The silk dress

The Poplar Bluff Museum tell many unknown tales of our community. I want to tell you some of those hidden tales found within the museum walls.

Poplar Bluff was a very dangerous place during the Civil War. Although no real battles were fought here, there were many murders by marauding guerillas and soldiers. Many families moved away during that period. Daniel Jennings remained in town with his family. They lived in a log home on the corner of Second and Vine streets.

In 1863, Beatrice Jennings was a just a 16-year-old girl. She was the proud owner of a silk dress she kept in the attic under her bed. Her dress was highly prized by her and was the object of envy by all the other girls in town.

One day while the Jennings were boiling lard in a large kettle, a detachment of Union soldiers occupied Poplar Bluff. Some of the soldiers began foraging for food. Four of them entered the Jennings home. One soldier went into the attic and came down with the silk dress. Beatrice jumped on him and tried to take it back but was thrown down on the ground. She then grabbed a ladle of boiling lard from the fireplace and threw it on him. The scalded soldier dropped the dress and ran out of the house screaming, rolling in the snow. The other soldiers cheered and laughed at him. Beatrice ran back upstairs with her dress. Just then the commanding officer passed by and inquired about the commotion. He quickly had the soldier arrested and promised to punish him after his wounds healed. Poplar Bluff fought back that day and it took a teenage girl to do it.

John Freer witnessed the event and retold the story many times. It was recorded in the 1925 book “Deem’s History of Butler County Missouri.” The book is on file in the Poplar Bluff Museum reference library. The Museum is handicap accessible and open free of charge Sunday 1-4 at 1010 Main Street. Tell them Mike sent you.

Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.