Soldier's map of fortification

Here is a short concise story of the Second Battle of Boonville-
Excerpt from: Bicentennial Boonslick History , Boonslick Historical Society(1976), pg. 82.

BOB #1.jpg
BOB #2.jpg
 
In previous posts I made a few inaccurate statements. The Boonville soldier who died in the second battle of Boonville was John A. Hayn (not Hayne). The battle was on September 13 (Not August). And the street entering the soldier map near the warehouse was Rural Street (not Water St.) Today during another cemetery walk, the light conditions were perfect for recording inscriptions on stones. I really like the inscription on Hayn's stone:

In memory of J.A. Hayn. Born Sept 30, 1832. Died in Defense of the National Banner at Boonville,
Sept. 13, 1861.

He was standing on top of the burial mound when he was shot. The local GAR post was named for him.

Hayn-32.jpg
 
You grew up on the Lilly farm - what can you tell me about the House on the other side of the Mule Yard?
Good morning! I'm glad I clicked into the site this morning and found your notification.

The current house on that site is not the original house, but it's on the same lot and possibly on the same foundation as the house indicated on the soldier map. You can see that it precisely aligns with the soldier map in my satellite overlay. The current house was built in about 1900 by John Henry Stretz (most likely one of your ancestors) to showcase his skills as a brick mason. The house and retaining wall in front are still beautiful examples of his polychrome brick work. John Henry had a son named Leonard who owned the house when I was a kid, and who spent some weekends there. I think he lived in Kansas City. I never met Leonard, but my parents and uncles and many people of their generation all knew him.

The Stretz property is long and narrow and extends all the way from Morgan Street to the bluffs overlooking the railroad right of way along the river. In a fence row on the West side of the property is a circa 1920 - 25 marker where John Hayn and Ferdinand Kimball died in the
2nd Battle of Boonville. (I think Kimball died later of his wounds. His name is misspelled on the marker, and given as "Gimble.")

More recently, a marker was placed on the back of the Stretz property commemorating the site of Hannah Cole's fort after the War of 1812. Cole's fort was probably on the site of the old hospital / Fair Grounds, but it was very close to the Stretz property. Can you tell me about this marker? It wasn't there when I was a kid. I imagine it was placed by someone in your family.

If you look closely on the soldier map and read earlier posts to this thread, you'll see that a number of soldiers were buried on the back of the property. My uncle knew of oral tradition about these graves and told me they were in the eastern fence row of the Stretz property. The soldier map shows them a little more west of the fence row.

My boyhood home evolved to its current appearance around 1904, and I am certain it was altered and built out from the "bones" of the Lilly farmhouse. When my father had some remodeling done after WWII, signed and dated plaster was uncovered, indicating much earlier construction.

My older brothers remember the place as a farm. I remember it more as a developing residential area. My friend and fellow member here, @Boonslick, conducted a survery of historic sites and buildings in Boonville during the 1970s. He has more information about the property. I called him as soon as I saw your inquiry, and I've given you the high points of his survey report. That neighborhood is one of the most history-rich areas in the entire town and county. Feel free to send me a private message about the property.
 
You grew up on the Lilly farm - what can you tell me about the House on the other side of the Mule Yard?
My friend and fellow member here, @Boonslick, conducted a survery of historic sites and buildings in Boonville during the 1970s. He has more information about the property. I called him as soon as I saw your inquiry, and I've given you the high points of his survey report. That neighborhood is one of the most history-rich areas in the entire town and county.

@Stretz- I am assuming that you are related to Leonard and Annabel Stretz, the owners of the house and property at the time that I conducted a survey of the old houses and buildings in Boonville prior to the submitted National Register of Historic Places nomination of 1981. I knew Leonard Stretz the last years of his life. He and his wife were somewhat reclusive but we got on well since we had common interests-Boonville history and the Santa Fe Trail. It is an interesting house with the polychrome brickwork and the surrounding brick structures- the large barn of which was razed a few years back. No one has lived in the house since the time of Mrs. Stretz's passing. I have attached the Survey Form that I wrote up in 1980 from the information that I had gathered at that time. Indecently, the house is currently for sale at the present time at https://www.realtor.com/realestatea...an-St_Boonville_MO_65233_M77225-85071?view=qv

Stretz Survey pg. 1a.jpg
Stretz Survey Pg 2a.jpg
 
Last edited:
Good morning! I'm glad I clicked into the site this morning and found your notification.

The current house on that site is not the original house, but it's on the same lot and possibly on the same foundation as the house indicated on the soldier map. You can see that it precisely aligns with the soldier map in my satellite overlay. The current house was built in about 1900 by John Henry Stretz (most likely one of your ancestors) to showcase his skills as a brick mason. The house and retaining wall in front are still beautiful examples of his polychrome brick work. John Henry had a son named Leonard who owned the house when I was a kid, and who spent some weekends there. I think he lived in Kansas City. I never met Leonard, but my parents and uncles and many people of their generation all knew him.

The Stretz property is long and narrow and extends all the way from Morgan Street to the bluffs overlooking the railroad right of way along the river. In a fence row on the West side of the property is a circa 1920 - 25 marker where John Hayn and Ferdinand Kimball died in the
2nd Battle of Boonville. (I think Kimball died later of his wounds. His name is misspelled on the marker, and given as "Gimble.")

More recently, a marker was placed on the back of the Stretz property commemorating the site of Hannah Cole's fort after the War of 1812. Cole's fort was probably on the site of the old hospital / Fair Grounds, but it was very close to the Stretz property. Can you tell me about this marker? It wasn't there when I was a kid. I imagine it was placed by someone in your family.

