Shelbina Democrat – 21 August 1901

Hagers Grove

This village bears the name of the man who first bought the land and settled there, John Hager. First a blacksmith ship was run, and as it was an elegant site for a town, being an elevated, shady spot overlooking Salt River and its large and fertile valley, a store was opened, then another. A Saw mill was located there in 1857, four years “befo’ de wa’,” by William P. Casey, Dr. Pile and Joseph and William Walker of Iowa. Spaulding is the name of the first blacksmith so far as we can learn, and Thos. J. Blackburn was the first merchant, his stock in trade consisting of a barrel of whiskey then considered the staff of life, some crackers, cheese, and a few other articles. In ’59 G. L. and B. F. Smith bought the store and enlarged the stock, and Ed Gray, then county surveyor, was their clerk. The Smiths and Gray are remembered by most of the people of this county. At the beginning of the war Morris Osborn, well known to the people, became interested in the store.

A post office was established there in ’59. During some of the troublesome times, when raiders of both sides were numerous, the store was closed, but opened again after the unpleasantness ended, and Lam Irwin and John Patton opened another. Later, Sam Patton was the principal business man there. He died and J. G. Roy became the business man of the place. Dr. Sanders long did the medical practice about that locality, but last spring he sold out to his partner, Dr. Roy, and has located in Clarence.

Just now nearly all that country is visiting the town, or passing through it, to the deep hole in the river where water abounds. One man remarked Saturday: “It would be bad should it rain and make it so muddy we couldn’t haul water.”

J. G. Roy and son are the leading merchants at the Grove, and they do a large business. Mr. Roy is a cousin of Judge Roy of New London, and he has been engaged in business at his present stand for many years. Everybody has the greatest confidence in him in every respect. He has but three sons, the oldest of whom is the physician there, having a large practice. The second is associated with his father in the mercantile trade; and the other is still a school boy, bright and intelligent.