Maclay Mansion - Tipton, MO - People-Named Places on Waymarking.com

County of Marker: Moniteau
Location Of Marker: 209 Howard St., Tipton
Marker Erected by: The Tipton Jaycees and the Friends of the Maclay Home, Inc.
Date Marker Erected: 1985

The People:
"John Gleim was one of the eleven children of Christian Gleim of Pennsylvania. John, his brother Frailey M. Gleim and their nephew James B. Maclay had arrived in Tipton before the outbreak of the Civil War, opening a dry goods store in the then booming Railroad town. An article appearing in The Tipton Times in 1877 remembered the Gleim brothers fondly:

   "In all probability there was no gentleman more universally popular than Dr. Gleim, wherever
   known, and his memory is still held in the highest regard ... John H. Gleim, Esq, was known
   favorably, not as the brother of the Doctor only, but for his own merit and as one of the
   whole-souled, progressive gentlemen who act as blessings to any community."

Soon after purchasing the former Wallace Seminary, the Gleim brothers summoned a widowed sister, Mrs. Anna Maria Maclay to Tipton. Anna Maclay moved to Tipton from St. Louis and set up housekeeping in the old house. Soon she, her children and the Gleim brothers Were joined by other members of, the Gleim family, until eventually three bachelorl brothers, five widowed sisters and their children were housed in the capacious home.

"Aside from Anna Maclay, the sisters included Emma Adams, Adela Douthitt, Elizabeth W. McCullouh, and Ellen H. Brown. The brothers included, John, Frailey and Harrison Gleim. Converging on Tipton from Philadelphia, St. Louis and other points, the sisters brought with them all of their furniture and belongings. One of the unique features of the Maclay Mansion is that virtually all of their possessions remain Collected in the home today.

By ca. 1865, the mercantile firm established by John and Frailey Gleim became known as Maclay & Co., and ownership had passed to Harrison Gleim and Cyrus C. Maclay, a son of Anna Maclay. ... The company soon lent its name to the entire block, which became known as the Maclay Block.

"Gradually the older generation dwindled away, until only Emma Adams remained of the original Gleim family in Tipton. As the Gleim brothers had been bachelors, th Gleim name was not carried on, the Maclay name instead came to the fore, Cyrus Maclay, who hd married Tiptonite Laura Isabel Miller in 1869, moved back into the home, and took over as head of the household. Cyrus and Laura produced a family of six children: Martha G., Laura M., Edgar G., Elanora R., William H., and Dorothy C. The Maclay Mansion was to remain in the hands of these children and their children until the present day." ~ NRHP Nomination Form, PDF pages 14-15

The Place:
Marker Text:

"At no point in the available documentation is the school referred to as Rosehill Seminary. It is variously referred to as Tipton Female Boarding School, Tipton Female High School and Tipton Female Seminary. However, the name Rosehill Seminary is firmly fixed in the memories of the Maclay family and of the local citizens. This may have been an affectionate nickname for the school or a way of distinguishing it from the counterpart run by the Johnsons, which was called the Tipton Seminary.

"The significance of the Maclay Mansion is intertwined with the earliest history of the town of Tipton, Missouri. Built ca. 1858-1860, contemporary with the founding of the town 1861, it (is a tangible historical reminder of the period of vigorous frontier growth associated with the coming of railroads to central Missouri. Serving briefly as a female seminary until the outbreak of the Civil War, it was used thereafter as a private residence. The home, which has remained in' the hands of the Gleim/Maclay family for over one hundred years,, has changed little since its original construction and is an excellent example of antebellum brick architecture in Missouri. Filled with original furnishings and innumerable possessions accumulated by the Maclay family, the house is an extraordinary time capsule of life during the second half of the nineteenth century.

" ... On the 23rd of March, 1861, a regiment of local volunteers for the Southern cause was formed; Wallace Williams was among those who enlisted. When that group known as the Moniteau County Rangers, marched off to Jefferson City in May of 1861, Williams headed the ranks as Captain.

"Thus Fremont's presence in Tipton in October of 1861 is well documented. It is entirely possible that Fremont might have seized the Maclay Mansion (then still known as the building of Wallace Williams) for use as his headquarters while in Tipton. The building was certainly one of the largest and handsomest in town, and Fremont's troops were conveniently bivouacked to the east, on an area which Is now part of the fairgrounds However, despite the wealth of oral tradition, little in the way of concrete evidence exists to corroborate this story.

"Since his appointment as Western Commander, Fremont's abrupt tactics, including the declaration of-martial law over Missouri, had enraged government officials. By the time he reached Tipton, Union officials were close behind him, with orders from President Lincoln to Inspect his operations and relieve him of command if necessary." ~ NRHP Nomination Form

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