Clever is a city in
Christian County Christian County is the name of several counties in the United States:
* Christian County, Illinois
* Christian County, Kentucky
* Christian County, Missouri
Christian County is located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. ...
,
Missouri
Missouri is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee ...
, United States. The population was 2,139 at the
2010 census. It is part of the
Springfield, Missouri
Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an estimat ...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...
. Clever, like the rest of Christian County, saw a significant increase in population between 2000 and 2010.
Geography
Clever is located on the Springfield Plateau of the Missouri
Ozarks
The Ozarks, also known as the Ozark Mountains, Ozark Highlands or Ozark Plateau, is a physiographic region in the U.S. states of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma and the extreme southeastern corner of Kansas. The Ozarks cover a significant port ...
, southwest of
Springfield
Springfield may refer to:
* Springfield (toponym), the place name in general
Places and locations Australia
* Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast)
* Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council)
* Springfield, Queenslan ...
at an elevation of . The town lies in the western panhandle of Christian County, just south of
Missouri Highway 14
Route 14 is a state highway traveling through the southern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. Its western terminus is at U.S. Route 60 (US 60) in Marionville, and its eastern terminus is at US 63 on the northern edge of ...
between
Nixa and
Billings
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, with a population of 117,116 as of the 2020 census. Located in the south-central portion of the state, it is the seat of Yellowstone County and the principal city of the Billings Metrop ...
. The town of
Republic
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
and the
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield
Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, located near Republic, Missouri, preserves the site of the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Fought on August 10, 1861, the battle was the first major American Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River. In ...
are approximately six miles to the north and northeast.
[''Springfield, Missouri,'' 30x60 Topographic Quadrangle, USGS, 1982 (37093-A1-TM-100)]
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , all land.
History
Lincoln Township and the land that would eventually become the town of Clever remained largely unsettled for many years after Missouri became a state in 1821. A U.S. Government land survey wasn't conducted until 1834, and the first land transaction wasn't registered until 1845.
["] With the coming of more settlement to southwest Missouri also came the
Old Wire Road
The Old Wire Road is a historic road in Missouri and Arkansas. Several local roads are still known by this name. It followed an old Native American route, the Great Osage Trail across the Ozarks and became a road along a telegraph line from St. L ...
. Following a portion of the
Great Osage Trail
The Great Osage Trail, also known as the Osage Trace or the Kaw Trace, was one of the more well-known Native American trails through the countryside of what are today called the Midwest and Plains States of the U.S., pathways originally created ...
, the road extended from
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...
southwest to
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the third-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 89,142. It is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas–Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Are ...
passing through Springfield, Missouri and on through Christian county. Along with supply trains and settlers headed for Fort Smith, the
Butterfield Overland Mail
Butterfield Overland Mail (officially the Overland Mail Company)Waterman L. Ormsby, edited by Lyle H. Wright and Josephine M. Bynum, "The Butterfield Overland Mail", The Huntington Library, San Marino, California, 1991. was a stagecoach service i ...
also made use of the road from 1858 to 1861. A telegraph line ran along the same route as well, giving rise to its name.
![McCullochBenjamin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/McCullochBenjamin.jpg)
Prior to Clever's existence as a town, a
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
battle took place nearby. On August 2, 1861, the
Battle of Dug Springs
The Battle of Dug Springs, also known as the Rains Scare, was a battle that was a part of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought on August 2, 1861, near Clever, Missouri.
The battle was fought between several Uni ...
pitted the Union forces of General
Nathaniel Lyon
Nathaniel Lyon (July 14, 1818 – August 10, 1861) was the first Union general to be killed in the American Civil War. He is noted for his actions in Missouri in 1861, at the beginning of the conflict, to forestall secret secessionist plans of th ...
against the numerically superior combined Confederate forces of General
Benjamin McCulloch
Brigadier-General Benjamin McCulloch (November 11, 1811 – March 7, 1862) was a soldier in the Texas Revolution, a Texas Ranger, a major-general in the Texas militia and thereafter a major in the United States Army (United States Volunteers) ...
, Arkansas State Troops under General
Nicholas Bartlett Pearce
Nicholas Bartlett Pearce (commonly known as N. Bart Pearce) (July 20, 1828 – March 8, 1894) was a brigadier general in the Arkansas State Troops during the American Civil War. He led a brigade of infantry in one of the war's earliest battles in ...
