P eh, es CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY FROM The History Department — Cornel 472C5 H67 Hn HISTORY OF CLAY AND PLATTE COUNTIES, .MISSOURIL, WRITTEN AND COMPILED FROM THE MOST AUTHENTIC OFFICIAL AND PRIVATE SOURCES, INCLUDING A HISTORY OF THEIR TOWNSHIPS, TOWNS AND VILLAGES, TOGETHER WITH ACONDENSED HISTORY OF MISSOURI; A RELIABLE AND DETAILED HISTORY OF OLAY AND PLATTE COUNTIES—THEIR PIONEER RECORD, RESOURCES, BIOGRAPH- ICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT CITIZENS; GENERAL AND LOCAL STATISTICS OF GREAT VALUE; INCIDENTS AND REMINISCENCES. ST. LOUIS: NATIONAL HISTORICAL COMPANY. 5 1885. yor! Alicgs Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1885, by O. P. WILLIAMS & CO., In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. ‘eo s St. Louis, Mo.: Becktold ¢ Co., Book-binders. f, St. Lois, Mo.: : : ea Press of Nixon! Jones Printing Co. cm = PREFACE. The deeds of the Anglo-Saxons who first came to the bottom lands of the territory now embraced within the boundaries of Clay and Platte counties, when the county was re-peopled and Virgin, and made for themselves homes and habitations, can not be too well remembered, and their history can not be too often told. The achieve- ments of those who came next after the first chasseurs voyageurs, and pioneers — the statesmen, the warriors, the planters, who have given to the country, not only its notoriety, its fame and its glory, but its material prosperity as well—these ought never to be forgotton. Their personal histories, what they have wrought — the schools they established, the churches they built, the towns and cities they built, the battles they fought, ought to be known and remembered. These things this history purports to record, imperfectly of course, but after a form much better than none. If now in this year, 1885, the private diary for two years of a member of the Plymouth Puri- tan colony is valued at more than 3800 ounces of fine gold, as it is, perhaps this volume may be appreciated in time if it is not by the present generation. This history is what the people of the counties of Clay and Platte have made it. But for their co-operation it never would or could have been written. Itis they who dictated what should be printed in it, by furnishing chiefly the data, facts and details which it sets forth. - True, all previously published histories and other volumes containing anything of interest pertaining to the history of these counties have been drawn upon, and so have all written records, but everything has been made’ to receive the corroboration of living witnesses, when at all practicable. No historical statement made herein ought to be questioned save for the best of reasons. The numerous biographical sketches of the leading citizens of the two counties constitute a prominent and one of the most valuable features of the book. Here are the personal histories of individuals not to be found elsewhere, and every biography will be sought after (iii) iv PREFACE. and read with deep interest by hundreds. These sketches have been carefully written, and in most instances revised by the subjects them- selves, and an overlooked typographical imperfection will account for every error found therein. No pains have been spared to make the volume what was promised. In truth, its publication has been long delayed in order that it might be as nearly as. possible in all respects a valuable, complete and accur- ate history. On examination it will be found to contain much more than was promised — perhaps much more than was expected. The obligations of the historians, as well as of the publishers, to the people of the two counties for assistance rendered, and for infor- mation furnished, are so numerous and so great that no attempt will be made to discharge them; their acknowledgment must suffice. The early settlers, the county and municipal officials, editors of news- papers, secretaries and custodians of the records of societies and institutions, and hundreds of private citizens have given assistance and information. To mention each one by name would be a great task indeed. Having so far as it was possible accomplished the work to which our time and labor have been given during the past nine months, and in the hope that a cordial welcome and generous approval may be accorded this volume, the same is respectfully submitted. THE PUBLISHERS. CONTENTS. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. CHAPTER I. LOUISIANA PURCHASE. Brief Historical Sketch “ 3 é 5 , : : F ‘ 5 ; 1-7 CHAPTER II. DESCRIPTIVE AND GEOGRAPHICAL. Name — Extent — Surface — Rivers — Timber — Climate — Prairies — Soils — Popula- tion by Counties . 3 ; 3 . Fi 3 . ‘ . 3 * 7-13 CHAPTER III. GEOLOGY OF MISSOURI. Classification of Rocks — Quatenary Formation — Tertiary — Cretacious — Carbonifer- ous — Devonian — Silurian — Azoic — Economic Geology — Coal — Iron — Lead — Copper — Zine — Building Stone — Marble — Gypsum — Lime — Clays — Paints — Springs — Water Power 3 : : ‘ 4 ri ‘ é F 13-21 CHAPTER IV. ¥ TITLE AND EARLY SETTLEMENTS. Title to Missouri Lands — Right of Discovery — Title of France and Spain —Cession to the United States — Territorial Changes — Treaties with Indians — First Settle- ment—Ste. Genevieve and New Bourbon —St. Louis— When Ineorporated — Potosi — St. Charles — Portage des Sioux — New Madrid —St. Francois County — Perry — Mississippi — Loutre Island — ‘‘ Boone’s Lick’? — Cote Sans Dessein — Howard County — Some First Things — Counties —When Organized. 21-27 CHAPTER V. TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION. Organization 1812 — Council — House of Representatives — William Clark First Terri- torial Governor — Edward Hempstead First Delegate — Spanish Grants — First General Assembly — Proceedings — Second Assembly — Proceedings — Population of Territory—,Vote of Territory— Rufus Easton—Absent Members — Third Assembly — Proceedings — Application for Admission . é : A 27-31 SS (v) 8 .¢ wah vi CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. Application of Missouri to be Admitted into the Union— Agitation of the Slavery Question — “‘ Missouri Compromise”? — Constitutional Convention of 1820 — Con- stitution Presented to Congress — Further Resistance to Admission — Mr. Clay and bis Committee make Report — Second Compromise — Missouri Admitted 31-37 CHAPTER VII. MISSOURI AS A STATE. First Election for Governor and other State Officers — Senators and Representatives to General Assembly — Sheriffs and Coroners —U. 8. Senators — Representatives in Congress — Supreme Court Judges — Counties Organized — Capital Moved to St. Charles — Official Record of Territorial and State Officers é ; , 37-43 CHAPTER VIII. CIVIL WAR IN MISSOURI. Fort Sumpter Fired Upon —Call for 75,000 Men — Gov. Jackson Refuses to Furnish a Man —U. S. Arsenal at Liberty, Mo., Seized — Proclamation of Gov. Jackson — General Order No. 7— Legislature Convenes—Camp Jackson Organized — Ster- ling Price Appointed Major-General — Frost’s Letter to Lyon—Lyon’s Letter to Frost — Surrender of Camp Jackson — Proclamation of Gen. Harney — Conference between Price and Harney — Harney Superseded by Lyon — Second Conference — Gov. Jackson Burns the Bridges behind Him — Proclamation of Gov. Jackson — Gen. Blair Takes Possession of Jefferson City — Proclamation of Lyon — Lyon at Springfield — State Offices Declared Vacant — Gen. Fremont Assumes Command — Proclamation of Lieut.-Gov. Reynolds — Proclamation of Jeff. Thompson and Gov. Jackson — Death of Gen. Lyon— Succeeded by Sturgis — Proclamation of McCul- loch and Gamble -- Martial Law Declared — Second Proclamation of Jeff. Thomp- son —President Modifies Fremon’t Order—Fremont Relieved by Hunter — Proclamation of Price — Huntet’s Order of Assessment — Hunter Declares Martial Law — Order: Relating to Newspapers —Halleck Succeeds Hunter — Halleck’s Order No. 18 — Similar Order by Halleck — Boone County Standard Confiscated — Execution of Prisoners at Macon and Palmyra — Gen. Ewing’s Order No. 11— Gen. Rosecrans Takes Command — Massacre at Centralia — Death of Bill Ander- son— Gen. Dodge Succeeds Gen. Rosecrans — List of Battles . : 43-53 CHAPTER IX. EARLY MILITARY RECORD. Black Hawk War — Mormon Difficulties — Florida War — Mexican War A 58-59 CHAPTER X. AGRICULTURE AND MATERIAL WEALTH. Missouri as an Agricultural State —The Different Crops — Live Stock — Horses — Mules — Milch Cows — Oxen and Other Cattle — Sheep — Hogs — Comparisons — Missouri Adapted to Live Stock — Cotton — Broom Corn and Other Products — Fruits — Berries — Grapes — Railroads — First Neigh of the ‘ Iron Horse”? in Mis- souri — Names of Railroads — Manufactures — Great Bridge at St. Louis 59-65 CONTENTS. vii CHAPTER XI. EDUCATION. Public School System — Public School System of Missouri — Lincoln Institute — Offi- cers of Public School System — Certificates of Teachers— University of Missouri — Schools — Colleges — Institutions of Learning — Location — Libraries — News- papers and Periodicals — No. of School Children — Amount Expended — Value of Grounds and Buildings —‘*The Press”? . é ‘ : F a é 65-73 CHAPTER XII. RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Baptist Church — Its Histery — Congregational — When Founded — Its History — Christian Church —Its History — Cumberland Presbyterian Church — Its His- tory— Methodist Episcopal Church —Its History — Presbyterian Church — Its History — Protestant Episcopal Church— Its History — United Presbyterian Church — Its History — Unitarian Church — Its History — Roman Catholic Church — Its History . . : : a . 2 ‘ : ‘ s 73-79 CHAPTER XIII. ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR CRITTENDEN. Nomination and Election of Thomas T. Crittenden — Personal Mention — Marma- duke’s Candidacy — Stirring Events — Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad — Death of Jesse James — The Fords — Pardon of the Gamblers . ‘ : : 79-85 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY, MISSOURI. CHAPTER I. EARLY HISTORY TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY. The Indians — The French and Spanish — First Exploration and Settlement by Amer- icans — The First American Settlers in Clay— An Indian Fight — Organization of Clay County . . . . . . = a ‘ ‘ ‘ - 87-100 CHAPTER II. HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1822 TO 1830. General Historical Sketch from 1822 to 1830— First County Courts — First Circuit Courts — Three Indian Horse Thieves— First Murder Case —Execution of the Murderess — The County in 1822 as Described by Dr. Beck — Martin Palmer, the ‘‘ Ring-Tailed Painter ’’ — Miscellaneous Items — Liberty Township—Roads and Ferries — Important County Court Proceedings in 1826 — Miscellaneous — Valua- tion of Property in 1829— The Indian Alarm of 1828 — The Expedition into the Platte Country ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ . ‘ : : é ‘ - 100-118 viii CONTENTS. CHAPTER III. HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1830 TO 1840. General Sketch of the County from 1830 to 1840— Early Days in Clay County — The Deep Snow of 1880 — Building the First Court House — The First Jail — During the Black Hawk War — Origin of the Platte Purchase — The ‘“‘ Hetherly War ’’ — Clay County in 1836— The Mormon War. ‘i 7 . 5 ‘ “ . 118-136 CHAPTER IV. HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1840 TO 1850. The Political Canvass of 1840 and 1844 —Elections of 1846—The Great Flood of 1844 — Miscellaneous —Negro Killing—-Tom Haggerty’s Case — Clay County in the Mexican War —List of Capt. Moss’s Company, and Sketch of its Services — The Political Canvass of 1848 — The Jackson Resolutions — Benton’s Appeal — His Meeting at Liberty . : : : ‘ $ z : 3 7 ., 136-152 CHAPTER Y. FROM 1850 TO THE TROUBLES IN KANSAS. The California Gold Fever — The Political Canvass of 1850—The Attempted Murde of Mrs. Dinah Allen — Lynching of Her Would-be Assassins — The Cholera —Elec- tions of 1852, 1854, 1856 and 1858— The Know Nothings — Tragedies — The Great Smithville Melee and Mob in 1854— Murder of Wm. O. Russell, Esq., by ‘‘ Pete”’ Lightburne — Lynching of Pete.”’ is : : ‘ ‘ : - . 152-168 CHAPTER VI. DURING THE KANSAS TROUBLES UP TO 1861. The Kansas Troubles —Clay County’s Interest in Kansas Affairs— Sketch of the Situation in Kansas Territory Upon its Organization — The Election in 1854 — Clay Furnishes Her Quota of Voters—The ‘Sons of the South’? —Election in the Spring of 1855—The Parkville Mob Indorsed —The ‘* Wakarusa War’? — Seizure of the Liberty Arsenal by the Clay County Volunteers — Maj. Leonard’s Report — The Arms Returned Minus What Were Retained — County Seat Fight in Kansas — Emigrants to Kansas Turned Back — End of the Fight— The Free Soilers Win — Explanation of the Course of Clay County. Up to 1861 — Census — Miscellan- eous — The Present Court-House —The Kansas City and Cameron Railroad — The Presidential and Gubernatorial Campaigns of 1860— After the Election — Trouble Brewing . . A é ‘i ‘ . 3 - ‘ ‘ . A . 168-190 CHAPTER VII. HISTORY OF THE COUNTY DURING 1861. The Legislature of 1861 — Election of Delegates to the State Convention — The Work of the Convention — After Fort Sumpter — Capture of the Liberty Arsenal — Maj. Grant’s Reports — After the Arsenal’s Seizure— Preparing for War in Earnest — Organization of Military Companies — Gen. Doniphan Declines a Military Appoint- ment — Departure of the Secession Companies for the War—The First Federal Troops — Events of the Summer and Early Fall of 1861— Proclamation of Gen. CONTENTS. ix Stein — Rallying to His Standard— The Battle of Blue Mills—The Killed and Wounded — Reports of.the Leaders—Col. Saunders, Hon. D. R. Atchison, Col. Scott — List of Killed and Wounded in the Third lowa — War Incidents of the Fall and Winter of 1861 — The Neosho Secession Ordinance ‘ _ 7 » 190-222 CHAPTER VIII. DURING THE YEAR 1862. The ‘‘Gamble Oath’? —It is Taken by a Majority of the County Officials — Miscel- laneous— Parker’s Raid on Liberty — The Reign of Penick— Organization of the Enrolled Militia— Miscellaneous Military Matters —Nov. Election, 1862 224-234 CHAPTER IX. DURING THE YEAR 1863. Miscellaneous War Items of the Early Spring — The Raid on Missouri City and Killing of Capt. Sessions — Other War Incidents — After the Lawrence Raid — Threatened Invasion from Kansas Prevented — The “‘ Paw Paw Militia,” and Certain Military Incidents in This County During 1862 and 1863 —Interesting Testimony of Col. J. H. Moss —November Election— Sons of Malta— Military Murders. - 234-246 CHAPTER X. DURING THE YEAR 1864. Jayhawker raid on Missouri City — The Federal Draft — Bushwhacker’s Raid — Fletch Taylors’ First Raid, and Murder of Bond and Daily — He Kills the Bigelows — His Letter to Capt. Garth — His Skirmish on Fishing River with Capt. Kemper — Mis- cellaneous War Items — Ford’s and Jennison’s Visit which They were not Invited to Repeat — Bill Anderson— Other War Incidents — Census — Presidential Elec- tion 3 z 7 . P % - s ‘ ‘ c ‘ , 246-256 CHAPTER XI. SOME LEADING INCIDENTS FROM 1865 TO 1885. Miscellaneous Military Incidents in 1865 — The Last of the Bushwhackers — Surren- der of Oll. Shepherd’s Band—The Drake Constitution — Robbing of the Clay County Savings Bank — Political Canvasses—The Railroads of Clay County — Hanging of Sam Walker — Census Statistics—-The James Brothers. . 