Hospital and State Capitol

Jefferson City, Missouri          High 81 Low 55

This morning we drove over to the Hospital where my Mother-in-Law is. She seemed to be a lot better and we found a puzzle in the waiting room which she promptly started to work on.

We stayed a while and had to go back to the RV Park to let the dogs out.

After lunch we went back to the hospital and picked up Linda. We then drove to the State Capitol. We took a guided tour (free) which was all about the art work in the building. The building was built Starting I think in 1913 and finished in 1917. Our guide told us that 4 million dollars was raised to build the building and the actual cost was 3 million. The extra million was used to put art work in the building. The statues in front of the building are of Thomas Jefferson, The Father of Waters (the Mississippi River), and The Mother of Waters (The Missouri River).

The paintings are drawn so that they seem to move as you pass them. One had a small boy that seemed to watch you as you pass. We thought it was interesting. We then went to the 4^th floor and got to go into the House chambers. Our guide told us we weren’t allowed in the Senate. The House part had lots of nice stained glass. It was a nice tour and our tour guide answered a lot of our questions about what we were seeing.

Of course Penney had to go with us.

 There was a section that had busts of famous people either born or lived in Missouri. I think he told us there were 41 busts there. Some of them were Mark Twain, Harry Truman, and Laura Ingles Wilder of Little House on the Prairie fame.

 We found out from the last Park we were in, that all of Missouri's history was far from spotless. We had gone to the site of a Massacre by Missourians upon the people of Kansas. We went today to the State Archives and saw the original Extermination Order signed by Governor Boggs in 1838 :
  Missouri Executive Order Number 44, read as follows:

“

Headquarters of the Militia, City of Jefferson, Oct. 27, 1838. Gen. John B. Clark: Sir: Since the order of this morning to you, directing you to cause four hundred mounted men to be raised within your division, I have received by Amos Reese, Esq., of Ray county, and Wiley C. Williams, Esq., one of my aids [sic], information of the most appalling character, which entirely changes the face of things, and places the Mormons in the attitude of an open and avowed defiance of the laws, and of having made war upon the people of this state. Your orders are, therefore, to hasten your operation with all possible speed. The Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the state if necessary for the public peace--their outrages are beyond all description. If you can increase your force, you are authorized to do so to any extent you may consider necessary. I have just issued orders to Maj. Gen. Willock, of Marion county, to raise five hundred men, and to march them to the northern part of Daviess, and there unite with Gen. Doniphan, of Clay, who has been ordered with five hundred men to proceed to the same point for the purpose of intercepting the retreat of the Mormons to the north. They have been directed to communicate with you by express, you can also communicate with them if you find it necessary. Instead therefore of proceeding as at first directed to reinstate the citizens of Daviess in their homes, you will proceed immediately to Richmond and then operate against the Mormons. Brig. Gen. Parks of Ray, has been ordered to have four hundred of his brigade in readiness to join you at Richmond. The whole force will be placed under your command. I am very respectfully, yr obt st [your obedient servant], L. W. Boggs, Commander-in-Chief.

”

“

WHEREAS, on October 27, 1838, the Governor of the State of Missouri, Lilburn W. Boggs, signed an order calling for the extermination or expulsion of Mormons from the State of Missouri; and WHEREAS, Governor Boggs' order clearly contravened the rights to life, liberty, property and religious freedom as guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States, as well as the Constitution of the State of Missouri; and WHEREAS, in this bicentennial year as we reflect on our nation's heritage, the exercise of religious freedom is without question one of the basic tenets of our free democratic republic; Now, THEREFORE, I, CHRISTOPHER S. BOND, Governor of the State of Missouri, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the State of Missouri, do hereby order as follows: Expressing on behalf of all Missourians our deep regret for the injustice and undue suffering which was caused by the 1838 order, I hereby rescind Executive Order Number 44, dated October 27, 1838, issued by Governor W. Boggs. In witness I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the great seal of the State of Missouri, in the city of Jefferson, on this 25 day of June, 1976. (Signed) Christopher S. Bond, Governor.

”

This was signed 137 years after the original order.

After order number 44 went out many of the Mormons were killed and it resulted  into their moving to Illinois. We find this kind of history fascinating.

These 2 pictures are the original Order.

After we took Linda back, we decided to stop at the Central Dairy. One of our Blog readers had suggested it and every time we passed it they looked very busy. Since it is on the same street as the Hospital, we didn’t have to go out of our way. They were very busy, but the lines went through really fast. And the ice-cream cones were very generous and the ice-cream was good.

Linda came over and told us that she didn’t think their Mom would be released tomorrow, but will know better in the morning.

Thanks for visiting.