Document Center / History Reflections of the Day / Florissant, Missouri

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CELEBRATING 240 YEARS

Founded in 1776 by a Declaration Of Independence from Great Britain.

THE CITY OF FLORISSANT CELEBRATING 230 YEARS

Founded in 1786 with the appointment of a civil and military Commandant by the Spanish Governor of the Louisiana Territory

THE PARISH OF SACRED HEART CELEBRATING 150 YEARS

Founded in 1866 primarily for German Catholics and still thriving with a strong parish and parochial school.

Mayor Thomas P. Schneider will reflect on these three glorious anniversaries between now and the end of the year of our lord 2016.

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December 16, 2016

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CELEBRATING 240 YEARS

In July and August of 1776 56 men signed a document that put their lives, fortune and families in peril. Most Americans can only name a handful of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. This is a reflection on them during this, the 240^th anniversary year of the founding of our Republic.

There were 9 signers from Pennsylvania;

John Morton was the first signer to die. On July 2 1776 Morton was the man who threw Penn into the yea column resulting in a unanimous vote in favor of Independence. Nine months later he became sick and died at about age 52. On his deathbed He dictated a message to those who objected to his vote; “Tell them that they will live to see the hour when they shall acknowledge it to have been the most glorious service I ever rendered to my country.”

Benjamin Franklin was and is known throughout the world and has been previously mentioned. He influenced the birth of the Public Library and his image appears on our “C” note $100 bill. Mountains of books have been written about this amazing, versatile, multitalented individual who gave so much of himself to the success of our new republic at the very moment of its birth and then as ambassador to France securing an essential ally who Washington needed to win the decisive battle of Yorktown.

James Wilson was sometimes called the second father of the Constitution as a coauthor. He was very intelligent and studied at three universities in Scotland before arriving in Philadelphia to seek his fortune. His practiced law and lectured with resulted in his seat in Congress. But his fortunes declined as a result of a compulsion with land speculation and he found himself in a miserable debtor’s prison owing hundreds of thousands of dollars after going broke. Out of prison he died of a nervous breakdown in North Carolina. His remains were not repatriated to Penn until 1906 when he was buried in the same churchyard near Franklin and other fellow signers.

Robert Morris was often mentioned with Washington and Franklin as an essential pillar of the American Revolution. Washington bore arms, Franklin obtained the French alliance and Morris found the money to fund the war. Morris lived with such wealth, entertainment and influential people that he was able to secure war capital but his personal estate was ruined by the fortunes of war and he, like James Wilson, ended up in a debtor’s prison. Washington, ever loyal to his friend, visited and dined with Morris in prison and offered him the job of Secretary of the Treasury. Incredibly and unselfishly Morris declined and insisted that the job be given to Alexander Hamilton! He lived five years beyond his release from prison.

George Clymer was a quiet, hansom, and unassuming, intelligent man with deep pockets who liked to work behind the scenes. When his sea captain Father passed away his uncle, who was a leaned man and a close friend of Franklin, raised him giving Clymer an opportunity to read and learn from great minds. He became a good businessman and became wealthy in his own right and fortunately for us he was a champion of Independence from Britain and put his money where his mouth was and raised lots of additional money for the cause of freedom. He also became the Captain of a corps of volunteers called the “Silk Stockings” because so many of the soldiers in that regiment were from the wealthier class. As with many signers his home was a target for British revenge.

George Ross was the uncle of John Ross who was the husband of the famous flag seamstress, Betsy Ross. Originally very loyal to the Crown he changed his position while serving in the First Continental Congress which he was chosen for because he was a successful lawyer and because Pennsylvania was not in a big rush to split with England in the days preceding the Declaration of Independence. Once war was inevitable Ross was all in and served as a colonel in the Pennsylvania Militia.

Benjamin Rush loved to gossip about everyone especially his fellow signers. He was one of the few who expressed negative views about George Washington. In 1778 he wrote and anonymous letter to Virginia Governor Patrick Henry suggesting that Washington be relieved of duty and replaced as head of the Continental Army. The letter made its way to the General who recognized Rush’s handwriting, Oops, thus ending Rush’s military contribution to the cause. A physician, he did establish the first free medical clinic in America in Philadelphia and stayed there during a horrid yellow fever epidemic when most other doctors fled. John Adams later helped get him appointed as treasure of the US mint, a position he held until his death in 1813.

George Taylor was one of the most mysterious signers and not that much has been written about him. He emigrated from Ireland and arrived without a penny in his pocket. He was bound to a Mr. Savage, the man that paid his passage, as an indentured servant until his debt was repaid. He started out shoveling coal and worked his way up to clerk. Fate intervened with the death of Savage and Taylor marrying the widow becoming the master! The iron making business prospered, he built a nice estate and served on numerous community committees before being elected to Congress where his service was almost unnoticed. (Benjamin Rush mentioned above noted that Taylor was “A respectable country gentleman, but not active in Congress.) His iron works made tons of war materials for the Continental Army but he was poorly compensated and then it was confiscated by the Loyalist Governor of the colony of Pennsylvania putting George out of business. He leased a foundry in NJ that he operated until his death in 1781.

