If you’re interested in history, you’re in luck. When you book at Mutton Creek Getaway, you’re standing within yards of two family cemeteries that form the basis of intriguing stories, family trees, and historical facts, all connected by Margaret “Peggy” (Divine) Friend, born Feb. 16, 1852. Margaret Divine married John Welsley Jr. Friend in the 1860s and joined the fates of the Divine and Friend families in Dade and surrounding counties. Both families can be traced back to the 1700s emigrating from Ireland.

Margaret lived to be 96 and is laid to rest with husband John in the Friend family cemetery located near Mutton Creek Getaway. Herein lies some of John and Margaret’s children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and the oldest headstones dating all the way back to birth dates of 1793 and 1794, which are Margaret Divine Friend’s grandparents James and Nancy Callaway Divine, indicating Divine claims to the property prior to Margaret and John Friend’s marriage. James and Nancy’s son William Riley Divine (1819-1875) is also buried at the small Friend cemetery.

An interesting note is that James and Nancy Divine relocated to eastern Tennessee from the Carolinas in 1822 entirely on foot with five-year-old son Alfred Divine (Margaret’s father) and a little sister riding a pack horse. Record of the sister is not found in any memorials.

Across the entrance of Mutton Creek Getaway sits the unmarked Divine family cemetery with several Divine family stones. Herein lies Margaret’s parents Alfred Divine (1817-1900) and Artemisia McNabb Divine (1816-1890) as well as other family.

The Divine Cemetery is also known as Mt. Zion Cemetery, assumedly to reflect the Mt. Zion community. There were two Mt. Zion Schools; district #34 was noted as the one for which Margaret’s son Alfred Friend was a school teacher in 1917, according to a publication of the History of Dade County, page 276. The Mt. Zion area connects the Divine and Friend families, with the Divine family plot at the beginning of the East Dade 42 lane, and the Friend family plot at the end.

Margaret’s son, Alfred Friend and wife Maud bore 13 children, and testament of the Friend family legacy is evident in the nearby Friend Memorial Bridge, now-defunct Friend Church, and a larger Friend Cemetery near Everton, Mo., which holds the remains of Alfred’s grandparents John Friend Sr. and other relatives.

Then there’s the fascinating family tree of Margaret Divine Friend’s siblings, four of whom are married to Fannings, three of whom are siblings and the other most likely a cousin or other relative. Another of those Divine siblings is James Marshall Divine, married to Parthena Fanning and sheriff of Dade County.

During the colder winter months, what’s there to do around the Stockton Lake, Missouri area? A few brave souls might still be on the lake. Hiking trails around the Stockton Lake area are always an option for cooler months. Some wild game, migratory birds, and water fowl are still in season for fall and winter hunting. Then there’s shopping in the surrounding areas of Stockton, Greenfield, Lockwood, Golden City, Lamar, El Dorado Springs, and Bolivar.

And now we also have a history guide for the area, starting with an historic cemetery located at the driveway of Mutton Creek Getaway and another a short walk down a rarely used lane near the cabin. There is additional information about area historical places at the end of this article.

The Friend Family

The Friend name is prominent in Dade County. The bridge over Stockton Lake east of the Greenfield Access is called Friend Memorial Bridge. It was constructed in 1967 with the creation of Stockton Lake. A bit further is Friend Church, which was recently converted into a residence. It is white and located just past the Greenfield Access and Friend Memorial Bridge at the junction of Hwy 82.

The Friend family can be traced back to Joseph Friend, who was born in 1775 in Ireland. He married Elendor “Elon” Matteson and bore two children, including John Wesley Friend, born in 1815. He married Elizabeth Johnson, and both are buried in the larger, marked Friend Cemetery near Everton, also called Pilgrim. They bore five children including John Wesley Jr., born in 1844, who married Margaret Divine. Both are buried at the small, unmarked Friend cemetery.

