h/o 1st Mary Helen Darr, 2nd Stella Vere Hennessy
NOTE: Much early information used was gleaned from C E Lacy, a descendent of German born, Gustave Meyer, a seven year older half brother of "Fred" Steadley.
Birth: 1st of four known children of mother's 2nd husband in Galena, Jo Daviess county, Illinois with surname Stuedie, some spelling it as Stuedle, changed to Steadley.
Parents believed to have moved from Europe around 1853, via New Orleans up the Mississippi river, first to northwestern most county in Illinois, Jo Daviess county, then after his birth and brother Adolph (born 1859) in Galena, Illinois, to Missouri river town of Lexington, LaFayette county, Missouri with its oldest Military School west of Mississippi river.
Census: 1860, age 2 Lexington, Lafayette county, Missouri with parents, two older half-siblings & one younger sibling, father a wagon maker.
Birth of brother Frank Albert, 2 March 1861, seven months before Civil War Battle of Lexington, and sister Anna around 1863.
~ Mother passes away towards end of Civil War, around 1865 in Lexington.
Census: 1870, age 12 Lexington, Lafayette county, Missouri with father, step-mother & younger sister, father a wagon maker.
Reportedly, father, Bathazer Stuedie/Stuedle , remarried in 1870, maintaining the German spelling of surname, raising another family.
"Fred", at age 18 went east a bit to Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri around 1875 where his sister Anna was also found in 1880 Federal census and she reportedly died before 1900, "Fred" having a jewelry shop, got married six years later, the union bringing forth two sons, his only known children.
Census: 1880, age 23, Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri, single, in a hotel with many others, occupation Jeweler.
He removed his 1st wife and two sons to Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri around 1890 and with brother, Frank Albert, bought Alexander J Kirke's jewelry store near north end at west side of square in the Bank of Carthage building operating it, next north to where the 1890 Kansas created Ramsay Brothers Dry Goods Store opened a store in 1895. F W Steadley was elected county recorder in 1898, year his wife died, serving four years.
Reportedly, from an article in Carthage Evening Press copied in this magazine's Vol 19, July 1899, the following regarding new, 9 acre, Carthage Quarry north of Carthage, Missouri west from Carthage Stone company of Curtis Wright, John W Ground & Wm R Logan, to wit:
Eugene O'Keefe, president, F A Steadley, vice-president, F W Steadley, secretary-treasure with Martin McNerney general manager, brother P J McNerney and Col W H Phelps stockholders. Bob O'Brien was Quarry Boss.
This same group were also reportedly involved with the Center Creek Marble Company.
It went on to say that Martin McNerney was first to use Carthage stone in 1881 constructing bridges for Missouri-Pacific RR.
A second story, but not as well documented, constructed mostly from obituaries, was: ~ ~ ~ F W's first connection with the marble industry was around 1899 when he became a stockholder with McNerney brothers who used much stone in their construction company for railroads, buildings, homes, etc from newly formed Carthage Quarry company. They started with the total of 10 acres, with Martin president and P J vice-president and Eugene O'Keefe also a director/investor.
F W became manager of the company in 1907, and it was renamed F W Steadley Company around time of Martin McNerney's death.
March 1, 1927, The Carthage Marble Corporation was organized and created by George Busboom and others. This consisted of six quarries, the largest being F W Steadley's 250/300 acre quarry, valued at over a million dollars along with five other smaller quarries. He turned down being its first president, with youngest son, Kent D Steadley, becoming president, a friend and the prime organizer, George Busboom, of Nebraska, became its second president of the then reported $5,000,000.00 stone quarry company.
To view many nation wide structures using Carthage stone, view publication: Structures and Monuments in Which Missouri Stone was Used., by Peggy B. and George (Pat) Perazzo.
Census: 1900, age 42, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri with 2nd wife & two sons by 1st wife at 930 Oak street, County Recorder.
