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Category: History
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Some McM* Facts:

"P. McMinnimen has lost all of his finest fat steers (oxen)"

"1407 Eugene McMeanman O'Donnell"

Whilst a number of men were engaged pulling down some old houses in Harvey St. (Derry), a gable wall suddenly fell, burying almost all in the ruins. Fortunately they escaped with slight injuries except a man named John Doherty from the Waterside and a labourer named William J Mc Menamin residing in Quarry Road.  Both men were almost immediately conveyed to the County Infirmary. Doherty received a very severe wound to the side of his head and back of his hand but was in no danger. Mc Menamin is in a most frightful condition. His body being literally mangled, mouth and chin torn away and left arm almost torn off the body. His throat was deeply gashed. There are not the slightest hopes of his recovery entertained.

My thanks to David Mac for this snippet!

I grew up in and moved away from Saint Peters, MO in 1979.  The “McEnemy’s” as we knew them had a relatively large farm that we played in, on and around.  As no kid had ever seen the family, wild stories were regularly circulated as to the daily whereabouts of “OLD MAN McENEMY.”  Other wild stories had it that if you were caught on the property, you would spend one year in this dungeon et cetera.  I do honestly think that they were old and probably retired. 

In 1981 they whole place was torn down, and Mid-Rivers Mall went up.  The census population was like 550 in 1970.  We moved there in 1972.  In 1980 it was about 5000 and in 1990 it was nearing 45,000 and is about 54,000 now. 

I lived at that farm for at least one hour a day every day during the summer break from age 4 through 9.  I do still miss that barn.