256-271 CHAPTER XII. MISCELLANEOUS. Clay County Schools—County Teachers’ Institute — William Jewell College, etc. . ‘ . . . : : ‘ a 5 5 ‘ é » 271-279 CHAPTER XIII. LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. Position and Description — Early Settlers— Liberty Landing — Country Churches — City of Liberty — First Incorporation — Liberty in 1846— Churches of Liberty — ‘Secret Societies — Biographical . j ‘ ‘ 5 é - 3 » 279-374 x CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIV. FISHING RIVER TOWNSHIP. Position and Description — Early History, First Settlers, etc. — Voters at First Hlec- tion in Township — Country Churches — Missouri City —Its Origin, Founder and Subsequent Career — Known formerly as Richfield — Murder of Wiley Herndon — Killing of two men named Titus by G. S. Elgin — Churches and Lodges in Missouri City — History of Excelsior Springs — When Surveyed and Started — Buildings Erected —Its Prosperity during 1881 — Incorporation — The Springs — The Medi- cinal and Healing Properties which They Possess — Churches at Excelsior Springs— G. A. R. Lodge — Prathersville — Location, etc. — Fishing River Baptist Church — Biographical . . : Fi a a : = ‘ ‘ : : . 3874-420 CHAPTER XV. PLATTE TOWNSHIP. Position and Description — Early Settlements — Organization — First Justices — First Post-office — Tragedies of the Civil War—Churches in the County — Town of Smithville — “‘ Yankee’ Smith and his Eccentric Charaeteristics — His Death and the Epitaph on his Tombstone — Incorporation — Churches at Smithville — Odd Fellows’ Lodge — Gosneyville — Churches — Biographical i : . 420-448 CHAPTER XVI. KEARNEY TOWNSHIP. Boundaries, General Surface, etc.—Early Settlements — Tragedies of the Civil War — County Churches— Town of Kearney — Centreville — Location of Kearney and for Whom Named— Incorporation — Kearney’s Churches — Holt — Location of this Village — Church and Lodge Records — Biographical . - x . 448-498 CHAPTER XVII. WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP. Location and Physical Features — Hamlets of Greenville and Claysville— Early His- tory —Organization— Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church — Biograph- ical . < - : : . é 2 ¢ : 3 . F , . 498-507 CHAPTER XVIII. GALLATIN TOWNSHIP. Boundary and Physical Features —Villages in this Township — Barry -- Harlem — Moscow — Arnold’s Station — Minaville— Churches — Biographical . 507-530 CONTENTS. Xl HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY, MISSOURI. CHAPTER I. ABORIGINES. Pre-Historic Inhabitants — The Indians — Sioux and Algonquins — The Missouris — The Osages, the Sac and Foxes, and the lowas — Battle of the Little Platte — Pot- tawatomies — Kickapoos — The Issue House — Reminiscences . 3 . 531-588 CHAPTER II. EXPLORATIONS AND PIONEERS. French and Spanish — First American Visitors — Steamboat Expedition — Rialto — First White Settlement — The Natural Advantages of Platte County becoming Rec- ognized — Second Creek Settlers — Expelled in 1836— Other Pioneers — The Lib- erty — Ft. Leavenworth Trail ‘ - j ; é F ‘ ‘ . 538-545 CHAPTER III. THE PLATTE PURCHASE — INDIAN TITLE EXTINGUISHED — 1835-1836. Preliminary Steps—The Platte Country Correspondence in Reference Thereto— Meeting at Liberty, Mo. — Its Object — Memorial — Efforts of Benton and Linn — Treaty with the Iowas, Sacs and Fox Indians ‘ ‘ F ‘ é . 545-553 CHAPTER IV. ' EARLIER PERMANENT SETTLEMENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS — 1837-1840. The Rush of Immigrants — Causes, Etc.— Appearance and Condition of the Country — The Work of the Early Settlers — Their Diversions — House-Raisings — The Class of People — Early Private Surveys — The Pre-emption Law — Pioneer Mills — Early Towns — Rialto, Platte City, Newmarket, Weston, Ridgely, Parkville, Farley, Barry, Iatan — List of Early Settlers . i @ $ : és A 5 . 658-567 CHAPTER V. ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY, EARLY OFFICIALS, COURTS, PROCEED- INGS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS — 1837-1840. Platte a Part of Clay — Officials of the Annexed Territory — Election of 18388 — Platte County Organized—Act of Organization—The New County—First County Court — Municipal Townships Established —Regular and Adjourned Terms — County Boundary Report — First Term of the Circuit Court— First Grand Jury — First Attorneys — First Instruments Recorded —Early Marriages. : . 567-583 xii CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. MATERIAL PROGRESS OF TWENTY YEARS — 1841-1860. Government Surveys — Work and Improvements —Land Entries — Hard Times Among the Settlers — Great Flood of 1844, Followed by Much Sickness — Hemp Growing — Other Leading Products—Emigration to Oregon — Effect of the Mexican War upon the People -- California Gold Excitement — Argonauts from Platte County — Salt Lake and Indian Trade — The Four Years Preceding the Kansas Troubles, and Drawbacks During that Period — Drought of 1854— Four Years Preceding 1861 — Population and Property Valuation from 1840 to 1860— State Roads, Bridges, Rail- roads, Ete. . ‘ os” « ; a a é é . 3 : . 583-606 CHAPTER VII. EARLY MILITIA ORGANIZATIONS — THE MORMON WAR. Two Regiments — Officers — Drills — Martial Spirit — Social Features — The Mormon War— Militia Called Out and War Begun—Platte County Battalion of ‘‘ Gen- tiles ?? — Surrender of the Mormons — Return of the Troops . - . 606-611 CHAPTER VIII. THE MEXICAN WAR. Army of the West — Platte and Cole Infantry Battalion — Departure of the Expedi- tion — Arrival of Kearney in Santa Fe — Col. Sterling Price — Capt. Morin’s Platte County Company — Names of Members —The Ortiz Insurrection — Murder of Gov. Bent and Others— Battle of La Canada—Ambuscade at El Embudo — Storming and Capture of Fort Pueblo de Taos — Other Battles — Massacre and Subsequent Battle at Moro —Engagement at Cienega— The Return Home — Capt. Denver’s Company — Names of Volunteers From This County — Society of Veterans of the Mexican War . - 5 7 . 611-626 CHAPTER IX. THE KANSAS TROUBLES. Slavery Under the Constitution — Anti-Slavery Agitation — Beginning of the Fight in Congress — ‘‘ The Wilmot Proviso ” — The California Bill — Slavery in Kansas Ter- ritory — Settling Kansas — Anti-Slavery Colonization — Anti-Slavery Emigrant Aid Societies — Excitement in Western Missouri— Insecurity of Slave Property — Fear of Insurrection — The Platte County Self-Defensive Association — Anti-Self-Defen- sive Protest — Citizens’ Meeting — Platte County Emigration — Platte City Meet- ing — First Elections — Feeling Preceding the Parkville Luminary Affair — Destruc- tion of the Office — Anti-Slavery Ministers Expelled — Outrage Upon Wm. Phillips — Anti-Slavery Rebellion — Wakarusa War — Taking of Lawrence — Rout of Brown at Ossawatomie— Robbery of Hickory Point — ‘‘ Heroine of the Kansas War’? — Close of the Troubles : . . 626-654 CHAPTER X. THE CIVIL WAR. Causes of the War— Secession Efforts to Compromise — Beginning of Hostilities — Affairs in Missouri in 1860-61 — Attitude in Platte County —Enlistments for the CONTENTS. xiii Southern Army— Wallace Jackson’s Company—Campaigns and Battles — Capt. Stewart’s and Capt. Thompson’s Companies—‘‘The Extra Battalion’’ — Col. Winston’s Regiment —Capts. Mitchell’s, Rogers’, and Kuykendall’s Companies — Companies of Capts. Spratt, Crisman, Miller and Morton — Formation of Winston’s Regiment— Campaigns and Battles — Second Re-organization — Other Companies — Col. Burnes’, Capts. Downing’s and Robertson’s Companies — Col. Childs’ Convo. of Volunteers — Companies of Capts. Lanter and McGee — Of Capt. Carr — Gates Regiment and Hughes’ Battalion — Services — Casualties — Last of the Southern Companies —Capt. Woodsmall’s Company—Col. Thornton’s Recruits — Total Number from this County — Union Enlistments — Capt. Phelp’s Company -- Col. Price’s Company — The Paw-paw Militia —The Sixteenth Kansas — Capt. Fitzger- ald’s Regiment — Occupation of the County by the Federals — Fight, Etc. — Maj. Joseph’s Campaign — The Bee Creek Fight — Capture of Col. Moonlight and Maj. Ralph — Maj. Huff comes to Weston— Gordon’s Departure South — Morgan’s Ad- vent — Clough’s Raid of Robbers — Wisconsin and Ohio Troops—Other Troops in 1862—Skirmishes and Robberies in 1862— Parkville Skirmish—Goose Neck Fight — Raid of Thieves and Negroes — 1863 — A Reign of Terror — Robbing an old Colored Man — Raid on Stump Cockrill — Murder of Toney Tinsley — Kansas Red Legs — Hangings and Robberies— Destruction of the Sentinel Office —Paw-paw Militia Excitement — Threatened Trouble at Platte City -- Other Events in 1863 — Events of 1864 — Thornoton’s Recruiting Expedition — Raid of the Bashi-bazouks — Other Tragedies — Fights and Robberies —Capture of Parkville — Fight at Ridge- ly — Murder of Geo. Fielding— Killing of Phineas Wood, Throckmorton and Andy Smith—Slash Valley and Buena Vista Fights— Murder of Dr. Joseph Walker — Exodus to Montana and the West — Affairs in 1865. -- The Close of the War ‘ ‘ 2 a 3 ‘ ¥ % : é ‘ é - 654-736 CHAPTER XI. HOMICIDES, TRIALS, ETC. Murder of Hall L. Wilkerson — An Election Row — Affray in Platte County — Killing of Wm. Callahan — Ducote Killed by White — G. 8S. Elgin Assassinated — Nathaniel Daniels Killed by Houston —— Capt. Dan Jenkins Assassinated — Killing of Burge by Johnson — Thomas Morgan Killed by Israel Health and Benj. Fulcher — Alvis Homicide — Killing of Dr. Spencer — George Burgess Kills his Cousin —John Jones kills John Bone — Tipton Kills Woodson. , 5 ‘ : - . 736-745 CHAPTER XII. BENCH AND BAR. Introduction — Prominent Members of the Bar Originally from Missouri — Circuit Court—Prominent Attorneys— Personal Sketches—Members of the Bar of Platte County, Mo.— County Court Judges— Probate Court — Court of Common Pleas, Weston 3 5 7 : e - : : ‘ 7 F . 745-760 CHAPTER XIII. POLITICS AND PUBLIC MEN. First Election, 1838—Succeeding Elections— Votes of the County Since 1856— Public Officials . é : ; é : : : ‘ é . 760-768 xiv CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIV. SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES AND LITERARY CULTURE. Public School System of Misseuri— Public Schools in Platte County — County Com- missioner’s Report for Year ending June 30, 1884 — Private Schools and Colleges — Camden Point Female Academy — Historical Sketch — The Institution at Present —Female Orphan School—Conditions of Admission— Male Academy at Camden Point — Platte City Male College — Pleasant Ridge Academy — Platte City Female College — Weston High School — Mental Culture and Literature. . 768-782 CHAPTER XV. MATERIAL PROGRESS SINCE THE WAR—1865-1885. Assessed Valuation in 1865 — Platte County Fair Association — Its Officers — Bridges — Weston and Platte City Turnpike — Valuation and Tax for 1885— Description of Platte county - : . : , : - : ‘ ‘ ‘ . 782-793 CHAPTER XVI. RAILROADS AND BONDED DEBT. Early Railroads — Kansas City, St. Joseph and Council Bluffs Railroad — Southern Branch Chicago, Rock Islaud and Pacific Railroad — Atchison Branch Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad — Parkville and Grand River Railroad — Indebted- ness of the County — Parkville and Grand River Railroad Company — Platte County Railroad Company — Weston Railroad Bonds — Court-House Indebtedness —Green Township Strip Bonds — Recapitulation . a ‘ ‘i : e - 798-803 , CHAPTER XVII. CHURCHES AND LODGES. Churches in Carroll Township—In Fair Township—In Green Township—In Lee Township —In Marshall Township — In May Township — In Pettis ‘Township — In Preston Township—In Waldron Township—In Weston Township — Lodges in the County—A. F. & A. M.—I. O. O. F.— Legion of Honor, Etc. . . 803-829 CHAPTER XVIII. NEWSPAPERS AND JOURNALISTS. The Eagle and the Argus — The Atlas —The Tenth Legion—The Sentinel -- The Bor- der Times — The Chronicle — Parkville Papers — The Luminary — The Courier — The Independent — Later Platte City Papers— The Reveille — The Landmark — The Demo- crat— The Advocate—The Argus —Edgerton Courier 3 ‘ ‘ . 829-838 CHAPTER XIX. PETTIS TOWNSHIP. Boundary and Physical Features — Population — Early Settlers, and Names of Those First Associated with the Township— Present Condition — Hampton — Location Etc.— Parkville, the Principal City in the Township — Reminiscences — First Mer- chants, Ete.— History of the Town — Its Outlook Now — Business in the Place — Biographical . . . : . : . : . ‘ . . 838-872 CONTENTS. Xv CHAPTER XX. MAY TOWNSHIP. Boundary — Physical Features— Early Settlers —Barry—Pioneer Preachers and Church Members — Linkville — Principal Business Houses of the Place —Its Con- dition as a Business Center — Biographical < ‘ ‘ j a . 872-885 CHAPTER XXI. WALDRON TOWNSHIP. Formation, Boundary, etc. — Physical Features — Early Settlers — Waldron — Where Located — By Whom Laid Out— Present Business — Biographical. 5 885-894 CHAPTER XXII.. PRESTON TOWNSHIP. Boundary — Physical Features — Early Settlers — Ridgely —Early Merchants in the Town — Business Outlook — Edgerton — One of the Most Important Towns in the County — Present Business Interests — Early Churches— Union Mills and Dis- tillery— Biographical . - i F f ‘ : ‘ 3 ‘i . 894-910 CHAPTER XXIII. CARROLL TOWNSHIP. Location, Area and Boundary —Physical Features — Early Settlers — Who They Were and Where From—Platte City—Its Situation-- Known as the Falls of Platte River — Originally called Martinsville, after Zadoc Martin—A Sketch of Him — First Court Held in Tavern of Mike Faylor!—First Sale of Lots After Town Was Laid Out—Charter Obtained —Sketches of a few Pioneers —Early Build- ings — Churches, Etc. — Schools Established — Chronological Annals from 1862 to 1878—Postmasters of Platte City—Other Items— Public Schools — Business of the City — Exchange Bank of Wells & Co.— Biographical . 5 » 910-977 CHAPTER XXIV. LEE TOWNSHIP. Territory and Boundary —Water Courses— Pioneers in the Township — Farley — Population, Etc. — East Leavenworth, also called City Point — Biographical 977-990 CHAPTER XXV. FAIR TOWNSHIP. Territory and Boundary — Physical Features — Early Settlers — Tracy— By Whom Surveyed—For Whom Named--Early Merchants — Present Business in the Town — Beverly — Settle Station — Biographical 3 5 x ¥ . 990-1011 Xvi CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXVI. GREEN TOWNSHIP. Boundary and Area—Nature of the Soil —Its Adaptability for Agricultural Pur- poses — Timber — Stock-raising Industry — Karly Settlers —New Market — When and by Whom Laid Out— Originally Called J: acksonville — Buena Vista — Camden Point — Location, Etc.