the mail from Tipton Shackleford’s Station, Mulholland’s Station,
Burn’s Station, Warsaw Bailey’s Station, Quincy Yoast’s Station, Elkton
Station, Smith’s Station, Crouch’s Station and Harbin’s Station.
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