, and
Missouri State Guard
The Missouri State Guard (MSG) was a military force established by the Missouri General Assembly on May 11, 1861. While not a formation of the Confederate States Army, the Missouri State Guard fought alongside Confederate troops and, at various ...
under General (and Missouri Governor)
Sterling Price
Major-General Sterling "Old Pap" Price (September 14, 1809 – September 29, 1867) was a senior officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded infantry in the Western and Trans-Mississippi theaters of the American Civil War. Prior to ...
.
The battle, along present-day Old Wire Road, was the first time during the Missouri Campaign of 1861 that the Union "Army of the West" and Confederate forces met in conflict.
[ Despite being outnumbered more than two to one, Lyon's Union forces prevailed in the battle. The clash is seen as a precursor to the much larger and strategically important ]Battle of Wilson's Creek
The Battle of Wilson's Creek, also known as the Battle of Oak Hills, was the first major battle of the Trans-Mississippi Theater of the American Civil War. It was fought on August 10, 1861, near Springfield, Missouri, Springfield, Missou ...
eight days later.[
Following the end of the Civil War, a road from Springfield to ]Billings, Missouri
Billings is a city in Christian County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,035 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Springfield, Missouri metropolitan area.
History
Billings was platted in 1872. The community was named after railroad ...
crossed Old Wire Road, and it was this crossroads that gave rise to Clever.[ Farmer Ike Teague constructed a two-story home at the crossroads around 1890. A short time later a physician, Doctor Bishop, purchased the home and constructed a building across the road with the intent of opening a drug store and mercantile. However he died unexpectedly before completion. It would sit vacant until a year later, around 1894, William Wilson purchased the building and opened the first store in the future Clever. The first post office was established in the store in 1896 with Frank Netzer—now the store's proprietor—as postmaster.][
When the first choice for a post office name was rejected by the Federal government, Mr. Netzer surveyed customers and one, Tom Lentz, suggested "Clever" because the young community's residents were friendly and wise.] Growth of the small crossroads village was slow at first. A blacksmith shop, second store building, and meeting hall had been constructed by 1902 and a tomato canning factory established in 1904.
The next year, surveyors for the Missouri Pacific Railroad
The Missouri Pacific Railroad , commonly abbreviated as MoPac, was one of the first railroads in the United States west of the Mississippi River. MoPac was a Class I railroad growing from dozens of predecessors and mergers. In 1967, the railroad ...
laid out a route from Springfield to Crane, Missouri
Crane (formerly Hickory Grove) is a town in Stone County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,495 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Branson, Missouri Micropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Crane was platted in 1895, taking its nam ...
that passed through Clever. It was at this same time the plat for Clever was officially surveyed and laid out. A 300-foot deep well was drilled for community use and operated by a small gasoline engine until electricity came to Clever in 1928. By 1908 the growing town featured many new business spurred by the railroad including a hotel, lumber yard, photography studio, a bank, movie theater, flour mill, and several mercantile and hardware establishments. With this rapid growth residents felt it time to officially organize as a municipality and petitioned the Christian County court, which granted the request and appointed Clever's first Board of Trustees in February, 1909.
In 1910, Clever's first documented population in the United States Census was 248. Its location on the railroad meant an opportunity for entertainment not normal for a typical small town of the era. A series of Chautauqua
Chautauqua ( ) was an adult education and social movement in the United States, highly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Chautauqua assemblies expanded and spread throughout rural America until the mid-1920s. The Chautauqua bro ...
events over the course of several summers entertained the residents, as did famed showman and Wild West figure William "Buffalo Bill" Cody in 1913. Famed ragtime
Ragtime, also spelled rag-time or rag time, is a musical style that flourished from the 1890s to 1910s. Its cardinal trait is its syncopated or "ragged" rhythm. Ragtime was popularized during the early 20th century by composers such as Scott ...
composer and pianist Blind Boone
John William "Blind" Boone (May 17, 1864 – October 4, 1927) was an American pianist and composer of ragtime music.