— Atchison Junction— Dearborn — Sketch of Singleton Woods — Biographical ‘ - , 4 . fs . p » 1011-1037 CHAPTER XXVII. WESTON TOWNSHIP. Boundary — Peculiarities of the Soil — Location of the Most Highly Improved Lands— Early Settlers—City of Weston— Situation —When Platted — First Female in the Place —Early Business Men — Her Foreign Trade — Hemp Growing — Present Outlook —Commercial and Industrial Interests — Apple Shipments — Weston’s Great Men—Pony Express and Overland Mail — Lodges — Miscel- laneous ° ‘ ‘ . : a . ‘ é “ i 5 - 1037-1086 CHAPTER XXVIII. MARSHALL TOWNSHIP. Boundary — Stock and Fruit Interests — Pioneers —Iatan — Present Business Men — Sugar Lake and Bean’s Lake — Biographical . é ‘ : ‘ - 1086-1121 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. CHAPTER I. LOUISIANA PURCHASE. BRIEF HISTORICAL SKETCH. The purchase in 1808 of the vast territory west of the Mississippi River, by the United States, extending through Oregon to the Pacific coast and south to the Dominions of Mexico, constitutes the most im- portant event that ever occurred in the history of the nation. It gave to our Republic additional room for that expansion and stupendous growth, to which it has since attained, in all that makes it strong and enduring, and forms the seat of an empire, from which will radiate an influence for good unequaled in the annals of time. In 1763, the immense region of country, known at that time as Louisiana, was ceded to Spain by France. By a secret article, in the treaty of St. Ildefonso, concluded in 1800, Spain ceded it back to France. Napoleon, at that time, coveted the island of St. Domingo, not only because of the value of its products, but more especially because its location in the Gulf of Mexico would, in a military point of view, afford him a fine field whence he could the more effectively guard his newly-acquired possessions. Hence he desired this cession by Spain should be kept a profound secret until he succeeded in reducing St. Domingo to submission. In this undertaking, however, his hopes were blasted, and so great was his disappointment that he apparently became indifferent to the advantages to be secured to France from his purchase of Louisiana. In 1803 he sent out Laussat as prefect of the colony, who gave the (1) 2 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. people of Louisiana the first intimation they had that they had once more become the subjects of France. This was the occasion of great rejoicing among the inhabitants, who were Frenchmen in their origin, habits, manners, and customs. Mr. Jefferson, then President of the United States, on being in- formed of the retrocession, immediately dispatched instructions to Robert Livingston, the American Minister at Paris, to make known to Napoleon that the occupancy of New Orleans, by his government, would not only endanger the friendly relations existing between the two nations, but, perhaps, oblige the United States to make common cause with England, his bitterest and most dreaded enemy; as the possession of the city by France would give her command of the Mississippi, which was the only outlet for the produce of the West- ern States, and give her also control ot the Gulf of Mexico, so neces- sary to the protection of American commerce. Mr. Jefferson was so fully impressed with the idea that the occupancy of New Orleans, by France, would bring about a conflict of interests between the two nations, which would finally culminate in an open rupture, that he urged Mr. Livingston, to not only insist upon the free navigation of the Mississippi, but to negotiate for the purchase of the city and the surrounding country. The question of this negotiation was of so grave a character to the United States that the President appointed Mr. Monroe, with full power to act in conjunction with Mr. Livingston. Ever equal to all emergencies, and prompt in the cabinet, as well as in the field, Na- poleon came to the conclusion that, as he could not well defend his occupancy of New Orleans, he would dispose of it, on the best terms possible. Before, however, taking final action in the matter, he sum- moned two of his Ministers, and addressed them follows: — ‘«T am fully sensible of the value of Louisiana, and it was my wish to repair the error of the French diplomatists who abandoned it in 1763. I have scarcely recovered it before I run the risk of losing it; but if Iam obliged to give it up, it shall hereafter cost more to those who force mé to part with it, than to those to whom I shall yield it. The English have despoiled France of all her northern pos- sessions in America, and now they covet those of the South. I am determined that they shall not have the Mississippi. Although Louisiana is but a trifle compared to their vast possessions in other parts of the globe, yet, judging from the vexation they have mani- fested on seeing it return to the power of France, I am »=rtain that HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 3 their first object will be to gain possession of it. They will proba- bly commence the war in that quarter. They have twenty vessels in the Gulf of Mexico, and our affairs in St. Domingo are daily getting worse since the death of LeClerc. The conquest of Louisiana might be easily made, and I have not a moment to lose in getting out of their reach. J am not sure but that they have already begun an at- tack upon it. Such a measure would be in accordance with their habits; and in their place I should not wait. Iam inclined, in order to deprive them of all prospect of ever possessing it, to cede it to the United States. Indeed, I can hardly say that I cede it, for I do not yet possess it; and if I wait but a short time my enemies may leave me nothing but an empty title to grant to the Republic I wish to con- ciliate. I consider the whole colony as lost, and I believe that in the hands of this rising power it will be more useful to the political and even commercial interests of Francé than if I should attempt to retain it. Let me have both your opinions on the subject.” One of his Ministers approved of the contemplated cession, but the other opposed it. The matter was long and earnestly discussed by them, before the conference was ended. The next day, Napoleon sent for the Minister who had agreed with him, and said to him: — «©The season for deliberation is over. I have determined to re- nounce Louisiana. I shall give up not only New Orleans, but the whole colony, without reservation. That I do not undervalue Louis- jana, I have sufficiently proved, as the object of my first treaty with Spain was to recover it. But though I regret parting with it, I am convinced it would be folly to persist in trying to keep it. I commis- sion you, therefore, to negotiate this affair with the envoys of the United States. Do not wait the arrival of Mr. Monroe, but go this very day and confer with Mr. Livingston. Remember, however, that I need ample funds for carrying on the war, and I do not wish to com- mence it by levying new taxes. For the last century France and Spain have incurred great expense in the improvement of Louisiana, for which her trade has never indemnified them. Large sums have been advanced to different companies, which have never been returned to the treasury. It is fair that I should require repayment for these. Were I to regulate my demands by the importance of this territory to the United States, they would be unbounded ; but, being obliged to part with it, I shall be moderate in my terms. Still, remember, I must have fifty millions of francs, and I will not consent to take less. 4 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. I would rather make some desperate effort to preserve this fine country.”’ That day. the negotiations commenced. Mr. Monroe reached Paris on the 12th of April, 1803, and the two representatives of the United States, after holding a private interview, announced that they were ready to treat for the entire territory. On the 30th of April, the treaty was signed, and on the 21st of October, of the same year, Con- gress ratified the treaty. The United States were to pay $11,250,000, and her citizens were to be compensated for some illegal captures, to the amount of $3,750,000, making in the aggregate the sum of $15,000,000, while it was agreed that the vessels and merchandise of France and Spain should be admitted into all the ports ot Louisiana free of duty for twelve years. Bonaparte stipulated in favor of Louisiana, that it should be, as soon as possible, incorporated into the Union, and that its inhabitants should enjoy the same rights, privileges and immunities as other citizens of the United States, and the clause giving to them these benefits was drawn up by Bonaparte, who presented it to the plenipotentiaries with these words : — ss Make it known to the people of Louisiana, that we regret to part with them; that we have stipulated for all the advantages they could desire ; and that France, in giving them up, has insured to them the greatest of all. They could never have prospered under any Euro- pean government as they will when they become independent. But while they enjoy the privileges of liberty let them remember that they are French, and preserve for their mother country that affection which a common origin inspires.”’ Complete satisfaction was given to both parties in the terms of the treaty. Mr. Livingston said : — ‘I consider that from this day the United States takes rank with the first powers of Europe, and now she has entirely escaped from the power of England,” and Bonaparte expressed a similar sentiment when he said: ‘‘ By this cession of territory I have secured the power of the United States, and given to England a maritime rival, who, at some future time, will humble her pride.”’ These were prophetic words, for within a few years afterward the British met with a signal defeat, on the plains of the very territory of which the great Corsican had been speaking. From 1800, the date of the cession made by Spain, to 1803, when it was purchased by the United States, no change had been made by HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 5 the French authorities in the jurisprudence of the Upper and Lower Louisiana, and during this period the Spanish laws remained in full force, as the laws of the entire province; a fact which is of interest to those who would understand the legal history and some of the present laws of Missouri. On December 20th, 1803, Gens. Wilkinson and Claiborne, who were jointly commissioned to take possession of the territory for the United States, arrived in the city of New Orleans at the head of the American forces. Laussat, who had taken possession but twenty days previously as the prefect of the colony, gave up his command, and the star-spangled banner supplanted the tri-colored flag of France. The agent of France, to take possession of Upper Louisiana from the Spanish authorities, was Amos Stoddard, captain of artillery in the United States service. He was placed in possession of St. Louis on the 9th of March, 1804, by Charles Dehault Delassus, the Spanish commandant, and on the following day he transferred it to the United States. The authority of the United States in Missouri dates from this day. From that moment the interests of the people of the Mississippi Valley became identified. They were troubled no more with uncer- tainties in regard to free navigation. The great river, along whose banks they had planted their towns and villages, now afforded them a safe and easy outlet to the markets of the world. Under the pro- tecting exgis of a government, republican in form, and having free access to an almost boundless domain, embracing in its broad area the diversified climates of the globe, and possessing a soil unsurpassed for fertility, beauty of scenery and wealth of minerals, they had every incentive to push on their enterprises and build up the land wherein their lot had been cast. ' In the purchase of Louisiana, it was known that a great empire had been secured as a heritage to the people of our country, for all time to come, but its grandeur, its possibilities, its inexhaustible resources and the important relations it would sustain to the nation and the world were never dreamed of by even Mr. Jefferson and his adroit and accomplished diplomatists. The most ardent imagination never conceived of the progress which would mark the history of the ‘* Great West.’? The adventurous pioneer, who fifty years ago pitched his tent upon its broad prairies, or threaded the dark labyrinths of its lonely forests, little thought that & mighty tide of physical and intellectual strength, would so rapidly 6 HISTORY OF MISSOURI, flow on in his footsteps, to populate, build up and enrich the domain which he had conquered. Year after year, civilization has advanced further and further, until at length the mountains, the hills and the valleys, and even the rocks and the caverns, resound with the noise and din of busy millions. “67 beheld the westward marches Of the unknown crowded nations. All the land was full of people, Restless, struggling, toiling, striving, Speaking many tongues, yet feeling But one heart-beat in their bosoms. In the woodlands rang their axes; Smoked their towns in all the valleys; Over all the lakes and rivers Rushed their great canoes of thunder.’’ In 1804, Congress, by an act passed in April of the same year, divided Louisiana into two parts, the ‘* Territory of Orleans,’’ and the “‘ District of Louisiana,’’ known as *‘Upper Louisiana.’’ This district included all that portion of the old province, north of ** Hope Encampment,’’ on the Lower Mississippi, and embraced the present ‘State of Missouri, and all the western region of country to the Pacific Ocean, and all below the forty-ninth degree of north latitude not claimed by Spain. As a matter of convenience, on March 26th, 1804, Missouri was placed within the jurisdiction of the government of the Territory of Indiana, and its government put in motion by Gen. William H. Har- rison, then governor of Indiana. In this he was assisted by Judges Griffin, Vanderburg and Davis, who established in St. Louis what were called Courts of Common Pleas. The District of Louisiana was regu- larly organized into the Territory of Louisiana by Congress, March 38, 1805, and President Jefferson appointed Gen. James Wilkinson, Gov- ernor, and Frederick Bates, Secretary. The Legislature of the ter- ritory was formed by Governor Wilkinson and Judges R. J. Meigs and John B. C. Lucas. In 1807, Governor Wilkinson was succeeded by Captain Meriwether Lewis, who had become famous by reason of his having made the expedition up the Missouri with Clark. Governor Lewis committed suicide in 1809 and President Madison appointed Gen. Benjamin Howard of Lexington, Kentucky, to fill his place. Gen. Howard resigned October 25, 1810, to enter the war of 1812, and died in St. Louis, in 1814. Captain William Clark, of Lewis and Clark’s expedition, was appointed Governor in 1810, to succeed Gen. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. q Howard, and remained in office until the admission of the‘State into the Union, in 1821. The portions of Missouri which were settled, for the purposes of local government were divided into four districts. Cape Girardeau was the first, and embraced the territory between Tywappity Bottom and Apple Creek. Ste. Genevieve, the second, embraced the terri- tory from Apple Creek to the Meramec River. St. Louis, the third, embraced the territory between the Meramec -and Missouri Rivers. St. Charles, the fourth, included the settled territory, between the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. The total population of these dis- tricts at that time, was 8,670, including slaves. The population of the district of Louisiana, when ceded to the United States was 10.120. CHAPTER I. DESCRIPTIVE AND GEOGRAPHICAL. Name — Extent — Surface — Rivers — Timber — Climate — Prairies — Soils — Popula- tion by Counties. NAME. The name Missouri is derived from the Indian tongue and signifies muddy. EXTENT. Missouri is bounded on the north by Iowa (from which it is sep- arated for about thirty miles on the northeast, by the Des Moines River), and on the east by the Mississippi River, which divides it from Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee, and on the west by the Indian Ter- ritory, and the States of Kansas and Nebraska. The State lies (with the exception of a small projection between the St. Francis and the Mississippi Rivers, which extends to 36°), between 36° 30’ and 40° 36’ north latitude, and between 12° 2’ and 18° 51’ west longitude from Washington. The extreme width of the State east and west, is about 348 miles; its width on its northern boundary, measured from its northeast cor- ner along the Iowa line, to its intersection with the Des Moines 8 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. River, is about 210 miles; its width on its southern boundary is about 288 miles. Its average width is about 235 miles. The length of the State north and south, not including the narrow strip between the St. Francis and Mississippi Rivers, is about 282 miles. It is about 450 miles from its extreme northwest corner to its southeast corner, and from the northeast corner to the southwest corner, it is about 230 miles. These limits embrace an area of 65,350 square miles, or 41,824,000 acres, being nearly as large as England, and the States of Vermont and New Hampshire. SURFACE. North of the Missouri, the State is level or undulating, while the portion south of that river (the larger portion of the State) exhibits a greater variety of surface. In the southeastern part is an extensive marsh, reaching beyond the State into Arkansas. The remainder of this portion between the Mississippi and Osage Rivers is rolling, and gradually rising into a hilly and mountainous district, forming the out- skirts of the Ozark Mountains. Beyond the Osage River, at some distance, commences a vast ex- panse of prairie land which stretches away towards the Rocky Moun- tains. The ridges forming the Ozark chain extend in a northeast and southwest direction, separating the waters that flow northeast into the Missouri from those that flow southeast into the Mississippi River. RIVERS. No State in the Union enjoys better facilities for navigation than Missouri. By means of the Mississippi River, which stretches along her entire eastern boundary, she can hold commercial intercourse with the most northern territory and State in the Union; with the whole valley of the Ohio; with many of the Atlantic States, and with the Gulf of Mexico. “Ay, gather Europe’s royal rivers all — The snow-swelled Neva, with an Empire’s weight On her broad breast, she yet may overwhelm; Dark Danube, hurrying, as by foe pursued, Through shaggy forests and by palace walls, To hide its terror in a sea of gloom; The castled Rhine, whose vine-crowned waters flow, The fount of fable and the source of song; The rushing Rhone, in whose cerulean depths The loving sky seems wedded with the wave; The yellow Tiber, chok’d with Roman spoils. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 9 A dying miser shrinking ’neath his gold; The Seine, where fashion glasses the fairest forms; The Thames that bears the riches of the world; Gather their waters in one ocean mass, Our Mississippi rolling proudly on, Would sweep them from its path, or swallow up, Like Aaron’s rod, these streams of fame and song.” By the Missouri River she can extend her commerce to the Rocky Mountains, and receive in return the products which will come in the course of time, by its multitude of tributaries. The Missouri River coasts the northwest line of the State for about 250 miles, following its windings, and then flows through the State, a little south of east, to its junction with the Mississippi. The Mis- souri River receives a number of tributaries within the limits of the State, the principal of which are the Nodaway, Platte, Grand and Chariton from the north, and the Blue, Sniabar, Lamine, Osage and: Gasconade from the south. The principal tributaries of the Missis- sippi within the State, are the Salt River, north, and the Meramec River south of the Missouri. The St. Francis and White Rivers, with their branches, drain the southeastern part of the State, and pass into Arkansas. The Osage is navigable for steamboats for more than 175 miles. There are a vast number of smaller streams, such as creeks, branches and rivers, which water the State in all directions. Timber. — Not more towering in their sublimity were the cedars of ancient Lebanon, nor more precious in their utility were the almug- trees of Ophir, than the native forests of Missouri. ‘The river bottoms are covered with a luxuriant growth of oak, ash, elm, hickory, cotton- wood, linn, white and black walnut, and in fact, all the varieties found in the Atlantic and Eastern States. In the more barren districts may be seen the white and pin oak, and in many places a dense growth of pine. The crab apple, papaw and persimmon are abundant, as also the hazel and pecan. Climate. —The climate of Missouri is, in general, pleasant and salubrious. Like that of North America, it is changeable, and sub- ject to sudden and sometimes extreme changes of heat and cold; but it is decidedly milder, taking the whole year through, than that of the same latitudes east of the mountains. While the summers are not more oppressive than they are in the corresponding latitudes on and near the Atlantic coast, the winters are shorter, and very much milder, 10 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. except during the month of February, which has many days of pleas- ant sunshine. Prairies. — Missouri is a prairie State, especially that portion of it north and northwest of the Missouri River. These prairies, along the water courses, abound with the thickest and most luxurious belts of, timber, while the ‘ rolling’’ prairies occupy the higher portions of _ the country, the descent generally to the forests or bottom lands being, over only declivities. Many of these prairies, however, exhibit a grace- fully waving surface, swelling and sinking with an easy slope, and 2 full, rounded outline, equally avoiding the unmeaning horizontal sur- face and the interruption of abrupt or angular elevations. These prairies often embrace extensive tracts of land, and in one or two instances they cover an area of fifty thousand acres. During the spring and summer they are carpeted with a velvet of green, and gaily bedecked with flowers of various forms and hues, making a most fascinating panorama of ever-changing color and loveliness. To fully appreciate their great beauty and magnitude, they must be seen. Soil. — The soil of Missouri is good, and of great agricultural capa- bilities, but the most fertile portions of the State are the river bot- toms, which are a rich alluvium, mixed in many cases with sand, the producing qualities of which are not excelled by the prolific valley of the famous Nile. South of the Missouri River there is a greater variety of soil, but much of it is fertile, and even in the mountains and mineral districts there are rich valleys, and about the sources of the White, Eleven Points, Current and Big Black Rivers, the soil, though unproductive, furnishes a valuable growth of yellow pine. [he marshy lands in the southeastern part of the State will, by a system of drainage, be one of the most fertile districts in the State. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. POPULATION BY COUNTIES IN 1870, 1876, AND 1880. 11 Counties. 1870. 1876, 1880. Adair. : ‘ 7 7 . . . e is 11,449 18,774 15,190 Andrew . . . ‘ ; . . ° ‘ 15,137 14,992 16,318 Atchison . 7 . ° ‘ . < . . 8,440 10,925 14,565 Audrain . * * * . . . . ° 12,307 15,157 19,739 Barry . a 7 : . . 3 é . . 10,373 11,146 14,424 Barton ° . . . . ° e . . 5,087 6,900 10,332 Bates. ° . # . . ° ° ° . 15,960 17,484 25,382 Benton . . . . . ° ° ° . 11,322 11,027 12,398 Bollinger . ° . . . . . 2 e 8,162 8,884 11,132 Boone FS ‘ A é tee oe 10,292 14,122 15,519 Cooper. . a . 7 ‘ . ua Se 20,692 21,356 21,622 Crawford . Ps : : . : 7 s z 7,982 9,391 10,763 Dade-s sf es wee (a) cet Ca HS: eo 5s 8,683 11,089 12,557 Dallas e at aon fd 2) reo ceo ae 8,383 8,078 9,273 Daviess . é . a . . * A * 14,410 16,557 19,174 DeKalb . ‘ 5 ‘ is ; . 7 : 9,858 11,159 13,343 Dent . ° . . . . * . . . 6,357 7,401 10,647 Douglas . . . A ‘ . . ° 7 3,915 6,461 1,758 Dunklin . ‘ as . . . . - 7 5,982 6,255 9,604 Franklin . ° “ . . * . * . 30,098 26,924 26,536 Gasconade . a ‘ 3 . Z * e * 10,093 11,160 11,153 Gentry 8s. Go ed Sel ee ye Bn cet ie 11,607 12,673 17,188 Greene * é . . . ‘ . . . 21,549 24,693 28,817 Grundy. : . . . . ° 5 é 10,567 13,071 15,201 Harrison . 7 . . . . ° 7 14,635 18,530 20,318 Henry eh ke) sl, IGS ry (ae. ene: sity Je 8,535 10,888 13,432 8 An . e . ° . . ° e e e 8,253 3,544 4,405 ne van. ° . . e e . ° . 11,907 14,039 16,569 pene eS ree “eri en eters USS eo Hehe “Ss 4,407 6,124 5,605 ae BM. eh 6% Cob. E> 8) 158 ‘. 9,618 10,287 12,207 as or! po Gar Bio seb Ceo GES at 11,247 14,413 19,370, ven be Gy isn Heo mie C~ He, 9,678 10,321 10,806 ae ngton 2. 2 6 8 lel lt 11,719 13,100 12,895 hile ds . . ° . . . . . . 6,068 7,006 9,097 we aren or! cfg sep Cast Bo ue 4 cw 10,434 10,684 12,175 ae a ee a re 5,004 7,164 8,208 Ser ot ea 5,684 6,124 9,733 e 1s e ° e ° e e e e . ° ° ° ° 850,522 1,721,295 | 1,547,030 | 2,168,804 1 St. Louis City and County separated in 1877. Population for 1876 not given | HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 13 SUMMARY. Males. . . . . . » | 1,126,424 Females . 3 . ‘ . 7 - | 1,041,380 Native . « | 1,957,564 Foreign . 211,240 White . . . . . : . ‘ 3 7 é . - | 2,023,568 Colored! . . . : é : ‘i . ‘: ‘ é i a . 145,236 CHAPTER III. GEOLOGY OF MISSOURI. ‘ Classification of Rocks —Quatenary Formation — Tertiary — Cretaceous — Carbonifer- ous — Devonian — Silurian — Azoic — Economic Geology — Coal — Iron — Lead — Copper — Zinc — Building Stone — Marble — Gypsum — Lime — Clays— Paints — Springs — Water Power. The stratified rocks of Missouri, as classified and treated of by Prof. G. C. Swallow, belong to the following divisions: I. Quatenary ; Il. Tertiary; III. Cretaceous; IV. Carboniferous; V. Devonian ; VI. Silurian; VII. Azoic. ‘*‘ The Quatenary formations, are the most recent, and the most valuable to man: valuable, because they can be more readily utilized. The Quatenary formation in Missouri, embraces the Alluvium, 30 feet thick ; Bottom Prairie, 30 feet thick; Bluff, 200 feet thick; and Drift, 155 feet thick. The latest deposits are those which constitute the Alluvium, and includes the soils, pebbles and sand, clays, vegeta- ble mould, bog, iron ore, marls, etc. The Alluvium deposits, cover an area, within the limits of Mis- souri, of more than four millions acres of land, which are not sur- passed for fertility by any region of country on the globe. The Bluff Prairie formation is confined to the low lands, which are washed by the two great rivers which course our eastern and western boundaries, and while it is only about half as extensive as the Allu- vial, it is equally as rich and productive.” ‘«‘The Bluff formation,’’ says Prof. Swallow, ‘rests upon the ridges and river bluffs, and descends along their slopes to the lowest valleys, the formation capping all the Bluffs of the Missouri from Fort Union to its mouth, and those of the Mississippi from Dubuque 1 Including 92 Chinese, 2 half Chinese, and 96 Indians and half-breeds. 14 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. to the mouth of the Ohio. It forms the upper stratum beneath the soil of all the high lands, both timber and prairies, of all the counties north of the Osage and Missouri, and also St. Louis, and the Missis- sippi counties on the south. Its greatest development is in the counties on the Missouri River from the Iowa line to Boonville. In some localities it is 200 feet thick. At St. Joseph it is 140; at Boonville 100; and at St. Louis, in St. George’s quarry, and the Big Mound, it is about 50 feet ; while its greatest observed thickness in Marion county was only 30 feet.’’ The Drift formation is that which lies beneath the Bluff formation, having, as Prof. Swallow informs us, three distinct deposits, to wit: “Altered Drift, which are strata of sand and pebbles, seen in the banks of the Missouri, in the northwestern portion of the State. The Boulder formation is a heterogeneous stratum of sand, gravel and boulder, and water-worn fragments of the older rocks. Boulder Clay is a bed of bluish or brown sandy clay, through which pebbles are scattered in greater or less abundance. In some locali- ties in northern Missouri, this formation assumes a pure white, pipe- clay color.”’ The Tertiary formation is made up of clays, shales, iron ores, sand- stone, and sands, scattered along the bluffs, and edges of the bottoms, reaching from Commerce, Scott County, to Stoddard, and south to the Chalk Bluffs in Arkansas. The Cretaceous formation lies beneath the Tertiary, and is com- posed of variegated sandstone, bluish-brown sandy slate, whitish- brown impure sandstone, fine white clay mingled with spotted flint, purple, red and blue clays, all being in the aggregate, 158 feet in thickness. There are no fossils in these rocks, and nothing by which their age may be told. The Carboniferous system includes the Upper Carboniferous or coal-measures, and the Lower Carboniferous or Mountain limestone. The coal-measures are made up of numerous strata of sandstones, limestones, shales, clays, marls, spathic iron ores, and coals. The Carboniferous formation, including coal-measures and the beds of iron, embrace an area in Missouri of 27,000 square miles. The varieties of coal found in the State are the common bituminous and cannel coals, and they exist in quantities inexhaustible. The fact that these coal-measures are full of fossils, which are always confined HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 15 to the coal measures, enables the geologist to point them out, and the coal beds contained in them. The rocks of the Lower Carboniferous rormation are varied in color, and are quarried in many diffefent parts of the State, being exten- sively utilized for building and other purposes. Among the Lower Carboniferous rocks is found the Upper Archi- medes Limestone, 200 feet; Ferruginous Sandstone, 195 feet; Mid- dle Archimedes, 50 feet; St. Louis Limestone, 250 feet; Odlitic Limestone, 25 feet; Lower Archimedes Limestone, 350 feet; and Encrinital Limestone, 500 feet. These limestones generally contain - fossils. The Ferruginous limestone is soft when quarried, but becomes hard and durable after exposure. It contains large quantities of iron, and is found skirting the eastern coal measures from the mouth of the Des Moines to McDonald county. The St. Louis limestone is of various hues and tints, and very hard. It is found in Clark, Lewis and St. Louis counties. The Lower Archimedes limestone includes partly the lead bearing rocks of Southwestern Missouri. The Encrinital limestone is the most extensive of the divisions of Carboniferous limestone, and is made up of brown, buff, gray and white. In these strata are found the remains of corals and mollusks. This formation extends from Marion county to Greene county. The Devonian system contains: Chemung Group, Hamilton Group, Onondaga limestone and Oriskany sandstone. The rocks of the Devonian system are found in Marion, Ralls, Pike, Callaway, Saline and Ste. Genevieve counties. The Chemung Group has three formations, Chouteau limestone, 85 feet; Vermicular sandstone and shales, 75 feet; Lithographic lime- stone, 125 feet. The Chouteau limestone is in two divisions, when fully developed, and when first quarried is soft. It is not only good for building pur- poses but makes an excellent cement. The Vermicular sandstone and shales are usually buff or yellowish brown, and perforated with pores. The Lithographic limestone is a pure, fine, compact, evenly-tex- tured limestone. Its color varies from light drab to buff and blue. It is called ‘* pot metal,’’ because under the hammer it gives a sharp, ringing sound. It has but few fossils. 