James Smith was from Northern Ireland and his brogue and whit and storytelling entertained all in the Congress he arrived at just in time to sign the Declaration of Independence. His business back home failed because his managers were derelict in their duties loosing Smith over 5000 pounds but he even made light of this saying of his employees “one was a knave and the other a fool”(note: back then this comment would have had the audience rolling in the aisles of congress with laughter.) Two things Smith never joked about were religion and General Washington and one thing he never talked about was the date of his birth which is still unknown.

THE CITY OF FLORISSANT CELEBRATING 230 YEARS

In 1786 the Spanish Governor of Louisiana, Estaban Rogriquez Miro, appointed Frenchman Francois Dunegant to be the Civil and Military Commandant of a new village on a creek that feeds into the Missouri River. Miro named the village after a Spanish Saint, The village was called St. Ferdinand de Fleurissant. Fleurissant is the French name for the valley where this village was located which means flourishing.

The following individuals in our “WALK THROUGH HISTORY” influenced our rich Florissant history in several capacities. Don Bond, Mr. North County, served on the Florissant and the St. Louis County Council. Dave Reynolds served on the Florissant Council and in the State Legislature. James Jay Russel served in the MO legislature for 26 years and died shortly after the 50^th anniversary of his founding of Florissant Landmark BJ’s Bar and Restaurant, still the oldest continuous restaurant in town.

Donald L Bond

“Mr. North County”

17 June 1931 - 21 April 1990

Florissant Councilman 1959-1977

St. Louis County Councilman 1977-1990

He earned a reputation for fighting for his constituents, and for a high quality of life in Florissant and North County. Always easily accessible, he hosted annual picnics that are legendary. First and foremost a family man, He and Lorraine raised four children. Son Ken and daughter Jackie also served on the Florissant City Council. Don was also a successful businessman with an insurance office on St. Francois Street.

DAVID L. REYNOLDS

7 NOV 1936- 9 JAN 2003

A United States Navy veteran he served from 1976 to 1994 on the Florissant City Council, Council President in 1979.

He served as President of the St. Louis County Municipal League in 1988 and was elected to four terms as a Missouri State Representative (1995-2003)

Former owner/editor of the Florissant Valley Reporter and member of many community organizations including Rotary, Knights of Columbus and Chamber of Commerce

JAMES C. “JAY” RUSSELL, SR.

4 November 1928 – 24 February 2016

Growing up Mr. Jay Russell was raised in Russell’s Grocery, in 1955 married Delphie Mann and opened BJ’s Bar and Restaurant raising Jeanne and James Jr. Elected 1962 to MO House served 28 years, including 4 years as Appropriations Committee Chairman, pushed for UMSL campus and funds for creek improvements, 1964 donated a Sherman Tank from WWII . First Lewis & Clark Democrat Committeeman 1970 to 2008. US Marine Veteran, American Legion, Knights of Columbus.

THE PARISH OF SACRED HEART CELEBRATING 150 YEARS

Founded in 1866 primarily for German Catholics and still thriving with a strong parish and parochial school. For more information about this historic parish purchase a copy of a recently published account to chronical Sacred Heart.

“TRIUMPH OF FAITH, A History of Sacred Heart Church” has been written in celebration of the 150^th anniversary of the parish. It is a full color, hard bound 207 page book telling the story of the parish founding and establishment of the parochial school including features on priests and many generations of parishioners. It is available for purchase through the Sacred Heart History Museum or by emailing sacredhearthistorybook@gmail.com.

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December 13, 2016

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CELEBRATING 240 YEARS

There were 5 signers from New Jersey;

Abraham Clark came from a modest upbringing so had far less risk of material loss but he had more than his share of suffering. He was a self-made surveyor and amateur lawyer who became the resident go to guy as the “poor man’s councilor” because he helped folk with land disputes, mortgages, and other small legal matters. He was a hero of the middle class and exceedingly popular and therefore held a variety of public offices including the New Jersey delegation to Philadelphia. He knew that he and his family were at risk and in fact his three Sons were captured and cruelly imprisoned by the British.

Honest John Hart was a New Jersey farmer and grist mill owner and his neighbors admired him so much that he received appointments regularly that were admittedly above his education and training. The also sent him to Congress and eventually made him New Jersey’s first Speaker. On the flip side, in 1776 his wife of 36 years and 13 children died and the British invaded his neck of the woods and trashed his farm and mill and forced Mr. Hart to hide in nearby caves for an extended period of time. He continued on as the NJ Speaker and his farm and mill were back in working order and housed 12,000 of Washington’s troops in 1778. He died of a routine bout with “gravel” (Kidney Stones) at age 68.

