Wayne County, Missouri Historical Society

06/24/2026

Summer days in the yard, visiting friends, neighbors and family. Who remembers these simpler days? Pictured (on left) is Floyd Turner of Greenville, visiting his brother Clint Turner and wife Lulu Turner of Silva. The Turner brothers were longtime members of the Methodist Church in Greenville. Floyd was a merchant and Clint was a farmer (many will remember him using a team and wagon long after the days tractors had taken over). Mrs. Lulu Turner was a faithful and active member of New Hope General Baptist Church at Silva.

06/24/2026

Not a photograph, but history just the same: This is a hand wrote notice of just a small percentage of the local farmers who lost land for the Wappapello Dam project. Listed is their names and how much acreage they lost. From top; King Green 580 acres, Iva Green 80 acres, C.E. Cobb 61 acres, Elmer Clark 50 acres, D.M. Evans 205 acres, J.R. McDaniel 135 acres, Taylor Shearrer/Lula Shearrer 169 acres, Fred Berry 272 acres and Mrs. John R. Woods 167 acres. There were many others not listed here.

06/24/2026

This photo was donated to the Wayne County Historical Society several years ago. It is said to be the inside of the Bennett - Smith mercantile at Old Greenville, and that the second gentleman from left was Will Shoemake. I have issues with these details. First of all the building is much to narrow to be the Bennett - Smith mercantile (later the Smith - Rhodes Mercantile and finally the Ward’s Store, owned by Lester & Virgie Ward). The gentleman thought to be Will Shoemake is much too old for this time period. He however does resemble the Shoemake family. I believe he is more than likely John C. Shoemake (1862-1937), the father of Will, Jess, Jim, Joe and others. All the others pictured are unknown. Help with this photo is solicited.

06/23/2026

Residents of near Kime on August 26, 1906. The couple to the left is Henry and Bell Allard and their son John (boy center), Artie Cozort (center lady back row) and couple on the right, William “Bill” and Victoria “Rettie” (Hogan) Page. This was the wedding day of Mr. and Mrs. Page. He was 38 and she was 17. This photo was taken at Old Greenville in the Templeton Studio. I have encountered many with the same background. The Roman type column always to the left. 

06/23/2026

Prominent Piedmont family pictured in the 1890's. The photo was taken at Nix studios at Piedmont. Timothy P. Baird (1841-1922) was born near Williamsville, a son of Rev. Samuel & Jane Baird. He married Amanda L. (Pitman) Baird (1844-1910), a native of Indiana. Over the years the couple lived in a Wayne, Butler and Ripley counties. Together they had five children; Edward E. (1871-1935), married Margaret Woods, Alice Jane (1873-1909), married Abner Barrow, Clara R. (1876-1968), married William Boyt, Franklin (b. 1878) and Ava Ann (1880-1922), who never married and was Down Syndrome. T.P. Baird served as 4th Corporal in Company H 31st Union infantry during the Civil War. The couple were members of the First Baptist Church at Piedmont. They are buried in the Mile Cemetery at Piedmont. Pictured in front (from left), Timothy, Ava and Amanda. In back, Clara, Frank, Ed and Alice. This is the only historic Wayne County 19th century photo I have ever came across with someone who appears to have Down syndrome.

06/23/2026

The Luna Museum and Payton Memorial Library will be open Tomorrow, Wednesday, June 24, 2026 Between 2pm to 6pm. Come and see the interesting Artifacts of Wayne County, Missouri’s Past. We are located at 108 West Elm Street in Piedmont, Mo 63957.

06/23/2026

06/23/2026

Byron Burns and Wesley Cole on the log bridge at Lon Sanders Canyon at Piedmont, 1930.

06/23/2026

Piedmont Main Street. 1930's.

06/22/2026

The homestead of Dr. James M. Woods (1818-1887) near the St. Francis River at rural Patterson. The farm was later owned by his sons John R. Woods and William Woods. The last owners were King Green and then his son Iva Green. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bought the place for the Wappapello Dam project in 1940, it contained 80 acres. Joe and Ruth Taylor lived here as well. The home is pictured in the early 1950’s, prior to it being shorty thereafter burned.