Sleeper is shortly after Stoutland to the west, it was a small depot and hamlet. The small community was named after "Sleeper", a railroad employee. The story continues this railroad official often was noticeably tired. It had a railroad depot and a post office. Named for a construction gang foreman who built the road. It was first called Sleeper's Switch, the spur having been constructed to a coal chute. The post office was established in 1883, and remained in operation until 1955.
The above is what was thought to be correct by the people in Lebanon, MO, an old Ozark tale. And it may have been true that there was an employee of the railroad there who worked the switch who was always quite sleepy. His crew members knew who the Directors were, but may of did a ha ha on their sleepy group member. But, it was really the name of a Mr. Sleeper who was one of the Directors of the new railroads of the South Pacific and Atlantic and Pacific. Directors are those few biggest investors. Often those persons were east coast bankers in Boston and New York. Other new railroad towns eastward were also named for Directors, such as Misters Stoute, Richman and Crooker. Such was also the case and practice of naming new railway towns after one of the Director of other new railroads also. An example is Cotter, Arkansas.
