150 years ago (1874)
Land Owners' Meeting of Township 49, Range 10. There will be a meeting of the real estate owners of
Township 49, Range 10 at the Lick Branch School House on May 12, 1874. Let's see if we cannot agree
upon our line and fix permanently our corners so as to prevent trouble and litigation in the future. Every
owner of real estate in said township and range is earnestly requested to be present at said meeting. ~W.
J. Edmonston, John Brown, Samuel Black, Robert Brown, William McKamy, Jas. D. Henderson, Wm. H.
Holeman, Bryon Hite, Moses McClinstock, R. S. Shields, Samuel Hart, J. T. Henderson, John S. Lafone, J. S.
Henderson, William Black, R. McPheeters and others.
125 years ago (1899)
High School Graduating Class Numbers Twenty-Two. The class of young ladies and gentlemen who will
graduate from FHS for 1899 is the largest in the history of the High School. The graduating exercises will
be held on the evening of April 27, at the Opera House. Following is the list of graduates: Vertner
Nichols, Lillian Herckenrath, Hinton Noland, Bella L. Pemberton, Beulah B. Mosley, Willie B. Baker, Evelyn
F. Dunkeiberg, Lela Maude Smith, Georgia M. Arnold, Alva Smith, Price Robinson, Maude Evelyn Lynes,
Elisabeth Speed Hall, Zella Lola Holt, William Carr Bailey, Charles C. Tevis, Fred H. Spleer, Judson
Sanderson, J. William McIntire, Robert M. Robinson, Henry Bellamann, Marvin H. Fisher. Georgia N.
Arnold won the valedictorian and Rella L. Pemberton won the salutatorian.
100 years ago (1924)
Constable Frank James and Ben Henry, state game warden, drove down to Crow's Fork Creek, near
Berry's Ford bridge, east of Fulton, to investigate a report that someone had been dynamiting fish in that
creek. They were unable to get a clue to the identity of the law violators. The report came to Fulton from
some of the farmers living in that neighborhood that the dynamiting was being done and an
investigation was started immediately. It is said that the persons who passed along the road near the
creek heard the explosions and also heard rifle shots. The water of the creek was muddy and the
stunned fish were floating upon the water. They believed the marauders to be drunk and hiding among
the rocks along the creek. The persons did not care to make an investigation, but instead notified the
officers.
75 years ago (1949)
J. J. Neukomm, 88, Fulton's oldest merchant, dies at his home at 312 East Fifth Street. Funeral services
were held at Maupin Funeral Home, officiated by the Rev. Robert Herrmann, pastor of the Evangelical
and Reformed Church. Neukomm was a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Burial was in Hillcrest
Cemetery. Pallbearers were H. R., H. Clay McGregor, Frank P. Baker, Fred B. Montgomery, Walter
Henderson and Earl Koontz. Honorary pallbearers were J. R. Baker, Don P. Bartley, W. C. Harris, Mic Neal,
Dr. George F. Wood, Joe Groner, W. Ed. Jameson, Dr. William J. Cremer, Dr. G. D. McCall and J. T. Bush.
The Neukomm family has been in the Fulton clothing business since 1859, when Mr. Neukomm's father,
the late John Neukomm, a native of Switzerland, opened a tailor shop here. Those were the days before
custom made clothes were popular and Mr. Neukomm made many clothes for many pioneer Fulton
residents. His son learned the trade from his father when he was 15 years old. When the son was 21
years old, his father retired and the son opened up his own tailoring shop. In 1886, the firm became
Neukomm, Ebersole and Pemberton, then, in 1908, the Neukomm Clothing Store was incorporated.
Neukomm's brother, Emil, was associated with the firm until his death. Morrie Neukomm, J. J.
Neukomm's son and Fred Neukomm, Emil's son, were also associated with the store. Morris Neukomm,
Thomas J. Neukomm, a grandson, and H. A. Pigue, J. J. Neukomm's son-in-law, have continued the
business since the elder Mr. Neukomm's retirement in 1946. Neukomm's sister, the late Miss Rose
Neukomm, was in charge of the alterations department for 25 years. At one time, the store employed 6
tailors but the tailoring business was abandoned in 1926 when expert tailors became increasingly
difficult to employ. Neukomm and his wife, the former Miss Lena Gerhardt, were married in Fulton on
May 28, 1884, and except for the first three months of marriage, they have lived at the same residence.
For three months they lived at a hotel in Fulton while their house was finished. He was a Mason and had
been presented his fifty-year pin by the then Senator from Missouri, Harry S. Truman, who was
Grandmaster Mason of Missouri. Surviving are his widow, two children, Mrs. H. A. Pigue and Morris
Neukomm, two grandchildren, T. J. Neukomm and Mrs. R. H. (Dorothy) Hartley of Muncie, IN.
50 years ago (1974)
Extensive remodeling and expansion work is underway at Temple's Store, according to Store Manager,
Charlie Fisher. The Richard Elliott Construction Co. is handling the remodeling of the old Mattingly's Store
in the Temple's Plaza, to make it ready for the expansion of the grocery store. "We are going to have a
delicatessen, our bakery, a fresh flower with cut flower arrangements and a complete greeting card,
candle and gift item assortment in the new section," explained Fisher. "We are going to get new metal
shelves to replace our present ones and we are going to extend into part of the new area," Fisher
commented. Currently, the store occupies 7680 sq. ft. and with the addition of Mattingly's area, the
store will grow to 11,520 sq. ft. Plans call for a table dining area in the new delicatessen, complete with
an order window and serving area. "We are going to attempt to stock everything our customers want
and ask for," said Fisher, "and we are definitely going to expand our lines of merchandise carried to
include many new items." "We hope to have all completed in 2-3 weeks." Fisher concluded.