16 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. The Hamilton Group is made up of some 40 feet of blue shales, and 170 feet of crystalline limestone. Onondaga limestone is usually a coarse, gray or buff crystalline, thick-bedded and cherty limestone. No formation in Missouri pre- sents such variable and widely different lithological characters as the Onondaga. : The Oriskany sandstone is a light, gray limestone. Of the Upper Silurian series there are the following formations: Lower Helderberg, 350 feet; Niagara Group, 200 feet ; Cape Girar- deau limestone, 60 feet. The Lower Helderberg is made up of buff, gray, and reddish cherty and argillaceous limestone. Niagara Group. The Upper part of this group consists of red, yellow and ash-colored shales, with compact limestones, variegated with bands and nodules of chert. The Cape Girardeau limestone, on the Mississippi River near Cape Girardeau, is a compact, bluish-gray, brittle limestone, with smooth fractures in layers from two to six inches in thickness, with argilla- ceous partings. These strata contain a great many fossils. The Lower Silurian has the following ten formations, to wit: Hud- son River Group, 220 feet; Trenton limestone, 360 feet ; Black River and Bird’s Eye limestone, 175 feet; first Magnesian limestone, 200 feet ; Saccharoidal sandstone, 125 feet; second Magnesian limestone, 250 feet; second sandstone, 115 feet; third Magnesian limestone’, 350 feet; third sandstone, 60 feet; fourth Magnesian limestone, 350 feet. Hudson River Group: — There are three formations which Prof. Swallow refers to in this group. These formations are found in the bluff above and below Louisiana; on the Grassy a few miles north- west of Louisiana, and in Ralls, Pike, Cape Girardeau and Ste. Gene- vieve Counties. Trenton limestone: The upper part of this formation is made up of thick beds of hard, compact, bluish gray and drab limestone, varie- gated with irregular cavities, filled with greenish materials. The beds are exposed between Hannibal and New London, north of Salt River, near Glencoe, St. Louis County, and are seventy-five feet thick. Black River and Bird’s Eye limestone the same color as the Trenton limestone. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 17 The first Magnesian limestone cap the picturesque oluffs of the Osage in Benton and neighboring counties. The Saccharoidal sandstone has a wide range in the State. Ina bluff about two miles from Warsaw, is a very striking change of thick- ness of this formation. Second Magnesian limestone, in lithological character, is like the first. The second sandstone, usually of yellowish brown, sometimes becomes a pure white, fine-grained, soft sandstone as on Cedar Creek, in Washington and Franklin Counties. The third Magnesian limestone is exposed in the high and picturesque bluffs of the Niangua, in the neighborhood of Bryce’ s Spring. The third sandstone is white and has a formation in moving water. The fourth Magnesian limestone is seen on the Niangua and Osage Rivers. The Azoic rocks lie below the Silurian and form a series of silicious and other slates which contain no remains of organic life. ECONOMIC GEOLOGY. Coal. — Missouri is particularly rich in minerals. Indeed, no State in the Union, surpasses her in this respect. In some unknown age of the past — long before the existence of man — Nature, by a wise process, made a bountiful provision for the time, when in the order of things, it should be necessary for civilized man to take possession of these broad, rich prairies. As an equivalent for lack of forests, she quietly stored away beneath the soil those wonderful carboniferous treasures for the use of man. Geological surveys have developed the fact that the coal deposits in the State are almost unnumbered, embracing all varieties of the best bituminous coal. A large portion of the State, has been ascer- tained to be one continuous coal field, stretching from the mouth of the Des Moines River through Clark, Lewis, Scotland, Adair, Macon, Shelby, Monroe, Audrain, Callaway, Boone, Cooper, Pettis, Benton, Henry, St. Clair, Bates, Vernon, Cedar, Dade, Barton and Jasper, into the Indian Territory, and the counties on the northwest of this line contain more or less coal. Coal rocks exist in Ralls, Mont- gomery, Warren, St. Charles, Moniteau, Cole, Morgan, Crawford and Lincoln, and during the past few years, all along the lines of all the railroads in North Missouri, and along the western end of the Missouri Pacific, and on the Missouri River, between Kansas City and Sioux 18 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. City, has systematic mining, opened up hundreds of mines in different localities. ‘The area of our coal beds, on the line of the southwestern boundary of the State alone, embraces more than 26,000 square miles of regular coal measures. This will give of workable coal, if the average be one foot, 26,800,000,000 tons. The estimates from the developments already made, in the different portions of the State, will give 134,000,000,000 tons. The economical value of this coal to the State, its influence in domestic life, in navigation, commerce and manufactures, is beyond the imagination of man to conceive. Suffice it to say, that in the pos- session of her developed and undeveloped coal mines, Missouri has a motive power, which in its influences for good, in the civilization of man, is more potent than the gold of California. Iron. — Prominent among the minerals, which increase the power and prosperity of a nation, is iron. Of this ore, Missouri has an inex- haustible quantity, and like her coal fields, it has been developed in many portions of the State, and of the best and purest quality. It is found in great abundance in the counties of Cooper, St. Clair, Greene, Henry, Franklin, Benton, Dallas, Camden, Stone, Madison, Iron,+ Washington, Perry, St. Francois, Reynolds, Stoddard, Scott, Dent and others. The greatest deposit of iron is found in the Iron Moun- tain, which is two hundred feet high, and covers an area of five hun- dred acres, and produces a metal, which is shown by analysis, to con- tain from 65 to 69 per cent of metallic iron. The ore of Shepherd Mountain contains from 64 to 67 per cent of metalliciron. The ore of Pilot Knob contains from 53 to 60 per cent. Rich beds of iron are also found at the Big Bogy Mountain, and at Russell Mountain. This ore has, in its nude state, a variety of colors, from the red, dark red, black, brown, to a light bluish gray. The red ores are found in twenty-one or more counties of the State, and are of great commercial value. The brown hematite iron ores extend over a greater range of country than all the others combined, embrac- ing about one hundred counties, and have been ascertained to exist in these in large quantities. Lead. — Long before any permanent settlements were made in Mis- souri by the whites, lead was mined within the limits of the State at two or three points on the Mississippi. At this time more than five hundred mines are opened, and many of them are being successfully worked. These deposits of lead cover an area, so far ag developed, of more than seven thousand square miles. Mines have been opened HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 19 in Jefferson, Washington, St. Francois, Madison, Wayne, Carter, Rey- nolds, Crawford, Ste. Genevieve, Perry, Cole, Cape Girardeau, Cam- den, Morgan, and many other counties. Copper and Zine. — Several varieties of copper ore are found in Missouri. The copper mines of Shannon, Madison and Franklin Counties have been known for years, and some of these have been successfully worked and are now yielding good results. Deposits of copper have been discovered in Dent, Crawford, Ben- ton, Maries, Green, Lawrence, Dade, Taney, Dallas, Phelps, Reynolds and Wright Counties. Zinc is abundant in nearly all the Jead mines in the southwestern part of the State, and since the completion of the A. & P. R. R. a market has been furnished for this ore, which will be converted into valuable merchandise. Building Stone and Marble. — There is no scarcity of good building stone in Missouri. Limestone, sandstone and granite exist in all shades of buff, blue, red and brown, and are of great beauty as build- ing material. There are many marble beds in the State, some of which furnish very beautiful and excellent marble. It is found in Marion, Cooper, St. Louis, and other counties. One of the most desirable of the Missouri marbles is in the 3rd Magnesian limestone, on the Niangua. It is fine-grained, crystalline, silico-magnesian limestone, light-drab, slightly tinged with peach blos- som, and clouded by deep flesh-colored shades. In ornamental archi- tecture it is rarely surpassed. Gypsum and Lime. — Though no extensive beds of gypsum have been discovered in Missouri, there are vast beds of the pure white crystalline variety on the line of the Kansas Pacific Railroad, on Kan- sas River, and on Gypsum Creek. It exists also in several other localities accessible by both rail and boat. All of the limestone formations in the State, from the coal measures to fourth Magnesian, have more or less strata of very nearly pure car- bonate of pure lime. Clays and Paints. — Clays are found in nearly all parts of the State suitable for making bricks. Potters’ clay and fire-clay are worked in many localities. There are several beds of purple shades in the coal measures which possess the properties requisite for paints used in outside work. Yel- low and red ochres are found in considerable quantities on the Missouri 20 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. River. Some of these paints have been thoroughly tested and found fire-proof and durable. SPRINGS AND WATER POWER. No State is, perhaps, better supplied with cold springs of pure water than Missouri. Out of the bottoms, there is scarcely a section of land but has one or more perennial springs of good water. Even where there are no springs, good water can be obtained by digging from twenty to forty feet. Salt springs are abundant in the central part of the State, and discharge their brine in Cooper, Saline, Howard, and adjoining counties. Considerable salt was made in Cooper and Howard Counties at an early day. ’ Sulphur springs are also numerous throughout the State. The Chouteau Springs in Cooper, the Monagaw Springs in St. Clair, the Elk Springs in Pike, and the Cheltenham Springs in St. Louis County have acquired considerable reputation as salubrious waters, and have become popular places of resort. Many other counties have good sulphur springs. Among the Chalybeate springs the Sweet Springs on the Black- water, and the Chalybeate spring in the University campus are, perhaps, the most popular of the kind in the State. There are, however, other springs impregnated with some of the salts of iron. Petroleum springs are found in Carroll, Ray, Randolph, Cass, Lafayette, Bates, Vernon, and other counties. The variety called lubricating oil is the more common. The water power of the State is excellent. Large springs are particularly abundant on the waters of the Meramec, Gasconade, Bourbeuse, Osage, Niangua, Spring, White, Sugar, and other streams. Besides these, there are hundreds of springs sufficiently large to drive mills and factories, and the day is not far distant when these crystal fountains will be utilized, and a thousand saws will buzz to their dashing music. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 21 CHAPTER IV. TITLE AND EARLY SETTLEMENTS. Title to Missouri Lands — Right of Discovery — Title of France and Spain —Gession to the United States — Territorial Changes — Treaties with Indians — First Settle- ment—Ste. Genevieve and New Bourbon—St. Louis— When Incorporated — Potosi— St. Charles — Portage des Sioux—New Madrid—St. Francois County — Perry — Mississippi— Loutre Island—‘*Boone’s Lick’? —Cote Sans Dessein — Howard County — Some First Things — Counties — When Organized. The title to the soil of Missouri was, of course, primarily vested in the original occupants who inhabited the country prior to its discovery by the whites. But the Indians, being savages, possessed but few rights that civilized nations considered themselves bound to respect ; so, therefore, when they found this country in the possession of such a people they claimed it in the name of the King of France, by the right of discovery. It remained under the Jurisdiction of France until 1763. Prior to the year 1763, the entire continent of North America was divided between France, England, Spain and Russia. France held all that portion that now constitutes our national domain west of the Mississippi River, except Texas, and the territory which we have obtained from Mexico and Russia. The vast region, while under the jurisdiction of France, was known as the ‘ Province of Louisiana,’’ and embraced the present State of Missouri. At the close of the ‘©QOld French War,”’ in 1763, France gave up her share of the con- tinent, and Spain came into the possession of the territory west of the Mississippi River, while Great Britain retained Canada and the regions northwards having obtained that territory by conquest, in the war with France. For thirty-seven years the territory now embraced within the limits of Missouri, remained as a part of the possession of Spain, and then went back to France by the treaty of St. Ildefonso, October 1, 1800. On the 30th of April, 1803, France ceded it to the United States, in consideration of receiving $11,250,000, and the liquidation of certain claims, held by citizens of the United States against France, which amounted to the further sum of $3,750,000, making a total of $15,000,000. It will thus be seen that France has twice, and Spain once, held sovereignty over the territory embracing 22 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. Missouri, but the financial needs of Napoleon afforded our Govern- ment an opportunity to add another empire to its domain. On the 31st of October, 1803, an act of Congress was approved, authorizing the President to take possession of the newly acquired territory, and provided for it a temporary government, and another act, approved March 26, 1804, authorized the division of the ‘‘ Louis- jana Purchase,’’ as it was then called, into two separate territories. All that portion south of the 33d parallel of north latitude was called the «* Territory of Orleans,’ and that north of the said parallel was known as the ‘District of Louisiana,’’ and was placed under the jurisdiction of what was then known as < Indian Territory.” By virtue of an act of Congress, approved March 3, 1805, the «District of Louisiana’? was organized as the ‘ Territory of Louis- jana,’’ with a territorial government of its own, which went into operation July 4th of the same year, and it so remained till 1812. In this year the ‘* Territory of Orleans”’ became the State of Louisiana, and the ‘‘ Territory of Louisiana’? was organized as the ‘ Territory of Missouri.”’ This change took place under an act of Congress, approved June 4, 1812. In 1819, a portion of this territory was organized as ‘‘ Arkan- sas Territory,’ and on August 10, 1821, the State of Missouri was admitted, being a part of the former ‘Territory of Missouri.’’ In 1836, the «* Platte Purchase,’’ then being a part of the Indian Territory, and now composing the counties of Atchison, Andrew, Buchanan, Holt, Nodaway and Platte, was made by treaty with the Indians, and added to the State. It will be seen, then, that the soil of Missouri belonged : — 1. To France, with other territory. 