William N. Barron
Encyclopedia
William Nelson Barron was a lawyer from who settled in Poplar Bluff, Missouri
in about 1894. In 1900, he became the plant manager and president of a factory that manufactured barrel staves and headers, known as the Brooklyn Cooperage Company after 1910, a subsidiary of the American Sugar Refining Company
.
The unassembled barrels were shipped to Cuba
and other sugar-producing countries. Barron oversaw the construction of the Butler County Railroad connecting Piggott, Arkansas
to Poplar Bluff, Missouri
, which was used primarily to haul lumber before being sold in 1928 to the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway
. Barron named the towns along the railroad, which included:
Barron stated that he used Latin botanical names for the towns instead of the monotonous English tree names which were overused in Missouri. After exhausting the timber in the area, Barron became president of what would be called the Inter-River Drainage District, which drained thousands of acres of cut-over swamp land in Butler County, Missouri
, by the construction of 200 miles (321.9 km) of ditches and 50 miles (80.5 km) of levees, starting in 1919.
Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Poplar Bluff is a city in Butler County located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is the county seat of Butler County and is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. As of the 2000 U.S...
in about 1894. In 1900, he became the plant manager and president of a factory that manufactured barrel staves and headers, known as the Brooklyn Cooperage Company after 1910, a subsidiary of the American Sugar Refining Company
American Sugar Refining Company
The American Sugar Refining Company was the largest American business unit in the sugar refining industry in the early 1900s.-Establishment:...
.
The unassembled barrels were shipped to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and other sugar-producing countries. Barron oversaw the construction of the Butler County Railroad connecting Piggott, Arkansas
Piggott, Arkansas
Piggott, Arkansas is a city in Clay County, Arkansas, one of that county's two seats . It is also the northern terminus of the Arkansas segment of Crowley's Ridge Parkway. As of the 2000 census, Piggott's population was 3,894. The town was founded by William N...
to Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Poplar Bluff, Missouri
Poplar Bluff is a city in Butler County located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is the county seat of Butler County and is known as "The Gateway to the Ozarks" among other names. As of the 2000 U.S...
, which was used primarily to haul lumber before being sold in 1928 to the St. Louis-San Francisco Railway
St. Louis-San Francisco Railway
The St. Louis – San Francisco Railway , also known as the Frisco, was a railroad that operated in the Midwest and South Central U.S. from 1876 to 1980.-History:...
. Barron named the towns along the railroad, which included:
- Broseley, MissouriBroseley, MissouriBroseley is an unincorporated community in eastern Butler County, Missouri. It is located on Route 51 about ten miles southeast of Poplar Bluff. The community was founded in 1915 by William N. Barron and is named after his wife's hometown of Broseley in England....
, after his wife's hometown of BroseleyBroseleyBroseley is a small town in Shropshire, England with a population of 4,912 . The River Severn flows to the north and east of the town. Broseley has a town council and is part of the area controlled by Shropshire Council. The first iron bridge in the world was built in 1779 to link Broseley with...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. - Tipperary, Missouri, after the song It's a Long Way to TipperaryIt's a Long Way to TipperaryIt's a Long Way to Tipperary is a British music hall and marching song written by Jack Judge and co-credited to, but not co-written by, Henry James "Harry" Williams. It was allegedly written for a 5 shilling bet in Stalybridge on 30 January 1912 and performed the next night at the local music hall...
. Workers had to walk a "long way" to install a railroad switchRailroad switchA railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
here. - Batesville, Missouri, constructed on Horace Bates' farm.
- Spread, Missouri
- Fagus, MissouriFagus, MissouriFagus is an unincorporated community in southeastern Butler County, Missouri. It is located on Route 51 about eighteen miles southeast of Poplar Bluff near the Arkansas state line. The community was founded by lumberman William N. Barron after the Latin word for "beech tree"...
. Fagus is the Latin botanical genus for the European Beech native to his home country of England. Barron was surprised to actually find beech trees growing nearby. - Quercus, Missouri. Quercus is the Latin botanical name for the oak tree.
- Nyssa, Missouri. NyssaTupeloThe tupelo , black gum, or pepperidge tree, genus Nyssa , is a small genus of about 9 to 11 species of trees with alternate, simple leaves...
is the Latin botanical name for the tupelo tree. - Celtis, Missouri. Celtis is the Latin botanical name for the hackberry tree.
- Ilex, Missouri. Ilex is the Latin botanical name for the holly tree.
- Platanus, Missouri. PlatanusPlatanusPlatanus is a small genus of trees native to the Northern Hemisphere. They are the sole living members of the family Platanaceae....
is the Latin botanical name for the sycamore tree. - Ulmus, Missouri. Ulmus is the Latin botanical name for the elm tree.
Barron stated that he used Latin botanical names for the towns instead of the monotonous English tree names which were overused in Missouri. After exhausting the timber in the area, Barron became president of what would be called the Inter-River Drainage District, which drained thousands of acres of cut-over swamp land in Butler County, Missouri
Butler County, Missouri
Butler County is a county located in the southeast Ozark Foothills Region in Southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county's population was 42,794. The largest city and county seat is Poplar Bluff. The county was officially organized from Wayne County on February...
, by the construction of 200 miles (321.9 km) of ditches and 50 miles (80.5 km) of levees, starting in 1919.