Early life
Boone was born in a Federal militia camp near Miami, Missouri, May 17, 1864, to a contraband slave, Rachel, who used ...
also performed in concert at the Clever school gym. Through the first half of the 20th century the population remained relatively stable around or slightly below 500 residents. However between 1990 and 2000 the population nearly doubled from 580 to 1,010., and then more than doubled between 2000 and 2010 rising from 1,010 to 2,139. On May 4, 2003, a series of tornadoes
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, altho ...
passed by the outer reaches of the town. The tornado outbreak
__NOTOC__
A tornado outbreak is the occurrence of multiple tornadoes spawned by the same synoptic scale weather system. The number of tornadoes required to qualify as an outbreak typically are at least six to ten, with at least two rotational l ...
resulted in major property damage, numerous livestock deaths, and one human fatality.
Demographics
2010 census
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 2,139 people, 817 households, and 602 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 880 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 2028 (96.3%) White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 7 (0.3%) African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 1.1% Native American, 0.3% from other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 30 (2.0%) from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 53 (2.5%) of the population.
There were 817 households, of which 44.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.9% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.0% had a male householder with no wife present, and 26.3% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.01.
The median age in the city was 29 years. 30.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 35.6% were from 25 to 44; 16.3% were from 45 to 64; and 8.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city is 1034 (48.3%) male and 1105 (51.7%) female.
2000 census
As of the census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, there were 1,010 people, 388 households, and 282 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 1,581.7 people per square mile (609.3/km2). There were 420 housing units at an average density of 657.7 per square mile (253.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 97.72% White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.30% Native American, 0.10% Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, and 1.88% from two or more races. Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 1.88% of the population.
There were 388 households, out of which 43.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.8% were married couples
Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 23.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.4% under the age of 18, 6.6% from 18 to 24, 35.0% from 25 to 44, 15.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $32,798, and the median income for a family was $38,500. Males had a median income of $27,955 versus $21,477 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $14,958. About 3.6% of families and 6.0% of the population were below the poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 7.8% of those under age 18 and 8.2% of those age 65 or over.
City government
The City of Clever has four alderman
An alderman is a member of a Municipal government, municipal assembly or council in many Jurisdiction, jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council membe ...
, each elected for a two-year term on a nonpartisan
Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party.
While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers sp ...
basis, and a mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...
also elected for a two-year term. The mayor is Dale Maisel who was first elected in June 2020. Alderman include Chris McPhil (East Ward 1), Scott Hackworth (East Ward 2), Josiah Fuller (West Ward 1), and Jeanie Priebe (West Ward 2). Kristy Keithley serves as the City Clerk.
The city provides a small police department for public safety, which is led by Chief Jeff Lofton. Fire protection is provided for the city and surrounding rural areas by the Clever Fire Protection District, a volunteer department.
Education
The first school building in Clever was constructed in 1909. A two-room, two-story brick building, it served to educate students from a number of previous small rural one-room school houses, including the Pleasant Hope school previously one half mile north of Clever.[ Additions were made in 1912 and 1916 that allowed the education to go up to tenth grade. In 1919 Blooming Grove and Taylor schools merged with Clever to form the Consolidated District Number 5. In 1920 it became a four-year high school.][
A fire in the Spring of 1931 destroyed the building, however, a larger two-story brick building was built in time for the following school year. Merges with several small rural districts in the mid-20th century led to the creation of the current Clever R-V (5) school district. The district now provides pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade education to the community and rural portions of Christian County. In 2010–11 school year, there were 1,119 students enrolled in the Clever R-V school district.
]
Notable people
*Robert Mandan
Robert Mandan (February 2, 1932 – April 29, 2018) was an American actor, best known for his roles as Sam Reynolds on ''Search for Tomorrow'' (1965–1970), Chester Tate, the womanizing businessman husband of Jessica Tate (Katherine Helmond ...
- actor, best known for his role as Chester Tate on the TV satire ''Soap
Soap is a salt of a fatty acid used in a variety of cleansing and lubricating products. In a domestic setting, soaps are surfactants usually used for washing, bathing, and other types of housekeeping. In industrial settings, soaps are use ...
.''
*Jim Winn
James Francis Winn (born September 23, 1959) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or part of six seasons in Major League Baseball from 1983 to 1988.
Biography
Winn was born in Stockton, California and grew up in Clever, Misso ...
- former professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
.
References
External links
* Historic maps of Clever in th
Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection
at the University of Missouri
The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...
{{authority control
Cities in Christian County, Missouri
Springfield metropolitan area, Missouri
Cities in Missouri