I have done a little research on the land records of Section 29. Here are some highlights of the early history:
-- In 1870, the Atlantic and Pacific (A&P) Railroad announced plans to construct a new railroad across the White River region, from Monett, Missouri, to Batesville, Arkansas.
-- The A&P Railroad was given a land grant by the US Government of 140,000 acres. The grant consisted of alternating sections of land on either side of the proposed route.
-- George Gilbert of Springfield, Missouri, purchased all of section 29, the square mile that included Marble Cave. He purchased the land solely as an investment.
-- In 1884, Mr. T. Hodge Jones purchased all of sec. 29. The land was transferred to the corporation, The Marble Cave Mining and Manufacturing Company.
-- In 1884, J. B..Emery, president of the Marble Cave Mining Co., filed a plat for the town of Marble City with Stone County.
-- In 1893, Arthur Lynch of Jackson County, Missouri, bought the one-square-mile cave property (sec. 29) for $7,000.
-- In 1893, Arthur sold sec. 29 to his brother, William Henry Lynch who was living in Canada. The price was $10,000.
-- In 1901, a small plot (2 to 4 acres) was donated by Levi Morrill for the Marble Cave School, but this was probably in sec. 20.
-- Year Unknown: 80 acres (E ½, NE ¼ of Sec. 29) transferred to Lizzie Goodan.
-- (about 1913 ?) William Henry Lynch died and his land in sec. 29 was transferred to his daughters. (I believe this was 560 acres).
Please let me know if any of this is in error or it I left out anything.