The BRUNOT SPRING is located at Brunot, Missouri, on the property, formerly owned by Rev. Isaac L. and Rowena Brooks, now owned by Don and Betty Brooks. My father purchased the property from Hr. and Hrs. Lee Jackson around 1910. While the spring is on their property it is located near the road in front of the property and therefore has always been used as a public spring.
Not much is known of its very early history, but in 1863 when Major General Sterling Price of the Southern Army brought his troops, some 2,000, north to fight the Battle of Pilot Knob against General I Ewing, he came through Brunot. They camped by the spring which furnished much needed water for the men and horses before going on to Fort Davidson.
The north and south road from Arcadia to Greenville came through Brunot and at one time a way station or inn was located near the spring. This road, going south toward Patterson, goes through a mountain of solid rock, which was always referred to as the great “Stoney Battery,” an extremely narrow and rugged road for “Old Pap” Prince and his men and horses to travel in order to get to Fort Davidson.
When my father bought this property, the spring was used by about every family living at Brunot. Spring houses or cubicles made of rough lumber lined the spring branch and the cool water kept milk, butter and other foods from spoiling in the summertime; it was their refrigeration system. Ny parents had the first spring box, Henry Golden the second, P.E. White the third and so on down the spring branch.
There were at least six spring houses and no one locked the door to their individual house. Everyone was trusted, even ‘When the contents were watermelon or other cherished food. This continued until about 1916-17 when some wells were drilled and one of the stores installed a Delco Electric System.