Census: 1910, age 48, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri with 2nd wife, two sons by 1st wife and mother of 2nd wife, at 930 Oak street, listed as Quarry owner.
Census: 1920, age 62, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri with wife at 930 Oak street, owner of Stone Quarry.
Mr. Steadley also had become a stockholder in the Saint Louis & San Francisco Railroad, (originally built in 1871 in Jasper county as Memphis, Carthage and Northwestern Railroad), affectionately known as "The Frisco", dealing with Colonel Carl R Gray while he served six years in Carthage and till 1911, and the old Carthage Superior Spring Bed company virtually at the time it was organized in 1908, ~ ~ twenty some years later gaining control, renaming it The Steadley Company with son Kent resigning as president of The Carthage Marble Corporation, becoming its manager. Factory had been in "Frisco" bottoms, and was damaged by a fire, ending on east side of River street, just south of Central in the old Juvenile Shoe factory's building in 1928, he signing the papers while in bed before his death. Nearly thirty years later, son Kent, after several enlargements & improvements, sold most shares 1 May 1957 to Lehigh Valley Coal Corporation, Inc of Wilmington, Castle county, Delaware with easterner, Roger Lawrence, taking charge but Kent remained on payroll, by contract, till 1959.
The Steadley family also owned and maintained considerable number of shares of Alfred D Locarni's, Locarni Marble Company, formerly the Arnosti Marble Company before 1929, plus much improved real estate, both in country and city some with commercial buildings.
A newspaper article reported:
"With all the success, Mr Steadley was ostentatious and it was his wish to avoid all show."
Death: in his Drake hotel apartment, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri.
~ Obituary 1: View The Carthage Evening Press, 9 April 1928, multi-column front page, expounding upon F W Steadley's accomplishments, which continue to this day through a trust established by 2nd son, Kent and wife Mary, with over $22,000,000.00 expended by 2009, benefiting Carthaginians.
~ Obituary 2: The Neosho Daily News,
page 4 of 10 April 1928 issue.
PIONEER QUARRYMAN DIES
Frederic William Steadley, seventy years old, and a prominent business man, active in development of marble quarrying, died at-his home in Carthage yesterday morning. Mr. Steadley has been in ill health for the past three years, but the direct cause of his death was an attack of pneumonia, contracted last Tuesday. He was president of the Carthage Spring Bed Company and had been recorder of Jasper county. He is survived by his wife and two sons, a brother and a grandson. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at the Elk's' club in Carthage, and Howard Gray, Carthage attorney, will deliver the eulogy.
Only sibling listed as a survivor was brother Frank in Timpson, Texas, the other known two, passed away before 1900.
Honorary pallbearers were Judge Howard Gray, W R Logan, Henry Cowgill, Allen McReynolds, P C Remler, John McMillan
The active pallbearers were R C Wright, Charles Croley, B D Bensing, J K Rodeman, Robert Mitchell, John Ogden, W H Howard, and Dan Chumley, men who were employed by Mr Steadley in the quarry industry.
Father: Baithazar Stuedie/Stuedle b: 1825 in Germany
Mother: Catherine (unknown) b: 1827 in Germany
Marriage 1: "Miss May Darr" b: 1859, in Carroll county, Missouri.
Married: 18 JAN 1881, in Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri
Known Children
Rea Palmer Steadley b: AUG 1886, Carrllton, Carroll county, Missouri
Kent Darr Steadley b: 25 AUG 1889, Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri
Marriage 2: Stella Vere Hennessy b: 20 APR 1875 (?), in Chicago, Cook county, Illinois
Married: 1899, reportedly in Chicago, Cook county, Illinois (no record found), some report Lexington, Missouri
No Known Children
~ NOTE: One-half of his estate went to wife, the other half, split, between the two sons, will witnessed by W E Carter, G E Hough and J N Marsh, 16 June 1923.
