INTRODUCTION

This book is the result of many hours of work from many volunteers. The idea originated in the Retired Senior Volunteer Program with its director, Ruth Seiberling. She discussed it with the Grand River Historical Society and the RSVP Advisory Council, and both encouraged the undertaking. She began soliciting RSVP volunteers.

Having recently retired as librarian of the Livingston County Memorial Library, I volunteered at the right time and place to become involved. It has been a fun project sharing the work and enthusiasm with so many interested people.

If you have ever researched the history of the hinterlands of America, you will discover how limited is the material available. Livingston County is fortunate to have two histories which at least have some early history. They are: History of Caldwell and Livingston Counties, Missouri and Past and Present of Livingston County Missouri. The family histories in this new book as well as in the old histories were written by each family who were responsible for their accuracy. The early volumes were financed by a fee paid by those families who were included. In this history there is no charge for a minimum coverage. For additional space the family has paid extra.

The intent of this book has been to emphasize the social history of Livingston County from 1890 repeating previous history only in a limited form to give background and continuity. Ideal original sources were history minded old-timers, but these people are in short supply. The local history collection of the Livingston County Memorial Library was used extensively, and the cooperation of the staff was beyond the call of duty. The micro-filmed Chillicothe Constitution Tribune, available at the library, must be acknowledged as the greatest single source of social history of the area. Its untapped treasures are available to future historians.

It would be impossible to list all of the people who have assisted with this book. The typing has been done by Beverly Schultz and Lisa Crawford of the RSVP office. Sue Jones has lent her expertise as a historian to the project and served as assistant editor. The job of proofreading has been undertaken by Margaret Frith, Winnifred Evans, Virginia Page, Virginia Wall and her senior English class, Jean Miquelon, Mary Gwin, Ethel Whitney, Genevieve Flenniken, and Mr. and Mrs. Earle S. Teegarden, Senior, Mary Lemon, Dorothy Hoaglund, Lena Bowen, Mildred Bozdeck, George Seiberling, Margaret Oliver, Geneva Goucher and Mary Carroll. Thanks, indeed, should go to people who have researched and written the history: Janet Hartline, James Nashan, Marna Cole, Mildred Cole, Ermine Newbolt, Vivian Haas, Bill Coleman, Margaret Oliver, Grace Saale, Dolly Shipley, Mildred Bozdeck, Linda Thomas, Oakland Douglas, Ola Young, Grace Stone, Patricia North, Dr. James Eden, Earle S. Teegarden, Senior, Leo Hopper, Cleo Johnson, Lucian Walkup, Roy Hicklin, Eva Troeger, Elsie Pray, Marian Lewis, Judith Shoot, Eileen Scholls and Leo Saale.

We wish to express our appreciation to the Constitution Tribune, the Grand River Historical Society and the Livingston County Memorial Library for lending us photographs for the book.

A special acknowledgement is made for the clever and appropos drawings of Mildred Allen. Finally, this book would never have been possible without the unique talents and seemingly easy going nature of Ruth Seiberling as she has hovered over the project. -- Lillian DesMarias

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