Francis Hopkinson was a very multitalented individual and was at various times a lawyer, mathematician, chemist, physicists, mechanic, musician, and artist. He wrote the first American Opera, built a keyboard for Ben Franklin, dedicated a book of his music to his friend George Washington, played several instruments well, and designed several early versions of the American Flag that contained 13 stripes and stars. He also was on the committee to design the Great Seal of the United States with his contributions being the shield with the stripes and stars and the olive branches in one of the eagles talons.

Richard Stockton had an inherent dislike for public service so was an unlikely choice to represent NJ. Also he lived a cushy life under the crown resulting in the fact that he married well, worked in a prestigious law firm, lived in his Fathers mansion and had time to enjoy raising horses and collecting art. But he clothed and outfitted many a colonial soldier and supported the revolution which resulted in his capture and resulting poor health. Washington was instructed by Congress to negotiate Stockton’s release and when this attempt dragged on and under prison duress and in poor health Richard signed British General Howe’s “Loyalty to the Crown Declaration” essentially becoming the only signer to recant his signature on the Declaration of Independence. He died painfully at home in a weakened condition of mouth cancer before the end of the war at age 50.

Reverend John Witherspoon was the only true active clergyman in the Continental Congress. He was educated at the University of Edenborough in Scotland and was a skilled orator and writer which gained him a reputation for intelligence that spread across the ocean to New Jersey where his printed book of sermons on morality became a blockbuster hit. He was recruited to become President of Princeton University where his teaching of the “Scottish Enlightenment” and the “Common Sense philosophy” influenced future political giants like James Madison and Aaron Burr. His dislike for everything English and his eloquent expression of it led to his rapid elevation in politics and his appointment to Congress.

THE CITY OF FLORISSANT CELEBRATING 230 YEARS

The following individuals in our “WALK THROUGH HISTORY” influenced our rich Florissant history after the Depression and before our current Charter;

ARTHUR BANGERT

MAYOR OF FLORISSANT 1938-1950

Called the Father of Modern Florissant. He gave the City piped water, a sewer system, the first City library and established the Planning and Zoning, Public Works and Police Departments. He brought financial stability and legally changed the name from St. Ferdinand to Florissant.

JULES ONEIL

He served as Mayor from 1955 to 1959. He was a staunch supporter of the 1821 St. Ferdinand Church recognizing its historical significance. Through his efforts and with community support, the building was saved. The preservation movement in Florissant began during his administration.

HENRY F. KOCH

Born September 22, 1921 – Died May 21, 1988

He was Florissant’s first full-time salaried City Clerk, serving from 1950 to 1960. In that ten year period, the population of Florissant increased 921%. In 1960, he was elected as the first full-time Mayor and the last Mayor under the 1857 Charter. Before coming to Florissant he spent 10 years with the St. Louis Cardinals minor league organization as a pitcher.

THE PARISH OF SACRED HEART CELEBRATING 150 YEARS

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December 2, 2016

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CELEBRATING 240 YEARS

There were 4 signers from New York;

Philip Livingston would have been the “Prince of New York” in a different era. He owned an estate of 160,000 acres on the Hudson River and owned several homes both in and out of the City of NY. He was an argumentative, annoying contrarian in the debate for independence and missed the actual vote which contributed to the abstention of NY on the question. He eventually signed with the other NY delegates. His family continued to prosper despite Brithish occupation of NY and the burning of some of their property but Mr. Livingston was the third signer to die when he succumbed to Congestive Heart failure in 1778.

William Floyd was a minor figure in the Revolution compared to some but did his bit in Congress and also signed the Articles of Confederation. He suffered the loss of his wife after the evacuation of their NY property when the British occupied it. They used his nice home as a stable and he was forced to renovate it after the war. He was the first from NY to sign the Declaration when NY made the Declaration unanimous.

Francis Lewis was the oldest NY signer and was essentially retired when he jumped on the independence bandwagon. Orphaned as a child in Wales and raised by an aunt he was educated and apprenticed in Britain. With a small inheritance received at 21 he set out to invest in goods to sell in New England and made a fortune in the mercantile business. While supplying forces in the French and Indian War he was captured and held prisoner for 7 years. He was a big Whig in the NY Sons of Liberty and was elected to Congress in 1775 putting his business sense to work for Independence. He knew the risk of signing the Declaration of Independence but even he was surprised when a British Man of War fired on his shoreline house with his family still in it.