REVISED: 01-04-2015
Researched and prepared by Boggess and Brewer
NOTE: Much early information used was gleaned from C E Lacy, a descendent of German born, Gustave Meyer, a seven year older half brother of "Fred" Steadley.
Birth: 1st of four known children of mother's 2nd husband in Galena, Jo Daviess county, Illinois with surname Stuedie, some spelling it as Stuedle, changed to Steadley.
Parents believed to have moved from Europe around 1853, via New Orleans up the Mississippi river, first to northwestern most county in Illinois, Jo Daviess county, then after his birth and brother Adolph (born 1859) in Galena, Illinois, to Missouri river town of Lexington, LaFayette county, Missouri with its oldest Military School west of Mississippi river.
Census: 1860, age 2 Lexington, Lafayette county, Missouri with parents, two older half-siblings & one younger sibling, father a wagon maker.
Birth of brother Frank Albert, 2 March 1861, seven months before Civil War Battle of Lexington, and sister Anna around 1863.
~ Mother passes away towards end of Civil War, around 1865 in Lexington.
Census: 1870, age 12 Lexington, Lafayette county, Missouri with father, step-mother & younger sister, father a wagon maker.
Reportedly, father, Bathazer Stuedie/Stuedle , remarried in 1870, maintaining the German spelling of surname, raising another family.
"Fred", at age 18 went east a bit to Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri around 1875 where his sister Anna was also found in 1880 Federal census and she reportedly died before 1900, "Fred" having a jewelry shop, got married six years later, the union bringing forth two sons, his only known children.
Census: 1880, age 23, Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri, single, in a hotel with many others, occupation Jeweler.
He removed his 1st wife and two sons to Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri around 1890 and with brother, Frank Albert, bought Alexander J Kirke's jewelry store near north end at west side of square in the Bank of Carthage building operating it, next north to where the 1890 Kansas created Ramsay Brothers Dry Goods Store opened a store in 1895. F W Steadley was elected county recorder in 1898, year his wife died, serving four years.
Reportedly, from an article in Carthage Evening Press copied in this magazine's Vol 19, July 1899, the following regarding new, 9 acre, Carthage Quarry north of Carthage, Missouri west from Carthage Stone company of Curtis Wright, John W Ground & Wm R Logan, to wit:
Eugene O'Keefe, president, F A Steadley, vice-president, F W Steadley, secretary-treasure with Martin McNerney general manager, brother P J McNerney and Col W H Phelps stockholders. Bob O'Brien was Quarry Boss.
This same group were also reportedly involved with the Center Creek Marble Company.
It went on to say that Martin McNerney was first to use Carthage stone in 1881 constructing bridges for Missouri-Pacific RR.
A second story, but not as well documented, constructed mostly from obituaries, was: ~ ~ ~ F W's first connection with the marble industry was around 1899 when he became a stockholder with McNerney brothers who used much stone in their construction company for railroads, buildings, homes, etc from newly formed Carthage Quarry company. They started with the total of 10 acres, with Martin president and P J vice-president and Eugene O'Keefe also a director/investor.
F W became manager of the company in 1907, and it was renamed F W Steadley Company around time of Martin McNerney's death.
March 1, 1927, The Carthage Marble Corporation was organized and created by George Busboom and others. This consisted of six quarries, the largest being F W Steadley's 250/300 acre quarry, valued at over a million dollars along with five other smaller quarries. He turned down being its first president, with youngest son, Kent D Steadley, becoming president, a friend and the prime organizer, George Busboom, of Nebraska, became its second president of the then reported $5,000,000.00 stone quarry company.
To view many nation wide structures using Carthage stone, view publication: Structures and Monuments in Which Missouri Stone was Used., by Peggy B. and George (Pat) Perazzo.
Census: 1900, age 42, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri with 2nd wife & two sons by 1st wife at 930 Oak street, County Recorder.
