"J. Hurley and Roberta Hagood are well
known in Hannibal and Marion County
for their research and writing of historic
events in Northeast Missouri.
"Hurley spent his boyhood in Hannibal
and Roberta was born in Hannibal.
Later she lived in Centralia, Illinois and
Ralls County, Missouri. The
Hagoods met while they were students at
Hannibal-LaGrange College.
Hurley is a graduate of William Jewel
College, and Roberta continued her
education at the University of Missouri and
at Northern State University of
Colorado. After their marriage in
1935, they lived 39 years in Oregon,
Washington, Colorado and California.
The Hagoods each had careers.
Hurley was employed by the Boy Scouts of
America 1935-1974. When they retired in 1974, Roberta was
Director of Placement Services at Chapman
College in California.
Since their retirement and return to
Missouri they have been active in
gathering historic material of Hannibal's
past and preserving it in book form.
They also have written numerous historic
feature articles for the Hannibal
Courier-Post, and for several
magazines." (1)
After Hurley died in 2002, Roberta has
continued their historical research.
She published Hannibal Heritage in 2004, and often
provides answers to questions about
Hannibal's history for people who
still call and visit her. She has left a
legacy to the Hannibal Free Public Library through her help in the
creation of the Missouri Room and the donation
of about 5,000 note cards. (2)
The reprint of The Story of
Hannibal is possible
because Roberta donated its copyright to
Hannibal Free Public Library.
The Library Board is deeply grateful to
her. The Library also wants to
express appreciation to David Norman of
KHBL radio station, who was determined
to see the book reprinted, to Jim
Bastian of SPC Graphics, who oversaw
the reprinting, and to the
Northeast Missouri Community Foundation.
The reprint of The Story of
Hannibal is a fundraiser for
Hannibal Free Public Library. It is
the initial publication of the
Hannibal Library Press.
(1) Hannibal-LaGrange
College History by J. Hurley
and Roberta
Hagood, copyright by Hannibal-LaGrange
College, 1995. (Used with
permission of the College.)
(2) "At the
100-year mark, Hannibal historian looks
back on life's work," by Mary
Poletti, Quincy Herald-Whig,
published November 9, 2010 and updated
December 2, 2010.