Lewis Morris had a grand estate in the South Bronx which is now the low income neighborhood called Morrisania. Like all the NY signers Morris was wealthy but he naturally carried himself like a rich, handsome, and popular aristocrat. When the British garrisoned troops in NY and wanted New Yorkers to pay the bill Morris was furious and vocal with his objection and eventually was elected to Congress. He was an important member of the munitions committee to arm the Continental Army and also served in that Army as a Major General. His service is made more remarkable because he knew that the British would thoroughly trash his Grand Estate which he never recovered and is now blighted.

THE CITY OF FLORISSANT CELEBRATING 230 YEARS

The following individuals influenced our rich Florissant history after the 1857 charter and before the Depression;

GREGORIE AUBUCHON

FLORISSANT’S FIRST MAYOR

He was a descendant of Joseph Aubuchon who was in Florissant as early as 1790.

In 1857 when the Missouri State Legislature changed Florissant’s form of government from trusteeship to mayor-council he became the first mayor under that Special Charter which lasted 106 years.

CHARLES CASTELLO

22 May 1839 – 11 December 1893

Elected twenty-seven times to the office of Mayor serving longer than anyone except Mayor Eagan. He served from 1865 to 1890 and then again from 1892 to 1893, dying in office. He helped to bring the West End Narrow Gauge Railroad to Florissant and under his leadership Florissant offered land and $10,000 if it were made the county seat. While Charles remained in Florissant his father who is believed to have been the first Republican Sheriff of St. Louis County traveled to Colorado, settling there and giving the name of his hometown to Florissant, Colorado. Charles was Chairman of the St. Louis County Democratic Committee from 1888 to 1892 and a street in Florissant has been named for him.

JOSEPH PETERS

1832 – 1913,

A founder of the first bank in Florissant and of the Florissant Canning Factory, he owned the company the Joseph Peters Furniture Company in St. Louis. He has been described as “one of the industrial builders of St. Louis.” He was Mayor in 1897 and his home stood on the grounds of the 1970 City Hall where he himself planted many of the trees that were preserved to enhance the property, many of which still stand on our city hall lawn today.

SIDNEY GARRETT

1864 – 1933

He served Florissant first as Town Marshal, then Postmaster and from 1915 to 1929 as Mayor. He was a partner in the St. Ferdinand Milling Company and as Mayor had the first street lights installed and established the Volunteer Fire Department after the 3 story Loreto Academy (located on the higher ground where the Valley of Flowers Festival amusement rides are set up annually on the Knights of Columbus grounds), burned to the ground on January 4, 1919. His Great Grandson, Bob Garrett, served on the City Council for many years representing Ward 6.

THE PARISH OF SACRED HEART CELEBRATING 150 YEARS

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December 1, 2016

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA CELEBRATING 240 YEARS

There were 4 signers from Connecticut;

Samuel Huntington is considered by some, on a technicality, to have been the true first President of the United States. He was serving as President of the assembled Continental Congress when the Articles of Confederation transferred the 13 sovereign States into a single entity known as the United States were approved on March 1, 1781. Therefore a good many people in Connecticut and some others have attempted to include him in the line of Presidents along with the other nine who served in that capacity.

Roger Sherman was a cobbler and rose from humble beginnings to become the only individual to sign four very important documents; The Articles of Association, the Declaration of Independence, The Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. It was Roger Sherman’s idea to form a duel legislative system to protect the smaller states by adding a Senate with equal representation to all States to the House of Representative made up according to population in each state.

William Williams lived to be 79 after being very generous with his time, talent and coin to the cause of the American Revolution. His tombstone declares “A firm, steady, and ardent friend of his country, and in the darkest times risked his life and wealth in her defense.”

Oliver Wolcott was the 15^th child of a Royal appointed Connecticut Colony Governor. He fought for the Crown in the French and Indian War but for the American side in the Revolution as a Major General at prominent campaigns like Saratoga and New York. He was able to break from the War to sign the Declaration and the Articles of Confederation. After the war he continued to serve and eventually became Governor of Connecticut 45 years after his Father was the Royal Governor.

THE CITY OF FLORISSANT CELEBRATING 230 YEARS

The following individuals influenced our rich history prior to the 1857 charter;

FERDINAND III OF CASTILE – Namesake of the original name of our City

Born: 1199 Died: 5-30-1252

King of Spain from 1217 to 1252, he was canonized by Pope Clement X in 1671. He was a capable and just administrator, spreading Christianity throughout his kingdom. He frove the Moors out of most of Spain, founded monasteries, established the University of Salamanca and endowed hospitals

FRANCOIS DUNEGANT dit BOROSIER

Born in Canada 1752

Died in Florissant September 13, 1825

Commissioned by the Spanish Governor as the Military and Civil Commandant of the Village of St. Ferdinand de Florissant throughout the Spanish regime, often described as a man of honesty and integrity who shaped and guided

History Reflections of the Day

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