Census: 1910, age 48, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri with 2nd wife, two sons by 1st wife and mother of 2nd wife, at 930 Oak street, listed as Quarry owner.
Census: 1920, age 62, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri with wife at 930 Oak street, owner of Stone Quarry.
Mr. Steadley also had become a stockholder in the Saint Louis & San Francisco Railroad, (originally built in 1871 in Jasper county as Memphis, Carthage and Northwestern Railroad), affectionately known as "The Frisco", dealing with Colonel Carl R Gray while he served six years in Carthage and till 1911, and the old Carthage Superior Spring Bed company virtually at the time it was organized in 1908, ~ ~ twenty some years later gaining control, renaming it The Steadley Company with son Kent resigning as president of The Carthage Marble Corporation, becoming its manager. Factory had been in "Frisco" bottoms, and was damaged by a fire, ending on east side of River street, just south of Central in the old Juvenile Shoe factory's building in 1928, he signing the papers while in bed before his death. Nearly thirty years later, son Kent, after several enlargements & improvements, sold most shares 1 May 1957 to Lehigh Valley Coal Corporation, Inc of Wilmington, Castle county, Delaware with easterner, Roger Lawrence, taking charge but Kent remained on payroll, by contract, till 1959.
The Steadley family also owned and maintained considerable number of shares of Alfred D Locarni's, Locarni Marble Company, formerly the Arnosti Marble Company before 1929, plus much improved real estate, both in country and city some with commercial buildings.
A newspaper article reported:
"With all the success, Mr Steadley was ostentatious and it was his wish to avoid all show."
Death: in his Drake hotel apartment, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri.
~ Obituary 1: View The Carthage Evening Press, 9 April 1928, multi-column front page, expounding upon F W Steadley's accomplishments, which continue to this day through a trust established by 2nd son, Kent and wife Mary, with over $22,000,000.00 expended by 2009, benefiting Carthaginians.
~ Obituary 2: The Neosho Daily News,
page 4 of 10 April 1928 issue.
PIONEER QUARRYMAN DIES
Frederic William Steadley, seventy years old, and a prominent business man, active in development of marble quarrying, died at-his home in Carthage yesterday morning. Mr. Steadley has been in ill health for the past three years, but the direct cause of his death was an attack of pneumonia, contracted last Tuesday. He was president of the Carthage Spring Bed Company and had been recorder of Jasper county. He is survived by his wife and two sons, a brother and a grandson. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at the Elk's' club in Carthage, and Howard Gray, Carthage attorney, will deliver the eulogy.
Only sibling listed as a survivor was brother Frank in Timpson, Texas, the other known two, passed away before 1900.
Honorary pallbearers were Judge Howard Gray, W R Logan, Henry Cowgill, Allen McReynolds, P C Remler, John McMillan
The active pallbearers were R C Wright, Charles Croley, B D Bensing, J K Rodeman, Robert Mitchell, John Ogden, W H Howard, and Dan Chumley, men who were employed by Mr Steadley in the quarry industry.
Father: Baithazar Stuedie/Stuedle b: 1825 in Germany
Mother: Catherine (unknown) b: 1827 in Germany
Marriage 1: "Miss May Darr" b: 1859, in Carroll county, Missouri.
Married: 18 JAN 1881, in Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri
Known Children
Rea Palmer Steadley b: AUG 1886, Carrllton, Carroll county, Missouri
Kent Darr Steadley b: 25 AUG 1889, Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri
Marriage 2: Stella Vere Hennessy b: 20 APR 1875 (?), in Chicago, Cook county, Illinois
Married: 1899, reportedly in Chicago, Cook county, Illinois (no record found), some report Lexington, Missouri
No Known Children
~ NOTE: One-half of his estate went to wife, the other half, split, between the two sons, will witnessed by W E Carter, G E Hough and J N Marsh, 16 June 1923.