Friend/Divine Connection

John Wesley Friend Jr. and Margaret Divine Friend bore four children, several of whom are also buried in the small Friend cemetery near Mutton Creek Getaway: Alfred, 1871–1933; Ozina Friend Lamb, 1875-1905; and Arthur, 1886–1918, and his infant child Roslee, born in 1907. Their sister Minnie Florence Friend Roy, 1873–1960, is buried in the nearby Stockton Cemetery. Also buried at the small Friend cemetery is William D. Friend, 1869-1875, with the inscription “son of J. and M. Friend” and perhaps John and Margaret’s first child. Another marker with little information is Elsie Friend, the one-month-old “daughter of JP and M. Friend”, born in 1890, and perhaps John and Margaret’s last child.

Alfred Friend and Eva Maud Painter Friend bore 13 children, several of whom are buried in the small Friend cemetery near the Getaway: Bessie Friend Glenn, infant son born in 1911, infant Homer born in 1913, and infant daughter Laverna born in 1920. Oldest son John Alva (1897-1969) is buried in the nearby Greenfield Cemetery, but two of his nine children, Irene Friend (1916-1920) and infant Leo C. Friend (1925) are buried in the Friend family plot.

Divine Family

The Divine Family is another prominent family in the area. Marrying John Wesley Friend Jr., Margaret “Peggy” Divine Friend is the connection between the prominent Divine and Friend families, both of whom were Irish. Both presumably lived in the area, perhaps neighbors, considering the location of their family plots in such close proximity.

The Divine family can be traced back to Thomas Divine, born 1748 in Ireland, and Jemima Lavina Dill Divine, born in 1755, who is recorded as arriving in American in 1766 and then moved to South Carolina before 1790. Some accounts note Thomas Divine as serving in the Revolutionary War, but that claim has been disputed. Thomas and Jemima bore children while living in South Carolina: James Divine, born April 20, 1793; Thomas Divine Jr., February 24, 1795; Nancy Ann Divine, born January 30, 1798; and Margaret Peggy Divine McGowan born June 30, 1801 (a great aunt to the central historical figure Margaret Peggy Divine Friend, who was born in 1852).

A headstone with little information in the small Friend cemetery may be a relative of Jemima Dill Divine. It is marked JO. Dill with the inscription “8th MO Cavalry, Co. L” and labeled as John Dill by FindaGrave.com.

James Divine and Nancy Callaway Divine bore five children: From the History of Polk, Cedar, Dade, and Barton Counties, published in 1889: Alfred (1817–1900), James J Divine (1818–1904), William Riley Divine (1819–1875), Thomas Mason Divine (1824–1898) and Nancy J Divine Boyd (1827–1911). Historical notes attest that (1793-1871) was a soldier for the War of 1812 and then later moved to eastern Tennessee with wife Nancy and young children Alfred and a daughter with only one pack horse.

Both James Divine (1793), and Nancy Callaway Divine (1794) are buried in the neighboring Friend family cemetery as the oldest markers. Five headstones in the Friend family cemetery belong to Boyd family members, presumably relatives of James and Nancy Divine’s daughter Nancy J. Divine Boyd. The younger Nancy would be an aunt to Margaret Divine Friend.

James and Nancy Divine’s oldest son Alfred, father of Margaret Divine Friend, continues the lineage for the community historical tale. Alfred Divine (1817–1900) and Artemisia McNabb Divine bore eight children and are both buried in the Divine/Mt. Zion Cemetery at 751 E Dade 42 by the entrance of Mutton Creek Getaway.

Divine/Fanning Connection

Margaret Divine Friend’s oldest brother was James Marshall Divine, a colorful character and sheriff of Dade County from 1886-1900. He was known as “tough, rough, no nonsense lawman.” Read his history here.

James Marshall Divine married Parthena Fanning and bore 11 children, including James Blaine Divine, (1887–1910), who was a member of the 7 US Field Artillery and killed in an argument with an officer at Fort Riley, Kans. James Blaine Divine is buried in the Divine/Mt. Zion Cemetery. There was not a war at the time of J.B. Divine’s death in 1910. The following American wars play a part in the historical drama involving the Divine and Friend ancestors of Dade County: American Revolution (1775-1783), War of 1812 (1812-1815), Civil War (1861-1865), Spanish-American War (1898-1902), and World War I (1917-1918).

