A wrinkle in time
April 29, 2020
Current photo of the Messer house in Cassville
Sheila Harris
Melville C. and Mary Messer raised six daughters in this historic Cassville home, built shortly after the Civil War. According to youngest daughter, Maco (Messer) Farwell, the rear portion of the house was built first, by her (step) grandfather, Edward Smith, after he and her grandmother, Arabella Messer Smith, moved to the area from Rogers, Arkansas, after the war.
The larger front portion of the house was added later.
The dining room in the smaller portion was once used as the Cassville post office, where M.C. Messer’s sister, Eglentine Messer, served as postmistress from January of 1870 through December of 1884.
M.C. Messer was a Cassville druggist for 40 years, until his death.
According to Farwell, her mother, Mary Messer, kept boarders in the house, including visiting teachers and preachers. She also kept a fine garden, hogs, a milk cow and laying hens.
The Messer home was the first house to have electricity installed when it was offered to Cassville residents in 1904.
For more information about this and other historic homes, visit the Barry County Museum at 15858 Highway 76, Cassville. Or visit their website at www.barrycomuseum.org.
Melville C. and Mary Messer raised six daughters in this historic Cassville home, built shortly after the Civil War. According to youngest daughter, Maco (Messer) Farwell, the rear portion of the house was built first, by her (step) grandfather, Edward Smith, after he and her grandmother, Arabella Messer Smith, moved to the area from Rogers, Arkansas, after the war.
The larger front portion of the house was added later.
The dining room in the smaller portion was once used as the Cassville post office, where M.C. Messer’s sister, Eglentine Messer, served as postmistress from January of 1870 through December of 1884.
M.C. Messer was a Cassville druggist for 40 years, until his death.
According to Farwell, her mother, Mary Messer, kept boarders in the house, including visiting teachers and preachers. She also kept a fine garden, hogs, a milk cow and laying hens.
The Messer home was the first house to have electricity installed when it was offered to Cassville residents in 1904.
For more information about this and other historic homes, visit the Barry County Museum at 15858 Highway 76, Cassville. Or visit their website at www.barrycomuseum.org.