REVISED: 01-04-2015
Researched and prepared by Boggess and Brewer
h/o 1st Mary Helen Darr, 2nd Stella Vere Hennessy
NOTE: Much early information used was gleaned from C E Lacy, a descendent of German born, Gustave Meyer, a seven year older half brother of "Fred" Steadley.
Birth: 1st of four known children of mother's 2nd husband in Galena, Jo Daviess county, Illinois with surname Stuedie, some spelling it as Stuedle, changed to Steadley.
Parents believed to have moved from Europe around 1853, via New Orleans up the Mississippi river, first to northwestern most county in Illinois, Jo Daviess county, then after his birth and brother Adolph (born 1859) in Galena, Illinois, to Missouri river town of Lexington, LaFayette county, Missouri with its oldest Military School west of Mississippi river.
Census: 1860, age 2 Lexington, Lafayette county, Missouri with parents, two older half-siblings & one younger sibling, father a wagon maker.
Birth of brother Frank Albert, 2 March 1861, seven months before Civil War Battle of Lexington, and sister Anna around 1863.
~ Mother passes away towards end of Civil War, around 1865 in Lexington.
Census: 1870, age 12 Lexington, Lafayette county, Missouri with father, step-mother & younger sister, father a wagon maker.
Reportedly, father, Bathazer Stuedie/Stuedle , remarried in 1870, maintaining the German spelling of surname, raising another family.
"Fred", at age 18 went east a bit to Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri around 1875 where his sister Anna was also found in 1880 Federal census and she reportedly died before 1900, "Fred" having a jewelry shop, got married six years later, the union bringing forth two sons, his only known children.
Census: 1880, age 23, Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri, single, in a hotel with many others, occupation Jeweler.
He removed his 1st wife and two sons to Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri around 1890 and with brother, Frank Albert, bought Alexander J Kirke's jewelry store near north end at west side of square in the Bank of Carthage building operating it, next north to where the 1890 Kansas created Ramsay Brothers Dry Goods Store opened a store in 1895. F W Steadley was elected county recorder in 1898, year his wife died, serving four years.
Reportedly, from an article in Carthage Evening Press copied in this magazine's Vol 19, July 1899, the following regarding new, 9 acre, Carthage Quarry north of Carthage, Missouri west from Carthage Stone company of Curtis Wright, John W Ground & Wm R Logan, to wit:
Eugene O'Keefe, president, F A Steadley, vice-president, F W Steadley, secretary-treasure with Martin McNerney general manager, brother P J McNerney and Col W H Phelps stockholders. Bob O'Brien was Quarry Boss.
This same group were also reportedly involved with the Center Creek Marble Company.
It went on to say that Martin McNerney was first to use Carthage stone in 1881 constructing bridges for Missouri-Pacific RR.
A second story, but not as well documented, constructed mostly from obituaries, was: ~ ~ ~ F W's first connection with the marble industry was around 1899 when he became a stockholder with McNerney brothers who used much stone in their construction company for railroads, buildings, homes, etc from newly formed Carthage Quarry company. They started with the total of 10 acres, with Martin president and P J vice-president and Eugene O'Keefe also a director/investor.
F W became manager of the company in 1907, and it was renamed F W Steadley Company around time of Martin McNerney's death.
March 1, 1927, The Carthage Marble Corporation was organized and created by George Busboom and others. This consisted of six quarries, the largest being F W Steadley's 250/300 acre quarry, valued at over a million dollars along with five other smaller quarries. He turned down being its first president, with youngest son, Kent D Steadley, becoming president, a friend and the prime organizer, George Busboom, of Nebraska, became its second president of the then reported $5,000,000.00 stone quarry company.
To view many nation wide structures using Carthage stone, view publication: Structures and Monuments in Which Missouri Stone was Used., by Peggy B. and George (Pat) Perazzo.
Census: 1900, age 42, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri with 2nd wife & two sons by 1st wife at 930 Oak street, County Recorder.
