314 North Spring Street
Independence, MO, USA

National Register of Historic Places - Charles Minor House (The Minor House)

Statement of Significance:

Social/Humanitarian: The Minor House is important in the history of Independence because of its architecture, because it is nearly 100 years old and is practically unaltered, and because the two Minor sisters who lived for eighty years were grand-daughters of the first mayor of Independence, William McCoy. McCoy Park was named by the city for the first mayor, and is located just two blocks north of the Minor House. The Minor sisters were close friends of the Truman family and of many other prominent Independence and nationally known persons. The house was on the Independence Historical Survey in 1976, also the 10th annual Homes Tour of the Independence Junior Service League on May 10, 1980. It has been written about in several locally published articles in the newspapers. Also it is significant because of the fact that the ground on which it stands was originally the property of Samuel Weston, pioneer blacksmith, and is now owned by a great-great-grand-daughter of Samuel Weston, Mrs. Robert DeTray, who has restored the home to preserve it from being destroyed by developmental interests.
The Minor sisters as has been mentioned, came from a distinguished Independence family. Their grandfather was William McCoy. He and his brother, John, came to Independence in 1838 from Chillicothe, Ohio, flipping a coin to see whether they went to St. Joseph or Independence. William McCoy opened a dry goods store outfitting the wagons going west from Independence, which was the starting point of the Santa Fe, California, and Oregon Trails. In 1849 Independence was incorporated and McCoy was elected the first mayor. He found after a year that he was not interested in politics and resumed his business career.

William McCoy opened a bank around the time of the Civil War. The bank was organized by William McCoy and Preston Roberts and was known as the "McCoy Bank". This was located on West Lexington next to the Chrisman-Sawyer bank. In 1850 William McCoy married Ellen Waddle of Chillicothe, Ohio. He built for her the big brick house which still stands at 410 West Farmer, 1/2 block north of the Minor House. Two children, were born to William McCoy and Ellen Waddle, Nancy (Nannie) and Allen. Nannie married Charles L. Minor in 1883. From this union two daughters were born, Eleanor and Grace, who lived in the Minor home for eight years until the death of Miss Eleanor Minor in 1982, when the home was purchased by a next-door neighbor, Mrs. Robert DeTray.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Minor acquired the home in 1900. Mrs. Minor was the former Nancy M. McCoy, daughter of William McCoy, an early Independence business man and the first mayor when the town was incorporated in 1849. The Harry S Trumans were often entertained in the Minor home by the Minor sisters. The Minor sisters were guests of the Trumans at the White House during the time Mr. Truman was president. When President Truman died, they were escorted to his funeral by Washington dignitaries.

The Misses Eleanor and Grace Minor were contemporaries and close friends of Mrs. Harry S Truman, the former Miss Bess Wallace. The Minor sisters grew up with and moved in the same social circles as Bess Wallace. Another prominent guest entertained here who was a close friend was Blevins Davis of Glendale Farm and New York City. He was a theatrical producer known in theatrical and social circles of both the east and west coasts as well as Europe, a patron of the arts, and a friend of the Trumans as well. The Minor sisters were acquaintances of the Vanderbilts of New York and were entertained at the same dinners and parties when they were in New York. They traveled extensively and often in Europe, the Orient, South America and Mexico.
Final Comment: Because of the relationship of the Minor sisters to the Truman family, because of its unique architecture which has been carefully preserved to this day and carefully restored, and because of interest shown in the house by various historical groups through the years, it would seem fitting and proper that the Minor House be given serious consideration in regard to the National Register of Historic Places.