2. In 1763, with other territory, it was ceded to Spain. 8. October 1, 1800, it was ceded, with other territory from Spain, back to France. 4, April 30, 1803, it was ceded, with other territory, by France to the United States. 5. October 31, 1803, a temporary government was authorized by Congress for the newly acquired territory. 6. October 1, 1804, it was included in the ‘ District of Louisiana” and placed under the territorial government of Indiana. 7. July 4, 1805, it was included as a part of the ‘ Territory of Louisiana,’’ then organized with a separate territorial government. f HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 23 8. June 4, 1812, it was embraced in what was then made the «* Ter- ritory of Missouri.’’ 9. August 10, 1821, it was admitted into the Union as a State. 10. In 1836, the ‘* Platte Purchase’’ was made, adding more ter- ritory to the State. The cession by France, April 30, 1803, vested the title in the United States, subject to the claims of the Indians, which it was very justly the policy of the Government to recognize. Before the Government of the United States could vest clear title to the soil in the grantee it was necessary to extinguish the Indian title by purchase. This was done accordingly by treaties made with the Indians at different times. EARLY SETTLEMENTS. The name of the first white man who set foot on the territory now embraced in the State of Missouri, is not known, nor is it known at what precise period the first settlements were made. It is, however, generally agreed that they were made at Ste. Genevieve and New ‘Bourbon, tradition fixing the date of the settlements in the autumn of 1735. These towns were settled by the French from Kaskaskia and St. Philip in Dlinois. St. Louis was founded by Pierre Laclede Liguest, on the 15th of February, 1764. He was a native of France, and was one of the members of the company of Laclede Liguest, Antonio Maxant & Co., * to whom a royal charter had been granted, confirming the privilege of an exclusive trade with the Indians of Missouri as far north as St. Peter’s River. While in search of a trading post he ascended the Mississippi as far as the mouth of the Missouri, and finally returned to the present town site of St. Louis. After the village had been laid off he named it St. Louis in honor of Louis XV., of France. The colony thrived rapidly by accessions from Kaskaskia and other towns on the east side of the Mississippi, and its trade was largely in. ereased by many of the Indian tribes, who removed a portion of their peltry trade from the same towns to St. Louis. It was incorporated as a town on the ninth day of November, 1809, by the Court of Com- mon Pleas of the district of St. Louis; the town ‘trustees being Auguste Chouteau, Edward Hempstead, Jean F. Cabanne, Wm. C. Carr and William Christy, and incorporated as a city December 9, 1822. ‘The selection of the town site on whieh St. Louis stands was highly judicious, the spot not only being healthful and having the ad- 24 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. vantages of water transportation unsurpassed, but surrounded by a beautiful region of country, rich in soil and mineral resources. St. Louis has grown to be the fifth city in population in the Union, and is to-day the great center of internal commerce of the Missouri, the Mississippi and their tributaries, and, with its railroad facilities, it is destined to be the greatest inland city of the American continent. The next settlement was made at Potosi, in Washington County, in 1765, by Francis Breton, who, while chasing a bear, discovered the mine near the present town of Potosi, where he afterward located. One of the most prominent pioneers who settled at Potosi was Moses Austin, of Virginia, who, in 1795, received by grant from the Spanish government a league of land, now known as the ‘‘Austin Sur- vey.”’ The grant was made on condition that Mr. Austin would es- tablish a lead mine at Potosi and work it. He built a palatial residence, for that day, on the brow of the hill in the little village, which was for many years known as ‘* Durham Hall.’’ At this point the first shot-tower and sheet-lead manufactory were erected. Five years after the founding of St. Louis the first settlement made in Northern Missouri was made near St. Charles, in St. Charles County, in 1769. The name given to it, and which it retained till 1784, was Les Petites Cotes, signifying, Little Hills. The town site was located by Blanchette, a Frenchman, surnamed LeChasseur, who built the first fort in the town and established there a military post. Soon after the establishment of the military post at St.’ Charles, the _ old French village of Portage des Sioux, was located on the Missis- sippi, just below the mouth of the Illinois River, and at about the same time a Kickapoovillage was commenced at Clear Weather Lake. The present town site of New Madrid, in New Madrid county, was settled in 1781, by French Canadians, it then being occupied by Del- aware Indians. The place now known as Big River Mills, St. Fran- cois county, was settled in 1796, Andrew Baker, John Alley, Francis Starnater and John Andrews, each locating claims. The following year, a settlement was made in the same county, just below the pres- ent town of Farmington, by the Rev. William Murphy, a Baptist min- ister from East Tennessee. In 1796, settlements were made in Perry county by emigrants from Kentucky and Pennsylvania; the latter lo- cating in the rich bottom lands of Bois Brule, the former generally settling in the ‘« Barrens,’’ and along the waters of Saline Creek. Bird’s Point, in Mississippi county, opposite Cairo, Illinois, was settled August 6, 1800, by John Johnson, by virtue of a land-grant HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 25 from the commandant under the Spanish Government. Norfolk and Charleston, in the same county, were settled respectively in 1800 and 1801. Warren county was settled in 1801. Loutre Island, below the present town of Hermann, in the Missouri River, was settled by a few American families in 1807. This little company of pioneers suf- fered greatly from the floods, as well-as from the incursions of thieving and blood-thirsty Indians, and many incidents of a thrilling character could be related of trials and struggles, had we the time and space. In 1807, Nathan and Daniel M. Boone, sons of the great hunter and pioneer, in company with three others, went from St. Louis to ‘‘Boone’s Lick,”’ in Howard county, where they manufactured salt and formed the nucleus of a small settlement. Cote Sans Dessein, now called Bakersville, on the Missouri River, in Callaway county, was settled by the French in 1801. This little town was considered at that time, as the ** Far West’’ of the new world. During the war of 1812, at this place many hard-fought battles occurred between the whites and Indians, wherein woman’s fortitude and courage greatly assisted in the defence of the settle- ment. In 1814, a colony of Kentuckians numbering one hundred and fifty families immigrated to Howard county, and settled on the Missouri River in Cooper’s Bottom near the present town of Franklin, and opposite Arrow Rock. Such, in brief, is the history of some of the early settlements of Missouri, covering a period of more than half a century. These settlements were made on the water courses; usually along the banks of the two great streams, whose navigation afforded them transportation for their marketable commodities, and communication with the civilized portion of the country. They not only encountered the gloomy forests, settling as they did by the river’s brink, but the hostile incursion of savage Indians, by whom they were for many years surrounded. The expedients of these brave men who first broke ground in the territory, have been succeeded by the permanent and tasteful improve- ments of their descendants. Upon the spots where they toiled, dared and died, are seen the comfortable farm, the beautiful village, and thrifty city. Churches and school houses greet the eye on every hand; railroads diverge in every direction, and, indeed, all the appli- ances of a higher civilization are profusely strewn over the smiling surface of the State. 26 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. Culture’s hand Has scattered verdure o’er the land; And smiles and fragrance rule serene, Where barren wild usurped the scene. SOME FIRST THINGS. The first marriage that took place in Missouri was April 20, 1766, ‘in St. Louis. ’ The first baptism was performed in May, 1766, in St. Louis. The first house of worship, (Catholic) was erected in 1775, at St. Louis. The first ferry established in 1805, on the Mississippi River, at St. Louis. The first newspaper established in St. Louis (Missouri Gazette), in 1808. The first postoffice was established in 1804, in St. Louis — Rufus Easton, post-master. The first Protestant church erected at Ste. Genevieve, in 1806 — Baptist. The first bank established (Bank of St. Louis), in 1814. The first market house opened in 1811, in St. Louis. The first steamboat on the Upper Mississippi was the General Pike, Capt. Jacob Reid; landed at St. Louis 1817. The first board of trustees for public schools appointed in 1817, St. Louis. The first college built (St. Louis College), in 1817. The first steamboat that came up the Missouri River as high as Franklin was the Independence, in May, 1819; Capt. Nelson, mas- ter. The first court house erected in 1823, in St. Louis. The first cholera appeared in St. Louis in 1839.. The first railroad convention held in St. Louis, April 20, 1836. The first telegraph lines reached East St. Louis, December 20, 1847. The first great fire occurred in St. Louis, 1849, HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 27 CHAPTER YV. TERRITORIAL ORGANIZATION. Organization 1812— Council— House of Representatives — William Clark first Terri- torial Governor— Edward Hempstead first Delegate— Spanish Grants — First General Assembly — Proceedings —Second Assembly — Proceedings — Population of Territory — Vote of Territory — Rufus Easton — Absent Members — Third Assem- bly — Proceedings — Application for Admission. Congress organized Missouri as a Territory, July 4, 1812, with a Governor and General Assembly. The Governor, Legislative Coun- * cil, and House of Representatives exercised the Legislative power of the Territory, the Governor’s vetoing power being absolute. The Legislative Council was composed of nine members, whose ten- ure of office lasted five years. Eighteen citizens were nominated by the House of Representatives to the President of the United States, from whom he selected, with the approval of the Senate, nine Coun- cillors, to compose the Legislative Council. The House of Representatives consisted of members chosen every two years by the people, the basis of representation being one mem- ber for every five hundred white males. The first House of Repre- sentatives consisted of thirteen members, and, by Act of Congress, the whole number of Representatives could not exceed twenty-five. The judicial power of the Territory, was vested in the Superior and Inferior Courts, and in the Justices of the Peace; the Superior Court having three judges, whose term of office continued four years, hav- ing original and appellate jurisdiction in civil and criminal cases. The Territory could send one delegate to Congress. Governor Clark issued a proclamation, October 1st, 1812, required by Congress, reorganizing the districts of St. Charles, St. Louis, Ste. Genevieve, Cape Girardeau, and New Madrid, into five counties, and fixed the second Monday in November following, for the election of a delegate to Congress, and the members of the Territorial House of Represen- tatives. William Clark, of the expedition of Lewis and Clark, was the first Territorial Governor, appointed by the President, who began his duties 1813. Edward Hempstead, Rufus Easton, Samuel Hammond, and Matthew Lyon were candidates in November for delegates to Congress. 28 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. Edward Hempstead was elected, being the first Territorial Dele- gate to Congress from Missouri. He served one term, declining a second, and was instrumental in having Congress to pass the act of June 13, 1812, which he introduced, confirming the title to lands which were claimed by the people by virtue of Spanish grants. The same act confirmed to the people ‘‘ for the support of schools,’ the title to village lots, out-lots or common field lots, which were held and enjoyed by them, at the time of the session in 1803. Under the act of June 4, 1812, the first General Assembly held its session in the house of Joseph Robidoux, in St. Louis, on the 7th of December, 1812. The names of the members of the House were : — St. Charles. — John Pitman and Robert Spencer. St. Louis. — David Music, Bernard G. Farrar, William C. Carr, and Richard Clark. Ste. Genevieve. — George Bullet, Richard S. Thomas, and Isaac. McGready. Cape Girardeau. — George F. Bollinger, and Spencer Byrd. New Madrid. —John Shrader and Samuel Phillips. John B. C. Lucas, one of the Territorial Judges, administered the oath of office. William C. Carr was elected speaker, and Andrew Scott, Clerk. The House of Representatives proceeded to nominate eighteen per- sons from whom the President of the United States, with the Senate, was to select nine for the Council. From this number the President chose the following: St. Charles. — James Flaugherty and Benjamin Emmons. St. Louis. — Auguste Chouteau, Sr., and Samuel Hammond. Ste. Genevieve. — John Scott and James Maxwell. Cape Girardeau. — William Neeley and Joseph Cavenor, New Madrid. — Joseph Hunter. The Legislative Council, thus chosen by the President and Senate, was announced by Frederick Bates, Secretary and Acting-Governor of the Territory, by proclamation, June 3, 1813, and fixing the: first Monday in July following, as the time for the meeting of the Legis- lature. In the meantime the duties of the executive office were assumed by William Clark. The Legislature accordingly met, as required by the Acting-Governor’s proclamation, in July, but its proceedings were never Officially published. Consequently but little is known in refer- ence to the workings of the first Territorial Legislature in Missouri. