Poplar Bluff’s own Tom, Dick and Harry — Minetree

The Poplar Bluff Museum tells many unknown tales of our community. I want to tell you some of those hidden tales found within the museum walls.

The phrase “Tom, Dick and Harry” is a placeholder for unspecified people. It is most commonly used as “every Tom Dick and Harry,” meaning anyone and everyone, a set of nobodies. Its origins date back to the Middle Ages. “Tizio, Caio e Sempronio” has long been used to describe a generic set of people in Italy. In French, it was translated as “Pierre, Paul ou Jacques.” The earliest use in English dates back to 1657 when John Owen used the phrase when addressing the governing body at Oxford University. Shakespeare used a version of it in his play “Henry IV” “Tom, Dick and Francis.”

In English, the phrase is known as a “tricolon.” Other examples of tricolons are “tall, dark and handsome; hook, line and sinker; the good, the bad and the ugly; and lock, stock and barrel.” The modern English uses of the phrase dates back to 1835. Charles Darwin returned from the Galapagos Islands with three sea turtles. He named them “Tom, Dick and Harry.” Later, three escape tunnels from the World War II German POW Camp “Stalag Luft III” were called “Tom, Dick and Harry.” The movie “The Great Escape” named their tunnels the same. Cole Porter’s musical “Kiss Me Kate” featured a song “Tom, Dick and Harry.” Even the recent television show “Third Rock from the Sun” characters were named “Tom, Dick and Harry.”

So, are there really people named Tom, Dick and Harry? What would you say to them? Where would you meet them? Would you believe Tom, Dick and Harry are from Poplar Bluff? Only they aren’t unspecified nobodies. Quite the opposite. Richard and Ruth Minetree were from Poplar Bluff. They had three sons. Their names were Tom, Richard Jr. (Dick), and Harry.

Richard Minetree Jr. preferred to be called “Dick.” He was the yearbook editor and graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1947. Dick attended Westminster College and received a degree in education. He returned to Poplar Bluff and began teaching at the junior high, then the high school and finally Three Rivers Junior College. Dick was an avid historian. He was an active member with the Butler County Historical Society and board member of the Poplar Bluff Museum.

Tom Minetree graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1949. He was an All-Star athlete. Tom lettered in football, basketball and track. He was selected as the Big 8 Conference MVP, scoring 103 points in a season. Tom was also the captain of the All-Conference team. He attended the University of Missouri and the University of Arkansas. Tom earned a medical degree and was board certified in diagnostic radiology, radiation oncology and nuclear medicine. Dr. Minetree was a pioneer in the treatment of cancer.

Harry Minetree was the freshman class president and graduated from Poplar Bluff High School in 1953. He attended Vanderbilt University and received a Master of Fine Arts degree in English. Harry also earned a creative arts degree from the University of Iowa. He went on to teach at Columbia College, Memphis State University, Syracuse University and Lindenwood College. Harry was also a guest lecturer at the University of London. He was a prolific writer and journalist. Harry’s book “Cooley: The Career of a Great Heart Surgeon” was published in 1973. “Cooley” was soon translated into Spanish and German.

If “Tom, Dick and Harry” was supposed to be the definition of any man, the Minetree’s set the bar pretty high for the rest of us. To meet their standard, we would have to be athletes, teachers, authors and doctors. Poplar Bluff is proud to be the home of these “nobodies.” They make us “somebody.” The Minetree biographies are on display in the “People Room.” The museum is open free of charge and handicap accessible. It is open Sunday 1-4 p.m. at 1010 Main St. Tell them Mike sent you.

Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.