Heritage of Caledonia Missouri
Bellevue Valley lies between Ozark spurs, Buford Mountain on east, second
highest in Missouri, named for William Buford came from Virginia in 1810.
Name carried on in valley.
First people mound-builders, then Indians. French named Bellevue Valley in
1763. First settler William Reed from Tennessee 1796. Town began
with Tom Sloan's blacksmith shop. Alexander Craighead named town for New
Caledonia, Scotland, platted it, and bought first lot. He built first
store onto his home 1818, standing remodeled 1966. Robert Sloan built
first home.
Industries, Rocky Hollow Cheese Factory, Harvey & Casey Flouring Mill 1875
and tanneries, Jacob Eversole, John Perry and Martin Ruggles put in Springfield
Iron Works Furnace Creek 1825-42. Ox Teams pulled wagons of pig iron to
Ashenbraner & Smiths Cedar Creek Forge, near White Farm. Dam gave power.
First in state to produce iron products May 1825. Forge Hill on east
First school round log house Methodist Cemetery, Miles Goforth teacher,
1804. St. Louis conference built Bellevue Collegiate Institute 1870-72 in
front of academy by stockholders 1867-68. Institute until 1902. J.W.
McKinney began high school 1912. Granite Block School 1936. Joined
with Belgrade, thus Valley High built 1951. Addition 1965.
William Woods formed Methodist Society 1810, built Shiloh Meeting House
near school before 1814. Joseph Reed made deed to church 1818, first in
Methodism west of Miss. Brick Methodist Church 1852. Burned 1909. Third
church 1911. Thirty Scotch-Irish Presbyterians led by Wm. Sloan and Robert
M. Stevenson held first sunrise service west of Miss. Dec. 1, 1807, with Salmon
Giddings formed church 1816. First west of Miss. Log House Presbyterian
Cemetery. It burned. Brick building replaced it. Frank Morrow deed
ground to town, Church built 1864-68. Assembly of God organized - built
1963.
Masonic Lodge Tyro No. 12 oldest in Missouri, organized 1825. Martin
Ruggles first worshipful master. Lodge gave and dedicated his monument in
Presbyterian Cemetery 1950, 1000 came. He was buried near brother, Comfort
Ruggles, Boston Tea Party patriot. O.E.S. No. 321 charted 1912, R.
and Mrs. W.J. Dent first Worthy Patron and Matron.
Civil War guerillas vs Union soldiers under Sgt. Warfield Sept. 14, 1864,
were repulsed. On Sept 29, 1864 Maj Gen. Sterling Price sent Maj. Gen.
Marmaduke's div. after Grig. Gen Ewing, who ran into Brig. Gen Shelby's div.
here. Ewing fougt a successful rear guard action. Retreated through Palmer.
First postoffice 1826, John G. Bryan, P.M., Caledonia Incorporated
1870, smallest town in state. Old homes - H. Long, Goodykoontz, Vandiver,
Byrd, Jane Thompson, Eversoles, Carr, Marbury, Ruggles, Crenshaw, Southall, Geo.
Breckenridge Revolutionary War Vet. Adella B. Moore - historian
Text of marker