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 29 From the imperfect account, published in the Missouri Gazette, of that: day ; a paper which had been in existence since 1808, it is found that laws were passed regulating and establishing weights and meas- ures ; creating the office of Sheriff; providing the manner for taking the census; permanently fixing the seats of Justices, and an act to compensate its own members. At this session, laws were also passed defining crimes and penalties; laws in reference to forcible entry and detainer; establishing Courts of Common Pleas; incorporating the Bank of St. Louis; and organizing a part of Ste. Genevieve county into the county of Washington. The next session of the Legislature convened in St. Louis, Decem- ber 6, 1813. George Bullet of Ste. Genevieve county, was speaker elect, and Andrew Scott, clerk, and William Sullivan, doorkeeper. Since the adjournment of the former Legislature, several vacancies had occurred, and new members had been elected to fill their places. Among these was Israel McCready, from the county of Washington. The president of the legislative council was Samuel Hammond. No journal of the council was officially published, but the proceedings of the house are found in the Gazette. At this session of the Legislature many wise and useful laws were passed, having reference to the temporal as well as the moral and spiritual welfare of the people. Laws were enacted for the suppres- sion of vice and immorality on the Sabbath day; for the improve- ment of public roads and highways; creating the offices of auditor, treasurer and county surveyor; regulating the fiscal affairs of the Territory and fixing the boundary lines of New Madrid, Cape Girar- deau, Washington and St. Charles counties. The Legislature ad- journed on the 19th of January, 1814, sine die. The population of the Territory as shown by the United States census in 1810, was 20,845. The census taken by the Legislature in 1814 gave the Territory a population of 25,000. This enumeration shows the county of St. Louis contained the greatest number of in- habitants, aud the new county of Arkansas the least — the latter hav- ing 827, and the former 3,149. The candidates for delegate to Congress were Rufus Easton, Samuel Hammond, Alexander McNair and Thomas F. Riddick. Rufus Easton and Samuel Hammond had been candidates at the preceding election. In all the counties, excepting Arkansas, the votes aggre- gated 2,599, of which number Mr. Easton received 965, Mr. Ham- 380 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. mond 746, Mr. McNair 853, and Mr. Riddick (who had withdrawn previously to the election) 35. Mr. Easton was elected. The census of 1814 showing a large increase in the population of the Territory, an appointment was made increasing the number of Representatives in the Territorial Legislature to twenty-two. The General Assembly began its session in St. Louis, December 5, 1814. There were present on the first day twenty Representatives. James Caldwell of Ste. Genevieve county was elected speaker, and Andrew - Scott who had been clerk of the preceding assembly, was chosen clerk. The President of the Council was William Neeley, of Cape Girardeau county. It appeared that James Maxwell, the absent member of the Council, and Seth Emmons, member elect of the House of Representatives, were dead. The county of Lawrence was organized at this session, from the western part of New Madrid county, and the corporate powers of St. Louis were enlarged. In 1815 the Territorial Legisla- ture again began its session. Only a partial report of its proceedings are given in the Gazette. The county of Howard was then organized from St. Louis and St. Charles counties, and included all that part of the State lying north of the Osage and south of the dividing ridge between the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. (For precise bounda- ries, see Chapter I. of the History of Boone County.) The next session of the Territorial Legislature commenced its ses- sion in December, 1816. During the sitting of this Legislature many important acts were passed. It was then that the «‘ Bank of Mis- souri’’ was chartered and wentinto operation. In the fall of 1817 the ‘*Bank of St. Louis’? and the ‘Bank of Missouri’’ were issuing bills. An act was passed chartering lottery companies, chartering the academy at Potosi, and incorporating a board of trustees for superintending the schools in the town of St. Louis. Laws were also passed to encourage the << killing of wolves, panthers and wild-cats.’’ The Territorial Legislature met again in December, 1818, and, among other things, organized the counties of Pike, Cooper, Jeffer- son, Franklin, Wayne, Lincoln, Madison, Montgomery, and three counties in the Southern part of Arkansas. In 1819 the Territory of Arkansas was formed into a separate government of its own. The people of the Territory of Missouri had been, for some time anxious that their Territory should assume the duties and responsibilities of a sovereign State. Since 1812, the date of the organization of the Territory, the population had rapidly increased, many counties had HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 81 been established, its commerce had grown into importance, its agri- cultural and mineral resources were being developed, and believing that its admission into the Union as a State would give fresh impetus to all these interests, and hasten its settlement, the Territorial Legis- lature of 1818-19 accordingly made application to Congress for the passage of an act authorizing the people of Missouri to organize a State government. CHAPTER VI. Application of Missouri to be admitted into the Union — Agitation of the Slavery Question — ‘* Missouri Compromise ’? — Constitutional Convention of 1820 — Con- stitution presented to Congress — Further Resistance to Admission — Mr. Clay and his Committee make Report — Second Compromise — Missouri Admitted. With the application of the Territorial Legislature of Missouri for her admission into the Union, commenced the real agitation of the slavery question in the United States. Not only was our National Legislature the theater of angry discus- sions, but everywhere throughout the length and breadth of the Re- public the ‘* Missouri Question’’ was the all-absorbing theme. The political skies threatened, ‘In forked flashes, a commanding tempest,’? Which was liable to burst upon the nation at any moment. Through such a crisis our country seemed destined to pass. The question as to the admission of Missouri was to be the beginning of this crisis, which distracted the public counsels of the nation for more than forty years afterward. Missouri asked to be admitted into the great family of States. ‘¢ Lower Louisiana,’’ her twin sister Territory, had knocked at the door of the Union eight years previously, and was admitted as stipu- lated by Napoleon, to all the rights, privileges and immunities of a State, and in accordance with the stipulations of the same treaty, Missouri now sought to be clothed with the same rights, privileges and immunities. As what is known in the history of the United States as the ‘* Mis- souri Compromise,’’ of 1820, takes rank among the most prominent 32 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. measures that had up to that day engaged the attention of our National Legislature, we shall enter somewhat into its details, being connected as they are with the annals of the State. February 15th, 1 819.— After the House had resolved itself intoa Committee of the Whole on the bill to authorize the admission of Mis- souri into the Union, and after the question of her admission had been discussed for some time, Mr. Tallmadge, of New York, nmioved to amend the bill, by adding to it the following proviso : — «And Provided, That the further introduction of slavery or involun- ‘tary servitude be prohibited, except for the punishment of crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, and that all chil- dren born within the said State, after the admission thereof into the Union, shall be free at the age of twenty-five years.”’ As might have been expected, this proviso precipitated the angry discussions which lasted nearly three years, finally culminating in the Missouri Compromise. All phases of the slavery question were pre- sented, not in its moral and social aspects, but as a great constitu- tional question, affecting Missouri and the admission of future States. The proviso, when submitted to a vote, was adopted — 79 to 67, and so reported to the House. Hon. John Scott, who was at that time a delegate from the Terri- tory of Missouri, was not permitted to vote, but as such delegate he had the privilege of participating in the debates which followed. On the 16th day of February the proviso was taken up and discussed. After several speeches had been made, among them one by Mr. Scott and one by the author of the proviso, Mr. Tallmadge, the amendment, or proviso, was divided into two parts, and voted upon. The first part of it, which included all to the word ‘* convicted,’’ was adopted — 87 to 76. The remaining part was then voted upon, and also adopted, by 82 to 78. By a vote of 97 to 56 the bill was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading. The Senate Committee, to whom the bill was referred, reported the same to the Senate on the 19th of February, when that body voted first upon a motion to strike out of the proviso all after the word ‘¢ gonvicted,’’? which was carried by a vote of 32 to 7. It then voted to strike out the first entire clause, which prevailed —22 to 16, thereby defeating the proviso. : The House declined to concur in the action of the Senate, and the bill was again returned to that body, which in turn refused to recede from its position. The bill was lost and Congress adjourned. This HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 33 was most unfortunate for the country. The people having already been wrought up to fever heat over the agitation of the question in the National Councils, now became intensely excited. The press added fuel to the flame, and the progress of events seemed rapidly tending to the downfall of our nationality. A long interval of nine months was to ensue before the meeting of Congress. The body indicated by its vote upon the “ Missouri Ques- tion,” that the two great sections of the country were politically divided upon the subject of slavery. The restrictive clause, which it was sought to impose upon. Missouri as a condition of her admission, would in all probability, be one of the conditions of the admission of the Territory of Arkansas. The public mind was in a state of great doubt and uncertainty up to the meeting of Congress, which took place on the 6th of December, 1819. The memorial of the Legisla- tive Council and House of Representatives of the Missouri Territory, praying for admission into the Union, was presented to the Senate by Mr. Smith, of South Carolina. It was referred to the Judiciary Committee. Some three weeks having passed without any action thereon by the Senate, the bill was taken up and discussed by the House until the 19th of February, when the bill from the Senate for the admission of Maine was considered. ‘The bill for the admission of Maine included the «* Missouri Question,’’ by an amendment which read as follows: ‘“‘And be it further enacted, That in all that territory ceded by France to the United States, under the name of Louisiana, which lies north of thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes, north latitude (except- ing such part thereof as is) included within the limits of the State, contemplated by this act, slavery and involuntary servitude, other- wise than in the punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been convicted, shall be and is hereby forever prohibited ; Provided, always, That any person escaping into the same from whom labor or service is lawfully claimed, in any State or Territory of the United States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labor or services as aforesaid.” The Senate adopted this amendment, which formed the basis of the ‘¢ Missouri Compromise,’’ modified afterward by striking out the words, ** excepting only such part thereof.” The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 24 to 20. On the 2d day of March the House took up the bill and amendments for consideration, and by a vote of 134 to 42 concurred in the Senate amendment, and 3 384 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. the bill being passed by the two Houses, constituted section 8, of ‘sAn Act to authorize the people of the Missouri Territory to form a Constitution and State Government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and to prohibit slavery in certain territory.”’ This act was approved March 6, 1820. Missouri then contained fif- teen organized counties. By act of Congress the people of said State were authorized to hold an election on the first Monday, and two suc- ceeding days thereafter in May, 1820, to select representatives toa State convention. This convention met in St. Louis on the 12th of June, following the election in May, and concluded its labors on the 19th of July, 1820. David Barton was its President, and Wm. G. Pettis, Secretary. There were forty-one members of this convention, men of ability and statesmanship, as the admirable constitution which they framed amply testifies. Their names and the counties repre- sented by them are as follows : — Cape Girardeau. —Stephen Byrd, James Evans, Richard 8. Thomas, Alexander Buckner and Joseph McFerron. Cooper. — Robert P. Clark, Robert Wallace, Wm. Lillard. Franklin. — John G. Heath. Howard. — Nicholas S. Burkhart, Duff Green, John Ray, Jonathan 8. Findley, Benj. H. Reeves. Jefferson. — Daniel Hammond. Lincoln. — Malcom Henry. Montgomery. — Jonathan Ramsey, James Talbott. Madison. — Nathaniel Cook. New Madrid. — Robert S. Dawson, Christopher G. Houts. Pike. — Stephen Cleaver. St. Charles. — Benjamin Emmons, Nathan Boone, Hiram H. Baber. Ste. Genevieve. —John D. Cook, Henry Dodge, John Scott, R. T. Brown. St. Louis. — David Barton, Edward Bates, Alexander McNair, Wn. Rector, John C. Sullivan, Pierre Chouteau, Jr., Bernard Pratte, Thomas F. Riddick. Washington. —John Rice Jones, Samuel Perry, John Hutchings. Wayne. — Elijah Bettis. On the 13th of November, 1820, Congress met again, and on the sixth of the same month Mr. Scott, the delegate from Missouri, pre- sented to the House the Constitution as framed by the convention. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 35 The same was referred to a select committee, who made thereon a favorable report. The admission of the State, however, was resisted, because it was claimed that its constitution sanctioned slavery, and authorized the Legislature to pass laws preventing free negroes and mulattoes from settling in the State. The report of the committee to whom was referred the Constitution of Missouri was accompanied by a preamble and resolutions, offered by Mr. Lowndes, of South Carolina. The preamble and resolutions were stricken out. The application of the State for admission shared the same fate in the Senate. The question was referred to a select committee, who, on the 29th of November, reported in favor of admitting the State. The debate, which followed, continued for two weeks, and finally Mr. Eaton, of Tennessee, offered an amendment to the resolution as fol- lows : — s* Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to give the assent of Congress to any provision in the Constitution of Missouri, if any such there be, which contravenes that clause in the Constitution of the United States, which declares that the citizens of each State shall be entitled to all the privileges and immunities of citizens in the several States.”’ The resolution, as amended, was adopted. The resolution and proviso were again taken up and discussed at great length, when the committee agreed to report the resolution to the House. The question on agreeing to the amendment, as reported from the committee of the whole, was lost in the House. A similar resolution afterward passed the Senate, but was again rejected in the House. Then it was that that great statesman and pure patriot, Henry Clay, of Kentucky, feeling that the hour had come when angry discussions should cease, “ With grave Aspect he rose, and in his rising seem’d' A pillar of state; deep on his front engraver Deliberation sat and public care; And princely counsel in his face yet shone Majestic ” s * * * * » proposed that the question of Missouri’s admission be referred to a committee consisting of twenty-three persons (a number equal to the number of States then composing the Union), be appointed to act in conjunction with a committee of the Senate to consider and report whether Missouri should be admitted, ete. . 