If you look closely on the soldier map and read earlier posts to this thread, you'll see that a number of soldiers were buried on the back of the property. My uncle knew of oral tradition about these graves and told me they were in the eastern fence row of the Stretz property. The soldier map shows them a little more west of the fence row.

My boyhood home evolved to its current appearance around 1904, and I am certain it was altered and built out from the "bones" of the Lilly farmhouse. When my father had some remodeling done after WWII, signed and dated plaster was uncovered, indicating much earlier construction.

My older brothers remember the place as a farm. I remember it more as a developing residential area. My friend and fellow member here, @Boonslick, conducted a survery of historic sites and buildings in Boonville during the 1970s. He has more information about the property. I called him as soon as I saw your inquiry, and I've given you the high points of his survey report. That neighborhood is one of the most history-rich areas in the entire town and county. Feel free to send me a private message about the property.
How do I private message you?

John Henry Stretz was my great grandfather - my grandpa Norbert lived in that house. Leonard was his half brother - they shared the same father and their mothers were sisters. After Norbert's mother (she had 8 children) died his father married her sister and they had 4 more children - Leonard was the youngest. It was Leonard's wife, Annabelle, who put up the Hannah Cole marker - she died in 2006, so it was sometime before that.
I live in Washington state - my sister lives in New Mexico. We both attended a family reunion in 2017 and met our cousin Mary who lives in Jefferson City, cousin Jodi who lives in Michigan and cousin Julie who lives in Kansas. We were able to spend some time on the property - unfortunately the house is in a sad state. The outdoor kitchen is still there - the carriage house and the outhouse had already collapsed.
The basement looked really old - older than the house and we were hoping to learn more about that.
We would love to learn more about your story and the Lilly house.
Do you still live in Boonville?
It would be a dream to be able to generate enough interest in the historical value of the property to restore the house. We met the current owner of the property last summer and he shared the civil war map with us - we were so amazed! Then we found out that about 1 week after we met him he was in an auto accident and killed. His wife is selling the property. His name was Cassanova (really) and he had started to work on the house.
Anyway, my cousin Mary, who lives in Jefferson City, would love to meet you guys on the property and just walk and talk and share information. She wants to walk the Lilly farm, too and learn as much as she can to share with the rest of us. She has the abstract of the Stretz property and it has Hannah Cole's name on it. Can't you just image a little historical venue that covers the Hannah Cole fort, the State Fair, the Confederate armory, the Union Fort, the 2nd Battle of Boonville, the Civil War markers and who knows what all else?
My email address is [email protected]. Please send me your contact information.
 
@Stretz- I am assuming that you are related to Leonard and Annabel Stretz, the owners of the house and property at the time that I conducted a survey of the old houses and buildings in Boonville prior to the submitted National Register of Historic Places nomination of 1981. I knew Leonard Stretz the last years of his life. He and his wife were somewhat reclusive but we got on well since we had common interests-Boonville history and the Santa Fe Trail. It is an interesting house with the polychrome brickwork and the surrounding brick structures- the large barn of which was razed a few years back. No one has lived in the house since the time of Mrs. Stretz's passing. I have attached the Survey Form that I wrote up in 1980 from the information that I had gathered at that time. Indecently, the house is currently for sale at the present time at https://www.realtor.com/realestatea...an-St_Boonville_MO_65233_M77225-85071?view=qv

View attachment 356665View attachment 356666
John Henry Stretz was my great grandfather - my grandpa Norbert lived in that house. Leonard was his half brother - they shared the same father and their mothers were sisters. After Norbert's mother (she had 8 children) died his father married her sister and they had 4 more children - Leonard was the youngest. It was Leonard's wife, Annabelle, who put up the Hannah Cole marker - she died in 2006, so it was sometime before that.
I live in Washington state - my sister lives in New Mexico. We both attended a family reunion in 2017 and met our cousin Mary who lives in Jefferson City, cousin Jodi who lives in Michigan and cousin Julie who lives in Kansas. We were able to spend some time on the property - unfortunately the house is in a sad state. The outdoor kitchen is still there - the carriage house and the outhouse had already collapsed.
Do you live in Boonville?
It would be a dream to be able to generate enough interest in the historical value of the property to restore the house. We met the current owner of the property last summer and he shared the civil war map with us - we were so amazed! Then we found out that about 1 week after we met him he was in an auto accident and killed. His wife is selling the property. His name was Cassanova (really) and he had started to work on the house.
Do you have any details about why the house did not qualify for Historic Places nomination? How did you get involved in doing the surveys?
We could not believe it when we saw the map on the civilwartalk site. We decided we need to try and contact you to see what else we could learn. It is all just so fascinating.
Anyway, my cousin Mary, who lives in Jefferson City, would love to meet you guys on the property and just walk and talk and share information. She wants to walk the Lilly farm, too and learn as much as she can to share with the rest of us. She has the abstract of the Stretz property and it has Hannah Cole's name on it. Can't you just image a little historical venue that covers the Hannah Cole fort, the State Fair, the Confederate armory, the Union Fort, the 2nd Battle of Boonville, the Civil War markers and who knows what all else?
My email address is [email protected]. Please send me your contact information.
 
The J.H. Stretz House was added to the Boonville nomination in 1982 and is designated # 82005330.

See:

(Scroll 3/4 of the way down the page.)
 
Back
Top