Margaret G. Kelso

Margaret G. Kelso had an exciting life. She was born near Ash Grove, Missouri on May 6, 1855. Her family lived on a farm near Clear Creek. They lived in a log cabin for several years. As a child, Margaret loved drawing. She also loved going to Springfield with her father. She and her father would ride a horse to Springfield. It was 25 miles away. A trip to and from Springfield would take all day. They would leave very early in the morning and not get home until late that night.

Margaret was twelve when she got her first “store-bought” shoes. Her father bought them in Springfield. Before that, her father had always made her shoes. She was very proud of her new shoes.

Margaret was six when the Civil War started. At her home Margaret could hear the cannon blasts from the Battle of Wilson’s Creek. The floor shook with every blast. It was a dangerous time. Her father was away fighting in the Union Army. Her mother had to defend their home from bandits. The bandits broke into a lot of homes in the area. They often came to Margaret’s home. They always stole food, but they never found the money that Margaret’s mother always hid. Margaret also had good memories of this time. She wrote about selling homemade ginger cakes to the Union soldiers at Wilson’s Creek. The soldiers were very nice. They were glad to buy such tasty treats.

Margaret lived during an exciting time. When Margaret was older, her friends wanted her to write about her exciting life. Margaret did not want to at first. She did not think that she was a good writer. She, however, was later talked into it. She wrote about her childhood and when her family lived near Wilson’s Creek. As it turned out, Margaret was a very good writer. Her memoirs have been published in Ozarks Watch.

Author: Grant Miller
Source: Kelso's memoirs and Information supplied by Julie March, Curator, The History Museum for Springfield-Greene County
Image, portrait of Margaret Kelso, Courtesy of The History Museum for Springfield-Greene County
(For use in conjunction with the SMSU Campus Compact/WorldCom grant project. You must request permission from the History Museum for Springfield-Greene County to print, copy, or download this image for any other use.)