Bates County News

Thursday, October 5, 2023

Papinville History: The wicked murder of F.F. Eddy

 THE WICKED MURDER OF F. F. EDDY

This is a story I found in my files I have on Papinville history. I have no idea of what book it came out of, but I thought it was interesting as to how wicked some people were during the war.

 F.F. Eddy was born and raised in Massachusetts in the Boston area. He first had a store in Harmony Mission and later moved his store to Papinville when Papinville became the county seat. At this time Papinville was a booming town, steamboats were bringing supplies and it was the most important town in the area. He also had the first house of entertainment.

He had a store in Papinville for sixteen years and closed his business and moved his family to a better place, so they were not in the line of fire of the Civil War.  He was a most estimable man and his wife was a beautiful and accomplished woman. Eddy was known to be a firm friend of the South, and that was enough. Plummer, a fellow of low origin, but who Eddy had often favored, but who had run off to Kansas. Now he returned with a few fit associates. They went to his house and called Eddy out of his house. After making himself known Plummer deliberately shot Eddy a number of times killing him instantly. He was left lying in the yard for the wife and children to fine.

This was the hate that people were having during the Civil War. At times you didn’t know who your friends were. As one settler said, “It seemed like a great black cloud was hanging over the entire area and everyone was waiting breathless for the breaking out of the storm. Every man began to suspect everyone else. It became neighbor against neighbor, brother against brother and in some cases even father against son. No one trusted anyone and no one knew who his friends or enemies were”.

This was so true about Mr. Eddy. Three sons of F.F Eddy’s were buried out at the Papinville Cemetery. I did not find any record of where Eddy was buried. Next story will be about the only house that didn’ get burnt in “Order 11” The house was originally built by Freeman Barrows, first county clerk of Bates County. The house is still standing and is owned by the Klinksick family. This will be the last story in the series of the Civil War around Papinville area. Until next week for another story. Hope you have enjoyed the series.

                               Submitted by Phyllis Stewart



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