1910

West of Dexter to St. Francis River - The Dexter Statesman - March 30, 1910 - In 1910, the Connecticut Mutual Life Insurance Company owned much of the land west of Dexter toward the St. Francis River.  They used four large dredge boats to ditch over 70,000 acres of land.  They built roads, cleared fields, and built homesteads with fences which they offered at "easy terms, on long time, with small payments and low interest rates."  The CT Mutual Life Insurance also owned lands near Essex, Bell City, and Advance, as well as, land in Dunklin and Butler counties.  In 1900, land sold for $1.50 an acre, by 1910 it was selling as high as $25.00 an acre, acreage that was developed and had established farms could go as high as $50 an acre.  

According to the article, Stoddard had, "no saloons, no negroes and the climate is healthful and pleasant.   Churches and schools and thoroughly equipped unsurpassed."  For those interested, they were instructed to contact the Steele Brothers of Dexter, Missouri.