Census: 1910, age 48, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri with 2nd wife, two sons by 1st wife and mother of 2nd wife, at 930 Oak street, listed as Quarry owner.
Census: 1920, age 62, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri with wife at 930 Oak street, owner of Stone Quarry.
Mr. Steadley also had become a stockholder in the Saint Louis & San Francisco Railroad, (originally built in 1871 in Jasper county as Memphis, Carthage and Northwestern Railroad), affectionately known as "The Frisco", dealing with Colonel Carl R Gray while he served six years in Carthage and till 1911, and the old Carthage Superior Spring Bed company virtually at the time it was organized in 1908, ~ ~ twenty some years later gaining control, renaming it The Steadley Company with son Kent resigning as president of The Carthage Marble Corporation, becoming its manager. Factory had been in "Frisco" bottoms, and was damaged by a fire, ending on east side of River street, just south of Central in the old Juvenile Shoe factory's building in 1928, he signing the papers while in bed before his death. Nearly thirty years later, son Kent, after several enlargements & improvements, sold most shares 1 May 1957 to Lehigh Valley Coal Corporation, Inc of Wilmington, Castle county, Delaware with easterner, Roger Lawrence, taking charge but Kent remained on payroll, by contract, till 1959.
The Steadley family also owned and maintained considerable number of shares of Alfred D Locarni's, Locarni Marble Company, formerly the Arnosti Marble Company before 1929, plus much improved real estate, both in country and city some with commercial buildings.
A newspaper article reported:
"With all the success, Mr Steadley was ostentatious and it was his wish to avoid all show."
Death: in his Drake hotel apartment, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri.
~ Obituary 1: View The Carthage Evening Press, 9 April 1928, multi-column front page, expounding upon F W Steadley's accomplishments, which continue to this day through a trust established by 2nd son, Kent and wife Mary, with over $22,000,000.00 expended by 2009, benefiting Carthaginians.
~ Obituary 2: The Neosho Daily News,
page 4 of 10 April 1928 issue.
PIONEER QUARRYMAN DIES
Frederic William Steadley, seventy years old, and a prominent business man, active in development of marble quarrying, died at-his home in Carthage yesterday morning. Mr. Steadley has been in ill health for the past three years, but the direct cause of his death was an attack of pneumonia, contracted last Tuesday. He was president of the Carthage Spring Bed Company and had been recorder of Jasper county. He is survived by his wife and two sons, a brother and a grandson. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at the Elk's' club in Carthage, and Howard Gray, Carthage attorney, will deliver the eulogy.
Only sibling listed as a survivor was brother Frank in Timpson, Texas, the other known two, passed away before 1900.
Honorary pallbearers were Judge Howard Gray, W R Logan, Henry Cowgill, Allen McReynolds, P C Remler, John McMillan
The active pallbearers were R C Wright, Charles Croley, B D Bensing, J K Rodeman, Robert Mitchell, John Ogden, W H Howard, and Dan Chumley, men who were employed by Mr Steadley in the quarry industry.
Father: Baithazar Stuedie/Stuedle b: 1825 in Germany
Mother: Catherine (unknown) b: 1827 in Germany
Marriage 1: "Miss May Darr" b: 1859, in Carroll county, Missouri.
Married: 18 JAN 1881, in Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri
Known Children
Rea Palmer Steadley b: AUG 1886, Carrllton, Carroll county, Missouri
Kent Darr Steadley b: 25 AUG 1889, Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri
Marriage 2: Stella Vere Hennessy b: 20 APR 1875 (?), in Chicago, Cook county, Illinois
Married: 1899, reportedly in Chicago, Cook county, Illinois (no record found), some report Lexington, Missouri
No Known Children
~ NOTE: One-half of his estate went to wife, the other half, split, between the two sons, will witnessed by W E Carter, G E Hough and J N Marsh, 16 June 1923.
