Tuesday, August 17, 2010

There are some famous folk from St Joseph.

We had hoped to visit with bloggers in this area. We have had to cancel a get together due to health problems on one occasion. Disappointing but it is understandable.

So if any of you are in this area or on I-70 thru Kansas and would like to get together for coffee, lunch or dinner let us know. WE want to meet as many as possible. The invitation is open. e-mail.. jacsher@aol.com


Most towns have someone they are proud of. St. Joseph touts a few. Walter Cronkite & Jane Wyman were born here. Jesse James lived and died here. It is also the birth place of Aunt Jemima Pancakes. My mama could cook about anything from scratch, but she used Aunt Jemima's pancake mix.

Yes, there was Jane Wyman, Yep, she called St. Joe home. Some of you older folk will remember her. Sherry smiled when she saw Jane Wyman.
We are in the local Patee House Museum. It was a very famous hotel. Here is something that believe it or not I have operated. You probably never heard a man ask, 'Number Please', well a boy of 19-20 anyway. There is one lady on here who has operated one of these, right Paula? Ora or Lucy maybe??.
We were in the very room where the Pony Express was originated. The horse and rider actually rode ...

right into tis office to get his mail bags. The sender paid $5 an ounce to send a letter on to the West coast.


My dad was always B.F. Darnell to me. He would joke that his name was Benjamin Franklin Thoma Jefferson Roosevelt Darnell. Dad's birth certificate was destroyed in a court house fire. He needed one to get a pass port. While researching for this I found his name to be Frank B. Darnell. Then I find that Frank and Jesse James were Folk heros to the folks of Georgia. Considered by many to be Robin Hoods of the old west. A little known fact about dad, he was named for Frank James. His brother 'Jesse James Darnell' was named for Jesse. Dad never told me this. I learned later from someone else.

Another unique thing Frank & Jesse's dad was a preacher (so was my dad). Robert James helped found a college near here.
He went to the Gold fields to minister and died there when the boys were young. The man that Frank come to know as his dad was the second father, whose name was Benjamin.
I guess Frank and Jesse gave meaning to, 'preacher's kids are mean.'
Left to right, Robert James (dad), Jesse and Frank. Jesse was killed by a 15 year old boy with a pistol Jesse had given him. Frank was pardoned a year after Jesse was killed.


Here is the happy couple in front of a carrousel in the museum. I love this cowboy stuff.


Leaving out, we passed the house Jesse lived in and where he was killed. It was moved to this site next to the old hotel as part of the Museum.

In the back ground you can see the museum with Jesse's house there on the left. Pony Express Hq was in the museum.
WE are still in St. Joseph as you can tell, I was surprised to learn of Wyman, Cronkite and Aunt Jemima.
Thanks for coming by the Log.
Nite Shipslog,
PS:
~~~~~God made man before woman so as to give him time to think of an answer for her first question.
~~~~~I was always taught to respect my elders. (But it keeps getting harder to find one.)
~~~~~ At my age, every morning is the dawn of a new error.

11 comments:

Amelia said...

Interesting stuff you got to see :)

Amelia said...

My dad would crack up if he read that comment LOL

Woody said...

Thanks for the tour, Very Interesting and will probab;ly never get there but I enjoy your tours, I got to this site from your facebook page so your link works.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I learn something new every day and today It was abut those James brothers...I love Aunt Jemima pancakes too! The are good. It looks like you all never have a dull moment. Enjoy the rest while you are waiting. LOLAH!

shirl72 said...

Well you sure had lot of history today with your
touring. Good pictures. Glad you are still having
fun. Stay cool.

Shirl

Paula said...

Yes I operated a switchboard in my hometown for twenty five cents an hour when I was a teenager. I liked that job sooo much I would have paid Mrs. McBroom to work there. Later I worked almost the same board for Sears,Roebuck except it had lights to show when the party was finished talking so no listening in. lol

Melanie said...

Looks like you and Sherry are having a great time! stay safe



Melanie

Fred Alton said...

Very interesting things about the James boys. I don't think I knew that their Dad was a preacher. Of course you and I know why preacher's kids are so mean ... it's because they have to play with all the deacon's kids! ☻

So Aunt Jemima was from St Joe, Mo and not from my home state of Florida? I just knew that she was part of my grandmother's family!

Thank you for posting all this good stuff.

Dar said...

Nice entry Jack! Interesting James Brothers stuff. Now, if you all stay put, Bill and I, Mom and Eric will be on the road to TX in one month from today. You will have to let us know where you're parked at that time. We'll share a meal together...ha...and I'll bet the cake won't be dry. I still have to appologize for that one...still cannot I made a dry cake...dangitall! The wedding cake was perfect. Told ya, you should have stayed another week.
Miss those sweet smiles
BlessYourHearts

Lindie said...

The cherry mash candy is made right there in St Joseph too. Dorothy Cronkite, Walter's aunt, was principal at Eugene Field Elemantary when I was going there. Eugene Field wrote the poem, "Lovers Lane" about a road there in St Joseph.

Lucy said...

I to operated a switch board.I got cancelled for my appointment till Fri. Thyroid meds make me feel awful right now but I think I will get used to them.