Visiting Kirksville

I met my mom and dad in Missouri where they just bought a house when I was there two weeks ago. Their house is in Brashear. Dad drove me around the block and showed me where he remembered visiting his grandmother Downing.

They showed me the house they bought. It is still really rough, but it can be livable, but for $16K cash it was a pretty good deal. Brashear is a forgotten town, so there is not much hope for it as an investment property.

Dad took me to see the local cemeteries where a few of the Downing kin were buried. I also saw the grave of Clara Gibson who wrote the letters I have posted here and her dear Hubby, Henry Lay. I felt a sort of awe and thought "hi." I have come to know her so well. Hmh! I just thought: it's kind of like meeting someone you have been talking to online for a long time; like, 'okay, it's a real person, and I already know so much about them.

We drove down N Franklin Street where the letters were addressed from; where Clara lived with her parents Clarinda Ellen Kiggins and Thomas Henry Gibson. (Yes, same first and middle name as the man Clara married.) We knew the house they lived in would not be there, and we couldn't remember the exact address (I now know it was 311 N. Franklin), but as we were driving I saw an attorney's office (or some such) that was titled Selby House, and I knew that was the home of the infamous Mrs. Selby (see the post from June 26 1913) who had to water plants out on her porch to have an excuse to peep at the events at the Gibson house. The address there was 316. I must conclude then that the house was across the street. The Selby house was much larger than I imagined by about double. It was red brick. I didn't get pictures or pay too much attention to architectural details, but I will have the opportunity to visit again, I'm sure.