REVISED: 01-04-2015
Researched and prepared by Boggess and Brewer
NOTE: Much early information used was gleaned from C E Lacy, a descendent of German born, Gustave Meyer, a seven year older half brother of "Fred" Steadley.
Birth: 1st of four known children of mother's 2nd husband in Galena, Jo Daviess county, Illinois with surname Stuedie, some spelling it as Stuedle, changed to Steadley.
Parents believed to have moved from Europe around 1853, via New Orleans up the Mississippi river, first to northwestern most county in Illinois, Jo Daviess county, then after his birth and brother Adolph (born 1859) in Galena, Illinois, to Missouri river town of Lexington, LaFayette county, Missouri with its oldest Military School west of Mississippi river.
Census: 1860, age 2 Lexington, Lafayette county, Missouri with parents, two older half-siblings & one younger sibling, father a wagon maker.
Birth of brother Frank Albert, 2 March 1861, seven months before Civil War Battle of Lexington, and sister Anna around 1863.
~ Mother passes away towards end of Civil War, around 1865 in Lexington.
Census: 1870, age 12 Lexington, Lafayette county, Missouri with father, step-mother & younger sister, father a wagon maker.
Reportedly, father, Bathazer Stuedie/Stuedle , remarried in 1870, maintaining the German spelling of surname, raising another family.
"Fred", at age 18 went east a bit to Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri around 1875 where his sister Anna was also found in 1880 Federal census and she reportedly died before 1900, "Fred" having a jewelry shop, got married six years later, the union bringing forth two sons, his only known children.
Census: 1880, age 23, Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri, single, in a hotel with many others, occupation Jeweler.
He removed his 1st wife and two sons to Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri around 1890 and with brother, Frank Albert, bought Alexander J Kirke's jewelry store near north end at west side of square in the Bank of Carthage building operating it, next north to where the 1890 Kansas created Ramsay Brothers Dry Goods Store opened a store in 1895. F W Steadley was elected county recorder in 1898, year his wife died, serving four years.
Reportedly, from an article in Carthage Evening Press copied in this magazine's Vol 19, July 1899, the following regarding new, 9 acre, Carthage Quarry north of Carthage, Missouri west from Carthage Stone company of Curtis Wright, John W Ground & Wm R Logan, to wit:
Eugene O'Keefe, president, F A Steadley, vice-president, F W Steadley, secretary-treasure with Martin McNerney general manager, brother P J McNerney and Col W H Phelps stockholders. Bob O'Brien was Quarry Boss.
This same group were also reportedly involved with the Center Creek Marble Company.
It went on to say that Martin McNerney was first to use Carthage stone in 1881 constructing bridges for Missouri-Pacific RR.
A second story, but not as well documented, constructed mostly from obituaries, was: ~ ~ ~ F W's first connection with the marble industry was around 1899 when he became a stockholder with McNerney brothers who used much stone in their construction company for railroads, buildings, homes, etc from newly formed Carthage Quarry company. They started with the total of 10 acres, with Martin president and P J vice-president and Eugene O'Keefe also a director/investor.
F W became manager of the company in 1907, and it was renamed F W Steadley Company around time of Martin McNerney's death.
March 1, 1927, The Carthage Marble Corporation was organized and created by George Busboom and others. This consisted of six quarries, the largest being F W Steadley's 250/300 acre quarry, valued at over a million dollars along with five other smaller quarries. He turned down being its first president, with youngest son, Kent D Steadley, becoming president, a friend and the prime organizer, George Busboom, of Nebraska, became its second president of the then reported $5,000,000.00 stone quarry company.
To view many nation wide structures using Carthage stone, view publication: Structures and Monuments in Which Missouri Stone was Used., by Peggy B. and George (Pat) Perazzo.
Census: 1900, age 42, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri with 2nd wife & two sons by 1st wife at 930 Oak street, County Recorder.
Census: 1910, age 48, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri with 2nd wife, two sons by 1st wife and mother of 2nd wife, at 930 Oak street, listed as Quarry owner.