The Divine and Fanning families have a close connection through marriage. Margaret Divine Friend’s brother James Marshall Divine, the sheriff, married Parthena Fanning Divine. Margaret and James Marshall’s sister Ozina Divine married James Polk Fanning, brother to Parthena. Therefore, the Fanning brother and sister were married to the Divine brother and sister, making them all in-laws on both sides. Furthermore, both of Margaret Divine Friend and James Marshall Divine’s sisters Martha Jane Divine and Harriet Rachel Divine married Fannings. Martha Divine Fanning married Joseph Alexander Fanning, the brother of James Polk Fanning, her sister’s husband, resulting in two Divine sisters married to two Fanning brothers. Harriet Rachel Divine Fanning married Joseph “Ruff” Taylor Fanning, son of Thomas Joseph Channault Fanning and Mary Ann Elizabeth Mallicoat Fanning, likely a relative of the other Fanning siblings. Altogether, four Divine siblings were married to Fannings, three of whom were siblings. Several Fannings are buried in the Divine Cemetery: Thomas I. Fanning, son of James Polk Fanning and Ozina Divine Fanning, as well as Thomas I. Fanning’s wife Florance. Some other Fanning ancestors were buried in other family plots and later moved to other Dade County locations because of the flooding for Stockton Lake that was constructed in 1969.

Same Names, Different People

It’s easy to get confused with names. As was common then and even now, babies are named after various relatives. Margaret Divine Friend’s father was Alfred Friend (born 1817), and she named her son Alfred Friend (born 1871), who named his son Alfred Friend (born 1905). Margaret’s brother James Marshall Divine bore a son named Alfred Divine (born 1882).

Margaret Peggy Divine (born in 1801) was a great aunt to Margaret Divine Friend (born 1852). The name “Ozina” appears in both the Friend and Divine families: Ozina Divine Fanning (1844–1936), sister to Margaret, as well as Ozina Friend Lamb (1875-1905), daughter of Margaret. The names “John” and “James” were used for many relatives as well.

Other area history

Dade County was settled in the 1800s by pioneers from the Carolinas, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Greenfield was chosen as the county seat with the courthouse constructed in the 1840s. Bricks for the historic building were made in Greenfield’s own brick yard. Also made of brick is the historic 1889 Greenfield High School, southwest Missouri’s oldest high school. See more about Greenfield here.

Predating the Civil War, the Hulston Mill contains the original log building housing a spring-powered, corn-grinding mill built in 1840. A small camping area with facilities, playground, and 14 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails now surrounds the historic mill as Hulston Mill Park. The trails follow the shoreline of Stockton Lake and Sac River. See here for the history, photos from various eras, special events, and directions.

The historical 1888 Opera House once was described as the “Jewel of the Square” and hosts special performances.

Dade County Historical Society Museum, located in Greenfield at 429 West Water Street, is housed in one of Greenfield’s historical buildings. For more information, see the  Greenfield Chamber page or contact Brenda Craig by calling 417-637-0258. The historical Dade County Library also contains a wealth of information.

Some other notable historical locations within the area include Cane Hill, Stockton/Fremont, El Dorado Springs, West El Dorado, Caplinger Mill, and Sacville, which are explained in this historical document. Also check out the Cedar County Historical Society in Stockton. Near Ash Grove, the Nathan Boone Prairie View (2.3 miles) and Homestead Interpretive (.5 mile) trails feature historical information.

Reserve Your Getaway

Mutton Creek Getaway is the perfect place for a laid-back, stress-free getaway. Whether it’s to discover history, hiking trails, or hidden treasures, the Stockton Lake area provides accommodations to relax, recharge, and revive. Why be crowded at a hotel when you can spread out with spread out with two bedrooms, fully equipped kitchen, living room, two baths, free laundry area as well as outdoor living spaces and free covered parking.