Phil and Amanda Miller had two beautiful daughters, that were the talk of the Town, Goring, Missouri. Phil and Amanda were strict Methodists in a town of Baptists, Presbyterians and Lutherans. The oldest daughter Shelby, fell in love with a Methodist by the name of Loring Johnson, of the respected Johnson family. He was really a catch. He owned hardware store. But problems started when Dona met and fell in love with a Presbyterian boy, T. C. Schnebly.
TC had thoughts of moving out west someday, but beside that Sedona’s parents just could not get by the fact that he was a Presbyterian. They never did reconcile so they’re married life was difficult. They stayed in Going nearly four years before deciding it was time to move west. TC’s brother Ellsworth had moved to Arizona because of his health, and he loved it.
Ellsworth kept saying it was the most beautiful place on earth. He was living in a canyon beside a beautiful river with high cliffs of limestone that glowed red each morning and evening. TC homesteaded 80 acres and a settled in to a peaceful lifestyle. By now TC and Sedona had three daughters. The view was breathtaking and the quiet peaceful lifestyle was to their liking.
TC built a ten room stone house to use for a bed and breakfast, and also built a road to Flagstaff. Sedona began serving evening meals. They were sure that if people came for the day they would stay the night. Then if tourists came they would need a post office, so TC applied and was granted a post office inside of a general store, which was the practice of that time. The name of the new town would be called Schnebly Station. However it had too many letters for the post office stamping devices so they had to find another name.
TC came up with a brilliant idea, the name of the new town would be Sedona, Arizona. Theodore Carlton Schnebly had become a success. But that’s not the end of the story. Loring Johnson, Shelby’s husband died in jail, Leavenworth Prison no less. We’ll leave this to the reader too discover what happened, perhaps he was trying too hard to please everyone. I don’t believe Sedona’s parents ever accepted TC.
Today if you go to Flagstaff, and take Schnebly Hill Road to Sedona, you will see the beautiful, peaceful land that TC and Sedona discovered. You will see the beautiful brass statue that was erected for Sedona Schnebly. There is one thing that is unique to their town. They have the only McDonald’s in the world, that doesn’t have golden arches. Their arches are turquoise so as not to interfere with the beautiful red sunrises and sunsets.
One thing that is interesting to me, Sedona’s mother made up her name, by simply putting letters together. This was not even a word before her mother made it up. Why didn’t I learn how to put together consonants and vowels in school. I guess we’ll never know.
—James Neuhouser