Census: 1920, age 62, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri with wife at 930 Oak street, owner of Stone Quarry.
Mr. Steadley also had become a stockholder in the Saint Louis & San Francisco Railroad, (originally built in 1871 in Jasper county as Memphis, Carthage and Northwestern Railroad), affectionately known as "The Frisco", dealing with Colonel Carl R Gray while he served six years in Carthage and till 1911, and the old Carthage Superior Spring Bed company virtually at the time it was organized in 1908, ~ ~ twenty some years later gaining control, renaming it The Steadley Company with son Kent resigning as president of The Carthage Marble Corporation, becoming its manager. Factory had been in "Frisco" bottoms, and was damaged by a fire, ending on east side of River street, just south of Central in the old Juvenile Shoe factory's building in 1928, he signing the papers while in bed before his death. Nearly thirty years later, son Kent, after several enlargements & improvements, sold most shares 1 May 1957 to Lehigh Valley Coal Corporation, Inc of Wilmington, Castle county, Delaware with easterner, Roger Lawrence, taking charge but Kent remained on payroll, by contract, till 1959.
The Steadley family also owned and maintained considerable number of shares of Alfred D Locarni's, Locarni Marble Company, formerly the Arnosti Marble Company before 1929, plus much improved real estate, both in country and city some with commercial buildings.
A newspaper article reported:
"With all the success, Mr Steadley was ostentatious and it was his wish to avoid all show."
Death: in his Drake hotel apartment, Carthage, Jasper county, Missouri.
~ Obituary 1: View The Carthage Evening Press, 9 April 1928, multi-column front page, expounding upon F W Steadley's accomplishments, which continue to this day through a trust established by 2nd son, Kent and wife Mary, with over $22,000,000.00 expended by 2009, benefiting Carthaginians.
~ Obituary 2: The Neosho Daily News,
page 4 of 10 April 1928 issue.
PIONEER QUARRYMAN DIES
Frederic William Steadley, seventy years old, and a prominent business man, active in development of marble quarrying, died at-his home in Carthage yesterday morning. Mr. Steadley has been in ill health for the past three years, but the direct cause of his death was an attack of pneumonia, contracted last Tuesday. He was president of the Carthage Spring Bed Company and had been recorder of Jasper county. He is survived by his wife and two sons, a brother and a grandson. Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at the Elk's' club in Carthage, and Howard Gray, Carthage attorney, will deliver the eulogy.
Only sibling listed as a survivor was brother Frank in Timpson, Texas, the other known two, passed away before 1900.
Honorary pallbearers were Judge Howard Gray, W R Logan, Henry Cowgill, Allen McReynolds, P C Remler, John McMillan
The active pallbearers were R C Wright, Charles Croley, B D Bensing, J K Rodeman, Robert Mitchell, John Ogden, W H Howard, and Dan Chumley, men who were employed by Mr Steadley in the quarry industry.
Father: Baithazar Stuedie/Stuedle b: 1825 in Germany
Mother: Catherine (unknown) b: 1827 in Germany
Marriage 1: "Miss May Darr" b: 1859, in Carroll county, Missouri.
Married: 18 JAN 1881, in Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri
Known Children
Rea Palmer Steadley b: AUG 1886, Carrllton, Carroll county, Missouri
Kent Darr Steadley b: 25 AUG 1889, Carrollton, Carroll county, Missouri
Marriage 2: Stella Vere Hennessy b: 20 APR 1875 (?), in Chicago, Cook county, Illinois
Married: 1899, reportedly in Chicago, Cook county, Illinois (no record found), some report Lexington, Missouri
No Known Children
~ NOTE: One-half of his estate went to wife, the other half, split, between the two sons, will witnessed by W E Carter, G E Hough and J N Marsh, 16 June 1923.
REVISED: 01-04-2015
Researched and prepared by Boggess and Brewer
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