Skidmore, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Skidmore is a city in Nodaway County
, Missouri
, United States
. The population was 342 at the 2000 census. The small farming community which has a yearly "Punkin' Show", has made international headlines with high profile murders.
The Skidmore area was first settled in 1840 by William Bunton shortly after the Platte Purchase
opened the area to settlement. Skidmore itself was platted in 1880 when M. Skidmore donated 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) to the Nodaway Valley Railroad Company (the agent for the Kansas City, St. Joseph and Council Bluffs Railroad which was eventually taken over by the Burlington Northern Railroad). The railroad no longer operates.
In 1981, Ken McElroy
was shot while sitting in his truck in front of the pool hall in town. Though dozens of people saw the event, all denied seeing anything that would help identify the shooters.http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/classics/ken_mcelroy/index.html McElroy had a reputation as the "town bully" was alleged to have committed several area thefts and violence. Town residents had been upset over the inability of the courts to deal with him. In 1991 it was made into a made-for-TV movie starring Brian Dennehy
and Cloris Leachman
(although filmed in Texas).http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102106/
The Ken McElroy shooting was also the focus of the A&E Network
program City Confidential
, season two, episode twenty-two entitled, "Skidmore: Frontier Justice".
On April 11, 2001, Branson Kayne Perry, twenty years old at the time, mysteriously disappeared from near his home in Skidmore. Branson was last seen by his friend on April 11 at approximately 3:00 p.m. They were cleaning house for his father before he came home from the hospital. He told his friend he was putting jumper cables in the shed and would be right back. He has not been seen since. He left behind his van and personal belongings. The jumper cables weren't in the shed, but a few days later, they were placed there by an unknown person.
The family is currently offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the whereabouts of Branson Perry and/or the arrest and conviction of the person and/or persons responsible for his disappearance, and Castle Records is offering http://www.castlerecords.com a $25,000 recording contract for any information in regards to Branson Perry's disappearance.
In December 2004, Skidmore was once again the focus of national attention when Bobbie Jo Stinnett
was murdered and had her unborn baby cut from her womb.http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/women/women_killers2/11.html The baby, Victoria Jo Stinnett, was found two days later in Topeka, Kansas
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), all land.
of 2000, there were 342 people, 148 households, and 96 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,058.8 people per square mile (412.6/km²). There were 173 housing units at an average density of 535.6 per square mile (208.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.42% White, 0.29% African American, and 0.29% from two or more races.
There were 148 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples
living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 102.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,500, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $20,156 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $13,881. About 14.7% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.8% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
Nodaway County, Missouri
Nodaway County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. The county was organized in 1845 and named for the Nodaway River.As of 2010, the population was 23,370...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 342 at the 2000 census. The small farming community which has a yearly "Punkin' Show", has made international headlines with high profile murders.
The Skidmore area was first settled in 1840 by William Bunton shortly after the Platte Purchase
Platte Purchase
The Platte Purchase was a land acquisition in 1836 by the United States government from Native American tribes all of which was east bank lands along the Missouri River that added to the northwest corner of the state of Missouri. The area acquired is almost as large as the states of Delaware and...
opened the area to settlement. Skidmore itself was platted in 1880 when M. Skidmore donated 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) to the Nodaway Valley Railroad Company (the agent for the Kansas City, St. Joseph and Council Bluffs Railroad which was eventually taken over by the Burlington Northern Railroad). The railroad no longer operates.
Notable events
Two killings that made front page headlines around the world occurred here.In 1981, Ken McElroy
Ken McElroy
Ken Rex McElroy was a resident of Nodaway County, Missouri, near the town of Skidmore. Known as "the town bully", his unsolved murder became the focus of international attention...
was shot while sitting in his truck in front of the pool hall in town. Though dozens of people saw the event, all denied seeing anything that would help identify the shooters.http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/classics/ken_mcelroy/index.html McElroy had a reputation as the "town bully" was alleged to have committed several area thefts and violence. Town residents had been upset over the inability of the courts to deal with him. In 1991 it was made into a made-for-TV movie starring Brian Dennehy
Brian Dennehy
Brian Mannion Dennehy is an American actor of film, stage and screen.-Early years:Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Hannah and Edward Dennehy, who was a wire service editor for the Associated Press; he has two brothers, Michael and Edward. Dennehy is of Irish ancestry and was...
and Cloris Leachman
Cloris Leachman
Cloris Leachman is an American actress of stage, film and television. She has won eight Primetime Emmy Awards—more than any other performer—and one Daytime Emmy Award...
(although filmed in Texas).http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102106/
The Ken McElroy shooting was also the focus of the A&E Network
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
program City Confidential
City Confidential
City Confidential is an American documentary television show, transmitted on the A&E Network, which singled out a community during each episode and investigated a crime that had occurred there. Rather than being a straighforward procedural, the installments began by focusing on the history and...
, season two, episode twenty-two entitled, "Skidmore: Frontier Justice".
On April 11, 2001, Branson Kayne Perry, twenty years old at the time, mysteriously disappeared from near his home in Skidmore. Branson was last seen by his friend on April 11 at approximately 3:00 p.m. They were cleaning house for his father before he came home from the hospital. He told his friend he was putting jumper cables in the shed and would be right back. He has not been seen since. He left behind his van and personal belongings. The jumper cables weren't in the shed, but a few days later, they were placed there by an unknown person.
The family is currently offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information leading to the whereabouts of Branson Perry and/or the arrest and conviction of the person and/or persons responsible for his disappearance, and Castle Records is offering http://www.castlerecords.com a $25,000 recording contract for any information in regards to Branson Perry's disappearance.
In December 2004, Skidmore was once again the focus of national attention when Bobbie Jo Stinnett
Bobbie Jo Stinnett
Bobbie Jo Stinnett was a 23-year-old pregnant woman found brutally slain in her home in Skidmore, Missouri. The accused, Lisa M. Montgomery, then 36, was convicted of strangling Stinnett from behind and then cutting the woman's unborn child, eight months into gestation, from her womb...
was murdered and had her unborn baby cut from her womb.http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/women/women_killers2/11.html The baby, Victoria Jo Stinnett, was found two days later in Topeka, Kansas
Topeka, Kansas
Topeka |Kansa]]: Tó Pee Kuh) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the county seat of Shawnee County. It is situated along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was...
.
Geography
Skidmore is located at 40.288488°N 95.078955°W.According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²), all land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 342 people, 148 households, and 96 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,058.8 people per square mile (412.6/km²). There were 173 housing units at an average density of 535.6 per square mile (208.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 99.42% White, 0.29% African American, and 0.29% from two or more races.
There were 148 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 7.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.1% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.89.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.7% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 102.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,500, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $20,156 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $13,881. About 14.7% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.8% of those under age 18 and 10.9% of those age 65 or over.
External links
- Branson Perry Family Website
- Article on Crime Library
- Branson Perry's Exclusive Web Story on America's Most Wanted
- Historic maps of Skidmore in the Sanborn Maps of Missouri Collection at the University of MissouriUniversity of MissouriThe University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...