Built in 1826 by Jones H. Flournoy, this was one of the first brick homes in
this area and reported to be one of the oldest homes in Independence.
After arriving here with his wife and small daughter, Flournoy had his slaves
dig the basement and use the clay from the excavation to make bricks for the
upper structure. These same bricks were used on the basement floor and the four
fireplaces, as well as the outside walls. Four rooms were built, two of them
underground. There were no connecting doors on the main level.
All wood and beams were hand-split oak from the area of the city square. The
doors, windows and trim were all shipped in. Large fireplaces were at the ends
of each room, and it is reported to have been the finest home in the area at
that time. Flournoy was a prominent man in the late 1820s and 1830s. In 1829 he
was appointed by the county as an overseer for construction of a road leading
from the Independence Square to Rock Creek, which was the first segment of the
historic Santa Fe Trail.
In 1831, Joseph Smith Jr., and Edward Partridge met in the Flournoy House and
it is believe this is where the purchase of the 63.33 acres known as the “Temple
Lot Property” was negotiated and purchased for $130 by the church. The deed
was recorded on December 21, 1831.
By 1833, Flournoy had become an ardent anti-Mormon and was one of the leaders
who sought to evict the over 1200 saints who had gathered in this area. He was
present when they tarred and feathered Edward Partridge and others, burned
several homes, destroyed the printing press, and ran the saints out of
Independence.
Flournoy sold this structure to Richard Fristoe, who was the first judge of
the county. Fristoe never did live in the house itself, but rented it to a Mrs.
Fuller, who used it as a school.
John Slaughter and his wife bought the house in 1848 and added a two-story
brick addition, making it the most elegant home in the city at that time. The
original house now became the kitchen and fruit cellar.
After various owners, the house was again sold, this time to John Smith, who
added another two-story addition, after which the building became known as the
Pleasant Street Mansion. It was one of the social centers of the community until
the 1940s. In 1964 the mansion was torn down to make a parking lot. William J.
Curtis, a history teacher, purchased the original Flournoy House and carefully
reconstructed it near his home. Again, community progress threatened the
historic house. In order to preserve the heritage, the Restoration Trail
Foundation purchased the little brick house and moved it. Although relocated
several times, it is still within blocks of its original location. The building
today appears almost as it did in 1826.
This structure is one of the few pioneer homes left in Jackson County that
represents the era of the early Saints. It was built as a farmhouse out of soft
yellow bricks, which were commonly used in this area. The home was built by the
Stallcup family in the early 1830s and is reported to be one of the oldest slave
cabins in Missouri. The fireplace is made of native Missouri limestone.
Dr. Frederick M. Smith, President of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints from 1915 to 1946, purchased the farm property and this
little pioneer home in 1937. At that time the cabin was located approximately
five miles east of Independence and was situated behind the main house.
President Smith’s daughter, Lois Larsen, and her family moved to the farm
and into the main house with him. As her family increased he began to spend more
time out in the cabin, using it as a retreat for study and meditation. He
eventually lived permanently in the cabin, with no luxuries except electricity
and a bathroom. He continued taking his meals with his daughter’s family in
the main house.
President Smith loved all creation and would not let a living creature be
killed. It is reported that once, when a meeting was being held in the cabin,
crickets kept chirping loudly and hopping around, distracting and disturbing
those who were in the meeting. He would not let anyone kill any of the crickets;
thus his home came to be affectionately called “The Cricket House.”
Being sensitive to history, Dr. Smith decided to have work done to preserve
this structure. The restoration is authentic, with original furnishings as they
appeared in 1940. Included among the furnishings are hand-made items (his
hobbies were working with wood and gardening) and the drafting table he used
when drawing plans for the building of the Auditorium. The rosebush outside the
study is the same rosebush that was outside the cabin when President Smith
occupied the building.
