from Weekly Intelligencer Aug. 11, 1910 2/3
The old house on north Jefferson street just north of J. F. Llewellyn's residence, which was occupied by Miss Sarah Baskett for many years until recently, was one of the first houses built in that part of town. The house was erected by William Scott, a son of the Rev. Stephen Scott, a Presbyterian minister who lived here many years ago. The old house is being torn down preparatory to moving a portion of it to another lot.
"I quite well remember that house" said P. M. Morris to a reporter for The Intelligencer. "I boarded there several years and attended school in Mexico. That was out in the country in those days and the brush had to be cut away and a clearing made when the house was built, I believe, in 1855.
"There were several other young fellows boarding there and going to school in Mexico. We attended school in the old brick Methodist church which stood where the City Hall now stands.
"I have seen many teams "stalled" on the big hill on what is now called North Jefferson street. It was the Paris road in those days and was a main thoroughfare leading out of town. And that road got muddy, too, in rainy seasons.
"My room-mate was W. J. Bruton. Another young fellow who boarded with the Scotts was Clif Quisenberry; he was killed during the war. There were also a lot of carpenters who boarded in that little house.
"They hauled the lumber from Hannibal to build that house. It was a long haul but that was the nearest point, I suppose. It was well built as can be seen from the timbers that were used in its construction.
"I remember once going out of my room about sundown to get some firewood, one evening in the fall of the year, when I heard a shot fired. Pretty soon word came to town that Jim Rodman had shot Wes Ricketts and the town was in an uproar of excitement."
Mr. Morris said that Prof. W. P. Hart taught school in the old brick church here, in the late fifties. He told of a number of interesting incidents of his early school days in Mexico. Mr. Morris is now 76 years old and is quite familiar with the early history of Mexico, having come here from Tennessee in 1855.