County of town: St. Charles County
Location of town: MO hwy N, just E. of MO Hwy T, 3 miles S. of Foristell
Pink Marker for Keener's Tavern erected in 1913
Erected by: Daughters of the American Revolution and State of Missouri
The cemetery is presented by BruceS in these two site: WMDQ1G & WMDQ19
Boone's Lick Road was actually many different routes. The Pink markers erected by the DAR in 1913 have dates that the road used that space, but the road jogged back and forth to accommodate different and/or new taverns to provide the best for the stage passengers.
"Pauldingville Congregational Church -- Was organized March 3, 1873, with Mr. R. J. Watson and wife, R. F. Kenner and wife, A. P. Mills, A. L. Harris and wife, Samuel Cliff and wife and Jerry G. Ahley as its original members. It is now composed of 35 members. The names of the different pastors who have served this congregation are as follows: Rev. J. S. Rounce, Rev. C. R. Dudley and Alanson Bixby. The present frame structure was built in 1873, at a cost of $1,600. The Sunday-school is composed of 56 scholars, the superintendent being J. H. Parsons. There is a prosperous temperance literary society connected with the church. This was the first Congregational Church in St. Charles county." ~ History of St. Charles County
"An old church located at the former town of Pauldingville, for which it is named. The organization was first Congregational and later Baptist. The members of the latter congregation sold the church and gave the proceeds to the Wright City Baptist Church. The church has not been used since about 1915." ~ State Historical Society of Missouri
The following is a newspaper article written by Edna McElhiney Olson; a descendant of residents of Pauldingville, and has family members in the cemetery.
Article was printed in an unidentified newspaper. I acquire the text from the St. Charles Historical Society, and they gave me permission to post it.
PAULDINGVILLE
Ghost Town in County
"Have you ever been to a 'ghost town' in St. Charles County? Well, I have, and why don't you go there - you will be fascinated. The trip to our 'ghost town' is on the old Boone's Lick Road, three miles south of Foristell, on County Route T - one half mile east on County Road N and will take you about an hour's drive from St. Charles. Incidentally, on the drive on the famous old Boone' Lick Road which was famous in our early stage coach days, you will find the historical markers of Missouri granite of this historical highway across Missouri, telling of these historical places. They were marked in 1913 by the Missouri Daughters of the American Revolution, and the State of Missouri.
"The history of Missouri harks back to the great old highway. This trip will be a liberal education. By far the most important and the largest of stage coach stations, was built by Rodman Kenner. This frame building grew and grew until they had twenty-six rooms. The Rodman Kenner State Station is believed to have been the most popular of all. We are told that a frequent visitor there was Col. Thomas Hart Benton, and many other well-known and learned men of early times often stopped there, and in fact no one ever thought of passing the Rodman Kenner Stage Station without taking one meal and sleeping one night in their clean beds. Travelers had such a good time; traveling two or three days in order to reach the house in time to reach there with the stage coach and stay at the Tavern-Inn. According to our records his very fine meals were served country style and all one could eat.
"When he built the Inn I don't think he ever realized the success he would make as he became very wealthy. He was known as the 'Prince of Fiddlers' and he would entertain his guests fiddling away between open fireplaces.
"By a strange freak in drilling a well for his Inn it turned out to be an artesian well. Around this well he built a very elaborate well-house with benches for people to sit around under cover and to the Inn a board-walk leading from this unusual well. People would sit around and drink this water which is listed as being especially good for rheumatism. The town of Pauldingville became a noted resort, especially in the year 1836. It should be interesting to note that this ghost town of today is listed in the archives as the most popular resort of this section of Missouri and, I quote, during the balmy days of the stage coach on the Boone's Lick Road Kenner continued with his Inn until his death in 1876 at the age of 86. Due to the unusual artesian well and the hospitality of Rodman Kenner, this town of Pauldingville became the resort town.
"In one of our census dated 1822, this town is listed as having 300 inhabitants besides the great trade of the Rodman Kenner Stage Station. He came from Virginia and our records show Kenner laid out the town in 1835; with his own money he built a small but beautiful church and gave the ground for the church and the church cemetery. Next he built a brick school house called the 'little red brick school house.'
"I became especially interested in Rodman Kenne as he just so happens to have married Elizabeth Johnson (my great aunt). At the time of their wedding my Great Grandfather, Charles M. Johnson owned the stone home that he bought Jan. 24, 1837, from Nathan Boone of Femme Osage Area. According to our family scrap book Rodmaqn Kenner first met his wife at one of the popular dances held most every Saturday night on the third floor of this old stone home. The wedding was held at the home. In our family scrap book are many pictures of Rodman Kenner and his beautiful wife Elizabeth and the article of their wedding. The wedding picture of Elizabeth and Rodman Kenner is really lovely, taken by R. Goebel. As you might guess, following the wedding was a dance given on the third floor of this old stone house. Rodman Kenner, according to the article displayed his great ability as a fiddler at his wedding reception.
"You will have to pardon me for again telling you of members of our family who came to St. Charles County in the early history of St. Charles, but I am not ashamed to be proud of my family.
"According to the records Rodman Keener's wife was strictly the hostess at the Rodman Keener State Coach Inn. She entertained the many guests with her great ability for playing the piano.
"When I made up my mind to find this town of Pauldingville it was not listed in our last census at all and I found it was a 'ghost town.' The picture included with this story is the picture taken of the historical Boone's Lick Road marker put up in the year of 1913. There was no sign of the church excepting a few stones left of the foundation but next to the church was the little red school house and this marker which is still proudly standing and in splendid condition. At the graveyard, adjoining the church, amongst the tombstones I found one of Rodman Kenner which I took pictures of. It is made of white marble now in two parts. One part is on the ground but it is not broken.
"When Rodman Kenner built this church he and his wife organized the church, and he paid for a steady preacher giving his a very interesting room at his tavern and when the big dinner bell was rung, Rodman Kenner would graciously seat this minister at the head of the table and before food was brought in he gave a long, lengthy grace.
"Well, in the 'ghost town' we found were two farm houses and I taking colored pictures of the tombstones we noticed a man watching us and I suppose his curiosity got the best of him to know what we were doing and why, so he came over to investigate - this was indeed a great break for us. He was L.F. Neddemeyer who was born and raised in this town. He was very gracious and kind and patient with us. When we told him the relationship between our family and Rodman Kenner he became most interested. He told us his grandfather had bought the old Kenner Tavern-Inn and he was born in this old house. Gradually as the house deteriorated changes were made and he was gracious enough to take us to his home. He proudly showed us the kitchen - which was the original kitchen of the old Kenner Inn and under this kitchen was a full sorage [sic] cellar where food was kept. The cellar floor has the old full, wide, round oak logs. He said that this room was the only room left of the old Kenner Tavern-Inn. It originally was an ell of the old tavern.
"I asked him about the famous well, which made this town such a famous resort town and he said that was before his day - he never heard of it.
"All of these pictures that we took of the ghost town of Pauldingville, I am putting in the old Johnson family scrap book.
"If you should made this trip, the complete route at the old Boone's Lick Road starting from St. Charles, and would stop long enough to read the many markers put these in 1913, you certainly would get a liberal education on our St. Charles historic Boone's Lick Road.