County of lodge: Warren County
location of lodge: 101 N. Elm St., Wright City
Meets 1st & 3rd Thursday, 7PM
The history of Pauldingville can be read in this link to a WM posted sometime ago.
As well as this interesting Newspaper article in the Surburban Journal
Pauldingville was a town, now a ghost town, on today's Hwy N, just west of today's Hwy T. Only the old cemetery remains a a mark of it's existance.
Pauldingville Masonic Lodge still in active, but their lodge is in Wright City now. W. N. 1st St., near the trail tracks.
Pauldingville, population in 1822 was 300, and by 1837 had grown to 700.
Rodman Kenner married Elizabeth Johnson in her fathers stone home. Charles M. Johnson bought the stone house from Nathan Boone, yep, Daniels son, on Jan. 24, 1837. Kenner met Elizabeth in one of the very popular dances held every Sat. night on the third floor of the Old Stone House, and it was here that their wedding was held. This third floor was very popular for weddings.
Rodman's Stage Coach Inn, where he was known as the "Fiddler Prince" was a frame building with 26 rooms. Rodman drilled a well and hit Artesian, which turned Pauldingville into a resort town. All stage coach company's made sure they stopped overnight here, because of the food, entertainment and clean rooms. Elizabeth would entertain on the piano.
Rodman ran the Inn until his death in 1876, he was 86.
Only thing left is a red barn, which use to be a home, the foundation to the church, and the cemetery, and this marker.
Besides, Nathan Boone, Daniel Morgan Boone, Colonel Thomas hart Benton stayed here.
A Mr. Neddemeyer was born and raised in Pauldingville, and still lives there, even though the town is gone. He said his grandfather had bought the old Inn. In Mr. Neddermeyer's home, is the original kitchen from the old Kenner Inn, under the kitchen was a cellar. The floor was full of wide, round oak logs. He said this was the only original room left, and it was an ell in the old Tavern.