entrepreneurs Women

William H. Smith (1854-?) and Comfort D. Porter Smith (1858-?) first came to Joplin in 1874 from Bowling Green, Kentucky.  William took a job as assistant cashier with the Joplin Savings Bank of East Joplin, the first bank established in Joplin.  He was a member of the “Old Settlers’ Association of Joplin” that included pioneer residents and their families.

Mr. Smith went on to be the director of the Joplin Trust Co. and secretary and treasurer of the Gilchrist Porter Realty Co.  He was also one of the originators of the Joplin & Pittsburg Railway Co., an electric inter-state line that extended to Pittsburg, Kansas.  The J&P was the main rival of the Southwest Missouri Railroad, another interurban passenger railway.

In 1877 the Smiths engaged in the hotel business in Ensenada, Mexico and afterward in banking and merchandising in San Francisco, California.  The Smith’s returned to Joplin and William engaged in the real estate business with John H. Taylor, his brother-in-law.  They were among the most important of the real estate dealers in the city, handling city properties, lands, farms, mining property, and so forth. 

Arthur Bradford “A.B.” McConnell (1846-1926) was identified as handling some of the most important and valuable proprieties in early Joplin.  He made a specialty of sub-divisions and platting.  He also became financially interested in mining operations.  In 1919, the Joplin Globe reported “tongue in cheek” that A.B. was reputed by some old settlers to have carried the dirt to make Joplin.  His death notice reported that he was regarded as the dean of Joplin real estate dealers.  His wife, Nancy Jane Patterson McConnell (1842-1901) only lived in the house for one year before passing away.

George Lavery (1856-1928) served as the Deputy Jasper County Assessor, Deputy Sheriff, and on the Joplin City Council in the late 1890s.  Early on he was associated with the smelting industry.  Later he was with Cofer & Lavery, purveyors of groceries and dry goods.  Both George and his third wife, Theresa Sorg Lavery (1866-1959) were active in Democratic politics. 

Theresa moved to Joplin in 1892 and established the Sorg Store, a millinery shop, with a sister, Miss Anna Sorg.  After operating the hat shop for 17 years, it’s last location was in the Frisco Building at 6^th & Main Street.  Theresa was very active in social and civic clubs in Joplin, was a charter member of the Joplin Woman’s Club, and in 1926 was appointed as one of three Democratic election judges.

William Henry Picher (1851-1924) was married to Susan Brummel Jones Picher (1851-1904).  The Picher name has long been associated with Joplin’s lead and zinc mining history and the city of Picher, Oklahoma was named after the Picher family.  

In 1875, William and his brother, Judge Oliver Hazard Picher organized the Picher Lead and Zinc Co. and later they merged with Eagle Paint Co. of Cincinnati, Ohio to become the Eagle-Picher Lead Co., one of the largest lead smelting concerns in the world.  The company was also successful in inventing devices for arresting the furnace fumes, and converting them into sublimed white lead, a commodity without a rival in all those qualities which make an enduring pigment.  William was president of the Joplin Commercial Club which later became the Chamber of Commerce. 

By 1920, William was living at the Olivia Apartments.  He bequeathed $500 per year for 20 years to the City of Joplin.  The $10,000 ($176,000 in 2023 dollars) was to be “used for caring for the poor of the city.” 

Architecture – This house has an enclosed shed roof porch that projects from the east elevation.  The center has a scrolled parapet.  A wide wood cornice with modillions ornaments the roofline. Paneled wood columns articulate the corners. A full-width flat roof porch spans the primary elevation and continues north as a porte cochère.  It has wood Doric columns and a turned wood balustrade.  The front door has multi-light beveled glazing and a stained-glass transom.  A band of two single windows, separated by a medallion pierces the second story.  Hitching posts are on the west and south sides of the house.