Though Gerald didn't become a an incorporated village until June 12, 1907, there were many other inhabitants. As early as 1800's, many inhabitants lived here. Osage Indians would come to a trading post to buy and trade food.
The settlers themselves were mostly farmers. They grew corn, wheat, cotton, tobacco, and flax. At first they only grew enough for personal consumption, but later would haul their crops to New Haven, Hermann, or Washington on the Missouri River.
During the war times in the 1800's the armies would come through on horse back and take all the food the people had, take their horses and take all of the men they could find to fight leaving the women, children, and elderly to fend for themselves.
Springfield Road was a famous road in the 1800's being used for a mail route, and a stage coach route. It is one of the oldest roads in the state. It was a common occurrence to see Texas cattle being driven from Texas to St. Louis on a cattle drive.
On this road, during the late 1800's was a place called "Shotwell" (which later became Gerald when the railroad came through). This is where all the settlers would come to buy their food, clothing and sell their farm products. This town got it's name in an interesting way. It seems John Seaton, the first postmaster, named it this when two pioneer settlers were hunting in the same place thinking it was theirs, and when the two became aware of each other they started shooting at each other., It was named in honor of such good shooting-neither man was injured.
In 1901 Gerald was born when the Rock Island Railroad laid their tracks from Union through Gerald as far west as what we now know as Soap Creek Bridge west of Rosebud. Shortly after this it became necessary to have a name for this train stop so shipments could be sent here. The civil engineer with Rock Island named Major Marvin insisted they call the stop Fitzgerald. Dr. Wm Fitzgerald, a county physician, was against the Fitz part saying that he didn't want people to call out his name when he wasn't needed. Gerald itself means "Strong with the Spear," in German.
Interesting Events and Tragedies
There has been three train wrecks in Gerald since 1901. One in 1909, one in 1965, and one in 1970.
When Gerald had a population of 175 it had four saloons.
A field mouse crawled into an electric mechanism at town water pump No. 2 and caused a water shortage.
The town water system conked out and the city was without water for two weeks in 1952.
In the spring of 1955 a small tornado hit Gerald doing damage along Highway H and Springfield Road. One house roof was taken off and trees were uprooted.
A plane from Scott Air Force Base crashed killing two men in the fall of 1954 about 4 miles north of Gerald. The remains were picked up in pieces by the Meyer Ambulance Service.
The Citizens Bank of Gerald was robbed Sept. 11, 1967 of $98,000. It was the largest in the state of Missouri at the time, and it was done by one man.
Gerald was without electricity December 2, 1967 in very cold weather and snow blizzard for 13 hours.
Earthquake shook Gerald November 9, 1968. Also felt in twenty other states.
Someone was informed March 12, 1969 that Gerald would be featured in National Geo. Magazine in an article by Modern Kit Carson. It did happen.
Shell Pipe Line broke on July 27, 1971. Oil ran down ditches streets and soaked the ground and traveled to the city lagoon.
Gerald Police Station was set afire on Christmas Eve 1971 and about ten minutes after the fire alarm sounded two firemen ran together at the intersection damaging both cars, and both men were injured.
Several people spent an evening looking for Al Szasz's pet kangaroo that got away after a show at the Gerald Fire Hall.
Did You Know......
That Mr. and Mrs. Charles Keotting were the first couple married in Gerald?
That there is a cemetery beneath Highway 50 nearly in the center of town? There are more than 40 people buried there. Everyone buried there was buried before 1870. It is known to be true that most of these graves were Indians from the Osage tribe.
That Gerald had three years of High School at one time?
That a smallpox scare arose in 1916-1917 and then again in 1930? All residents were asked to get vaccinated. Quarantine signs were seen on several doors as a few Gerald residents actually suffered from the disease.
That Gerald received its electricity in 1925 provided by Gasconade power company.
That Peter Helling owned the first car in Gerald, it was a Sears Roebuck model with a chain drive.
That T. W. Weber gave Gerald its first house numbering program?
That there is a cave beneath a bank in Gerald. It was found when the bank was built.
I would like to thank Rosena Willis for her use of the Gerald Wanderings 1976 book. It was written by Opal Schulte.