Holliday: A Community Rooted in History

  
The Village of Holliday has been home to generations of families whose contributions have helped shape the community into what it is today. Many residents were born and raised in the village, while others moved to Holliday and became longtime members of the community. 
Current village residents who were born in Holliday include Murline Levings, Michelle Levings, Gloria Deaver, Anita Kirtlink, Sara Kean, LaVonda Nickell, Guy Callison, Sherry Lair, Stacie McGee, Chris Akers, Joni Wilkerson, Jennifer Wilkerson, Larry Ragsdale, Jake Sanner, Thomas Sanner, Abigail Hendren, and Hayden Crawford. 
Brenda Coffman was born in Holliday and later moved north. Sam McGee and Tony McGee were born in the surrounding community and later made their homes in the village. 
Other longtime village residents include Jane Akers, Sandy Callison, Brenda McGee, Corey and Kerri Hendren, Margaret Ragsdale, Jerry and Zelma Jo Ragsdale, Deanna Wilkerson, Faye Adams, Ronnie and Renee Bridgeman, Bill Robertson, Robbie Kean, the Dawson family, Mike Moore, David Pence, Angelia Baker, Richard Berrey, Richard Deaver, Larry Nickell, Joeanne McGee, Brody Lehenbauer, and Chandler Crawford. 
Longtime community families include the Miller, Houston, Crain, Unterbrink, VanLandingham, Ensor, Morgan, Ransdell, Freeman, Coffman, Wilson, Smothers, Boillot, and Callison families, along with Andy and Sara Callison, the Mitchell family, the Davis family, Dusty McGee, Aaron Shatzer, Eric Kirtlink, and many others. 
Throughout Holliday's history, many individuals and families have left a lasting impact on the community. Among them were Ralph and Mildred Howe, with Mildred serving as a teacher; Essie and Josie Durbin, who operated the local telephone office; Harry and Edith Smith, who operated a blacksmith shop, convenience store, and pool hall; Gladys Clay, a longtime school cook; and Kenneth Levings, who owned and operated a sawmill. 
Other family names that have been part of Holliday's history include Menefee, Olney, Blackaby, Farrell, Blackburn, Hartman, Pilkington, Stickney, Jackson, Dickerson, VanSkyke, Fifer, Danner, Woods, Dry, Treece, Shrader, Johnson, Orr, Thompson, Foster, Curtright, Hawkins, Moore, Hultz, Sparks, Dierling, Delaney, Holsheiser, Galvin, Clements, Jones, Halliburton, Secoy, Harrison, Blades, McCullom, Long, Adams, Shoemate, Appleman, Arnold, Buffington, Huisman, Stamp, Graupman, Gillette, Solomon, Brooks, Smelser, Bailey, Snodgrass, Zinser, Gilbert, Burnett, Houchins, Crim, White, and McCreery. 
These families and countless others helped build the foundation of Holliday. While many have moved away over the years, they still proudly refer to Holliday as home. Their legacy continues through the generations who remain connected to this close-knit community and its rich history. 
Between the years 1870 and 1874, the Tebo and Neosho Railroad Company built a railroad from Sedalia to Hannibal, which went through Holliday. 
After the railroad depot was moved into Holliday, the town quickly attracted people due to its rich farmland and abundance of timber. This sparked the growth of several essential early businesses. 
The earliest establishment of Holliday was The Holliday Brothers General Store, which was the very first building erected in the town, a dry goods and general store operated by founders W.H. Holliday and his brother Thompson Holliday. The First Hotel was opened by early settler William Singleton, who moved to the area from Macon County, opened Holliday's first hotel to accommodate travelers coming off the newly routed train line. 
The town of Holliday was at one time an important shipping point for cattle, sheep, and hogs, which were shipped from this point three or four times a week. Some early buyers were Billy Holder, A.D. Deaver, D.H. Barke, Joel Brown, William Barker, Cud Engle, and Casey Jones.

According to Michelle Levings, as of June 8, there are close to 65 vendors: 36 10 x 10, 11 10x20, 2 10 x 30, and 6 food trucks, 59 or 53 and 6 food trucks, tentatively; plus 6 non-profit and other activities will be there on June 27.