The Turnbo Manuscripts
by Silas Claiborne Turnbo
1844-1925
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THEY TORE UP ALL THE FRACTIONAL MONEY
By S. C. Turnbo
One of the old time citizens who lived in Cole County, Missouri, in the ante belum days was James Stevens and Mary Ann Stevens, his wife. Mr. Stevens died in Cole County and is buried in the Lucinda Amos graveyard 3 miles west of Russellville. After the death of Stevens his widow married Joe Bennette and they moved to Marion County, Arkansas, where they both died. Their mortal remains lie in the cemetery at Protem, Missouri. Among Mr. Stevens’ sons is Frank, who was born in Moniteau County, Missouri, February 21, 1855. Frank’s parents were living in Cole County when the war broke out and he was old enough to remember money of the incident of war times that come under his observations or near where he was. "One day," said he, "while the Civil War was going on my two sisters, Rhoda and Clara, and my brother, Bill, while in company with Miss Sarah Shackles and Enoch Shackles and Minus Farris and Sam Amos went to the South Moreau River 6 miles south of High Point to pass off time. After the party had stood at the edge of the water for some time which was at the ford of the river they left the water’s edge and followed the road up the bank where on top of it they met a bunch of robbers unexpectly. Farris and Amos were grown. The other two boys were small. Minus Farris was in front and they made him pull off his boots, hat and give up his pocket book. Then they compelled Amos to do the same as they had made Farris do. When they opened the pocket books they found several small shin plasters such as 10, 15, 20 and 25 cent bills, which they tore into small bits and threw the scraps down into the road. The robbers did not dismount from their horses and just before they took their departure they made the two young men come close up to them and two of the bandits pulled off their old slouched hats and put them on the young fellows’ heads and put their hats on and rode off. The robbers did not molest none of the other party. On the following day a number of people visited the spot where the boys had been robbed the day previous and picked up a number of pieces of the torn up money."
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