36 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. The motion prevailed ; the committee was appointed and Mr. Clay made its chairman. The Senate selected seven of its members to act with the committee of twenty-three, and on the 26th of February the following report was made by that committee : — ‘‘ Resolved, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled: That Missouri shall be admitted into the Union, on an equal footing with the original States, in all respects whatever, upon the fundamental condition that the fourth clause, of the twenty-sixth section of the third article of the Constitution submitted on the part of said State to Congress, shall never be construed to authorize the passage of any law, and that no law shall be passed in conformity thereto, by which any citizen of either of the States in this Union shall be excluded from the enjoy- ment of any of the privileges and immunities to which such citizen is entitled, under the Constitution of the United States ; provided, That the Legislature of said State, by a Solemn Public Act, shall declare the assent of the said State, to the said fundamental condition, and shall transmit to the President of the United States, on or before the fourth Monday in November next, an authentic copy of the said act; upon the receipt whereof, the President, by proclamation, shall an- nounce the fact; whereupon, and without any further proceeding on the part of Congress, the admission of the said State into the Union shall be considered complete.’’ This resolution, after a brief debate, was adopted in the House, and passed the Senate on the 28th of February, 1821. At a special session of the Legislature held in St. Charles, in June following, a Solemn Public Act was adopted, giving its assent to the conditions of admission, as expressed in the resolution of Mr. Clay. August 10th, 1821, President Monroe announced by proclamation the admission of Missouri into the Union to be complete. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 87 CHAPTER VII. MISSOURI AS A STATE. First Election for Governor and other State Officers — Senators and Representatives to General Assembly — Sheriffs and Coroners —U. S. Senators — Representatives in Coagress— Supreme Court Judges — Counties Organized — Capital Moved to St. Charles — Official Record of Territorial and State Officers. By the Constitution adopted by the Convention on the 19th of July, 1820, the General Assembly was required to meet in St. Louis on the third Monday in September of that year, and an election was ordered to be held on the 28th of August for the election of a Governor and other State officers, Senators and Representatives to the General Assembly, Sheriffs and Coroners, United States Senators and Repre- sentatives in Congress. It will be seen that Missouri had not as yet been admitted asa State, but in anticipation of that event, and according to the provi- sions of the constitution, the election was held, and the General As- sembly convened. William Clark (who had been Governor of the Territory) and Alexander McNair were the candidates for Governor. McNair re- ceived 6,576 votes, Clark 2,556, total vote of the State 9,132. There were three candidates for Lieutenant-Governor, to wit: William H. Ashley, Nathaniel Cook and Henry Elliot. Ashley received 3,907 votes, Cook 3,212, Elliot 931. A Representative was to be elected for the residue of the Sixteenth Congress and one for the Seventeenth. John Scott who was at the time Territorial delegate, was elected to both Congresses without opposition. The General Assembly elected in August met on the 19th of Sep- tember, 1820, and organized by electing James Caldwell, of Ste. Genevieve, speaker, and John McArthur clerk; William H. Ashley, Lieutenant-Governor, President of the Senate; Silas Bent, President, pro tem. Mathias McGirk, John D. Cook, and John R. Jones were appointed Supreme Judges, each to hold office until sixty-five years of age. Joshua Barton was appointed Secretary of State; Peter Didier, State Treasurer; Edward Bates, Attorney-General, and William Christie, Auditor of Public Accounts. 38 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. David Barton and Thomas H. Benton were elected by the General Assembly to the United States Senate. At this session of the Legislature the counties of Boone, Callaway, Chariton, Cole, Guseonitc, Lillard, Perry, Ralls, Ray and Saline were organized. We should like to give in details the meetings and proceedings of the different Legislatures which followed; the selections for Govern- ors and other State officers ; the elections for Congressmen and United States Senators, but for want of space we can only present in a con- densed form the official record of the Territorial and State officers. fFICIAL RECORD—TERRITORIAL OFFICERS. Governors. Frederick Bates, Secretary and William Clark . . « « « 1813-20 Acting-Governor . . . . 1812-18 OFFICERS OF STATE GOVERNMENT. Governors. Lieutenant-Governors. Alexander McNair. . . . . 1820-24 | William H. Ashley . . . . 1820-24 Frederick Bates. . . - 1824-25 | Benjamin H. Reeves . . . . 1824-28 Abraham J. Williams, vice Daniel Dunklin. . . . . . 1828-32 Bates... - - ~ « 1825 Lilburn W. Boggs. . . . . 1882-86 John Miller, vice Bates . . - 1826-28 | Franklin Cannon . .. . . 1836-40 John Miller . . - - 1828-82 | M.M. Marmaduke. . . . . 1840-44 Daniel Dunklin, (1882-36) Te- James Young . .. . . . 1844-48 signed; appointed Surveyor Thomas L Rice . . . . . 1848-52 General of the U. 8. Lilburn Wilson Brown . ... . © 1852-55 W. Boggs, vice Dunklin . . 1836 Hancock Jackson . . . . . 1855-56 Lilburn W. Boggs. . . - - 1836-40 | Thomas ©. Reynolds. . . . 1860-61 Thomas Reynolds (died 1844), - 1840-44 | Willard P. Hall . + » 1861-64 M. M. Marmaduke vice Rey- George Smith . . - + - 1864-68 nolds —John ©. Edwards . 1844-48 | Edwin O. Stanard . . 1868-70 Austin A. King. . - + 1848-52 | Joseph J. Gravelly. . . . . 1870-72 Sterling Price . . . - - - 1852-56 | Charles P. Johnson . . . . 1872-74 Trusten Polk (resigned). . . 1856-57 | Norman J. Coleman . . . . 1874-76 Hancock Jackson, vice Polk . 1857 Henry ©. Brockmeyer . . 1876-80 Robert M. Stewart, vice Polk . 1857-60 | Robert A. Campbell (present C. F. Jackson (1860), office va- incumbent) . . . 1880 cated by ordinance; Hamil- ton R. Gamble, vice Jackson; Gov. Gamble died 1864. Joshua Barton . . . . . . 1820-21 Willard P. Hall, vice Gamble. 1864 William G. Pettis. . . . . 1821-24 Thomas C. Fletcher . . . . 1864-68 | Hamilton R. Gamble. . . . 1824-26 Joseph W. McClurg . . . . 1868-70 | Spencer Pettis . . . . . . 1826-28 Secretaries of State. B. Gratz Brown. . . . . ~ 1870-72 | P.H. McBride... 1829-80 Silas Woodson . . . . . « 1872-74 | John C. Edwards (term axpfred Charles H. Hardin. . . . . 1874-76 1835, ‘reappointed: 1837, re- John 8. Phelps... . 1876-80 signed 1887) . . . . . . 1880-87 Thomas T. Crittenden {now PeterG, Glover. . . . - 1887-39 Governor). . . .. . . 1880 James L. Minor. . . . : - 1839-46 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. OFFICERS OF STATE GOVERNMENT — Continued. Auditors of Publie Accounts. F.H. Martins . . . Ephraim B. Ewing John M. Richatdson . . . Benjamin F. Massey (elected 1860, for four years). . Mordecai Oliver. . . Francis Rodman (re-elected 1868 for two years). . . Eugene F. Weigel, (re-elected 1872, for two years). . Michael K. McGrath (present incumbent) . 2... « « State Treasurers. Peter Didier. . . , Nathaniel Simonds .. . James Earickson . 2. 2. e John Walker . . 2... Abraham McClellan. . . PeterG. Glover. . . . ~ A.W. Morrison. . 2. 2... George O. Bingham .. . William Bishop. . ... . William Q. Dallmeyer . . . Samuel Hays. . . « Harvey W.Salmon ... . Joseph W. Mercer. « . « « Hlijah Gates . . Phillip E. Chappell (protentil in- cumbent) . . . 2. 2 « « Attorney-Generals, Edward Bates. . - « « oe « Rufus Easton. . 2. 2 2 © Robt. W. Wella . ... William B. Napton ... » §.M.Bay. .... - B. F. Stringfellow. ... . William A. Robards... . James B, Gardenhire. . . . Ephraim W. Ewing . . . .- James P. Knott. 2. 2. 2 « « Aikman Welch. . .... Thomas T, Crittenden . . . Robert F. Wingate. . . . - Horace P. Johnson. . . A.J. Baker... 2. es. Henry Clay Ewing. ... . John A. Hockaday. . .. . Jackson L. Smith. . . D. H. Melntire Raia in- cumbent) . 1845-49 1849-52 1852-56 1856-60 1861-64 1864-68 1870-72 1874 1820-21 1821-28 1829-33 1833-38 1838-48 1843-51 1851-60 1862-64 1864-68 1868-70 1872 1872-74 1874-76 1876-80 1880 1820-21 1821-26 1826-36 1836-39 1839-45 1845-49 1849-51 1851-56 1856-59 1859-61 1861-64 1864 1864-68 1868-70 1870-72 1872-74 1874-76 1876-80 1880 William Christie . . . . . William V. Rector .... Elias Barcroft . ..... Henry Shurlds . ..... PeterG. Glover. . . 2... Hiram H. Baber . .. William Monroe... . J.R.McDermon . . George W. Miller. . Wilson Brown... e William H. Buffington . . William 8. Moseley . . Alonzo Thompson. . . . Daniel M. Draper. . . . . George B. Clark . .... Thomas Holladay. . . , John Walker (present incum- bent) . . 1820-21 1821-23 1823-83 1833-85 1885-37 1887-45 1845 1845-48 1848-49 1849-52 1852-60 1860-64 1864-68 1868-72 1872-74 187 -80 1880 Judges of Supreme Court, Matthias McGirk ..... John D. Cooke. . . 1... John R. Jones . 2. 1 ww Rufus Pettibone. . . .. Geo. Tompkins. . . .. Robert Wash . . .. . John C. Edwards . : Wm. Scott, (appointed 1841 ‘till meeting of General Assem- bly in place of McGirk, re- signed; reappointed . . . P.H. McBride. . .. . « Wm. B.Napton. ..... John F. Ryland. . . 2. «. « John H. Birch . . . Wm. Scott, John F. Ryland, and Hamilton R. Gamble (elected by the Beepley: for six years) .. . Gamble (eeslenad) . Abiel Leonard elected 6 fill va cancy of Gamble. Wm. B. Napton (vacated by failure to file oath). Wm. Scott and John C., Rich- ardson (resigned, elected Au- gust, for six years) . . . E. B, Ewing, (to fill Richard- son’s resignation) . . . . Barton Bates (appointed) . W. V. N. Bay (appointed) . 1822-41 1822-23 1822-24 1823-25 1824-45 1825-87 1837-39 1843 1845 1849-52 1849-51 1849-61 18651 1854 1857 1859 1862 1862 39 . HISTORY OF MISSOURI. OFFICERS OF STATE GOVERNMENT — Continued. John D. S. Dryden (appointed) 1862 Barton Bates. . . - - + + 1863-65 "-W. V. N. Bay (elected) . . » 1868 John D. S. Dryden (elected) 1863 David Wagner (appointed). . 1865 Wallace L. Lovelace (appoint- ed) . - « eee Nathaniel Holmes appoints’) Thomas J.C. Fagg (appointed) James Baker (appointed) . David Wagner (elected). . « Philemon Bliss . . -« « « « Warren Currier. . 2 © « Washington Adams (appotntad to fill Currier’s place, who re- signed) . 2 « « © e © © Ephraim B. Ewing (elected) Thomas A. Sherwood (elected) W. B. Napton (appointed in place of Ewing, deceased) Edward A. Lewis (appointed, in place of Adams, resigned) ‘Warwick Hough (elected) . . William B. Napton (elected) . John W. Henry. . . ‘5 Robert D. Ray wocnecied Wm B.Naptonin . . « - « Elijah H. Norton appointed ta in 1876), elected. .« 2 2 « © T, A. Sherwood (re-elected) United States Senators. T, H. Benton. . . «6 « « « D. Barton. . 2. 2 + © © © Alex. Buckner . . 2... L.F.Linn. . 2... 6 + e D.R. Atchison... 2... H.S.Geyer. . 2. . 2 2 e James S.Green. . 2. 2... ME, Polke se. 6:8 a sat ett co Waldo P. Sense - oe G Robert Wilson . . . 2... B. Gratz Brown (for unexpired term of Johnson) ... 1863 J.B. Henderson. . . . « « 1863-69 Charles D. Drake . . . . . 1867-70 Carl Schurz . 1869-75 D. F. Jewett (in place of Drake, resigned) . . 2. » « « « F.P. Blair . . 2 2. 2 ee L.V.Bogy .. ee ee James Shields (elected for unex- pired term of Bogy) .. . 1865 1865 1866 1868 1868-70 1868-70 1868-71 1871 1872 1872 1878 1874 1874 1874-80 1876-86 1880 1878 1882 1820-50 1820-80 1830-33 1833-43 1843-55 1851-57 1857-61 1857-63 1861 1861 1870 1871-77 1873 1879 D. H. Armstrong appointed for unexpired term of Bogy. F. M. Cockrell (re-elected 1881) 1875-81 George G. Vest. . © 2 © © 1879 Representatives to Congress. John Scott « - + «+ « + « 1820-26 Ed. Bates. . . - + + © « 1826-28 Spencer Pettis . . - + © ¢ 1828-31 William H. Ashley . . . - 1831-36 John Bull. . . - « + « « 1882-84 Albert @. Harrison. . . « + 1884-39 John Miller . . 1836-42 John Jameson festenied 1846 for two years) -« «© © + * John C. Edwards . « « © James M. Hughes « « + « James H. Relfe. . 2 + © © James B. Bowlin . . - « « Gustavus M. Bower . . + « Sterling Price . - . + + © William McDaniel. . . - © Leonard H. Sims . .. - « John S. Phelps . . o 4 James §. Green (re-elected 1856, resigned) « . « « « Willard P. Hall. . . «© « « William V.N. Bay . . - John F. Darby . . - + + e Gilchrist Porter. . . 2. + « John G@. Miller. . 2.» «+ « Alfred W. Lamb . . « « « Thomas H. Benton. . . «© e« Mordecai Oliver . .. « « James J. Lindley . . - - + Samuel Caruthers . . . . Thomas P. Akers (to fill unex- pired term of J. G. Miller, deceased) . - « © « « Francis P. Blair, Jr. (raslenied 1860, resigned) .« « « « « Thomas L. Anderson. « « e James Craig . . « + © © e Samuel H. Woodson. .« « « John B. Clark, Sr.. 2°. « e J. Richard Barrett. »« « « « John W. Nool . « « © « « James S. Rollins .« 2 6 « Elijah H. Norton . 2 2 + » John W,.Reid . . + « © « William A. Hall . 2. . Thomas L. Price (in place of Reid, expelled) . - « « » 1839-44 1840-42 1842-44 1842-46 1842-50 1842-44 1844-46 1846 1844-46 1844-60 1846-50 1846-53 1848-61 1850-53 1850-57 1850-56 1852-54 1852-54 1852-57 1852-56 1852-58 1855 1856 1856-60 1856-60 1856-60 1857-61 1860 1858-68 1860-64 1860-63 1860-61 1862-64 1862 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. OFFICERS OF Henry T. Blow . . +... - Sempronius T. Boyd, (elected in 1862, and again in 1868, for two years.) Joseph W. McClurg . .. . Austin A. King. . 2... . Benjamin F. Loan. . . . « John G. Scott (in place of Noel, deceased) . . 2. « «+ « John Hogan... . ae Thomas F. Noel. . o % John R. Kelsoe. . . 2 ee Robert T. Van Horn ee John F. Benjamin. . . . George W. Anderson. . . . William A. Pile . . . . . 1866-68 CG. A.Newcomb ... . . 1866-68 Joseph J. Gravelly. . . . ~ 1866-68 James R. McCormack . . 1866-73 John H. Stover (in place McClurg, resigned). . Erastus Wells . . . « « G. A. Finklenburg. . . . Samuel 8. Burdett. . . . . Joel F. Asper . . 2. 2 ee David P.Dyer . . 2... Harrison E. Havens . .. . Isaac G. Parker. . . 2 © « JamesG. Blair. . . 1... Andrew King . ..... Edwin O.Stanard. . .. William H. Stone. . . . Robert A. Hatcher (elected) . Richard B. Bland... . Thomas T. Crittenden . . « TraB.Hyde . . 2. 2 wo « John B. Clark, Jr... 2 2 6 John M. Glover. . 2. se 1862-66 1862-66 1862-64 1862-69 1863 1864-66 1864-67 1864-66 1864-71 1864-71 1864-69 . 1867 1868-82 1868-71 1868-71 1868-70 1868-70 1870-75 1870-75 1870-72 1870-72 1872-74 1872-78 1872 1872 1872-74 1872-74 1872-78 1872 COUNTIES — WH AOA ssssseiascessciastace «January 29, 1841 And rew.....ssse-sserseeeeeees January 29, 1841 Atchison... --January 14, 1845 Audrain............. -December 17, 1836 Barry iscissead savcsvesessevouves January 5, 1835 Barton.....0..0.cs000 ...December 12, 1835 Bates... seen anuary 29, 1841 Benton.....00csesersrerseee «January 3, 1835 Bollinger..........-...sseese «March 1, 1851 Boone....... .... November 16, 1820 Buchanan eeoeefebruary 10, 1839 41 STATE GOVERNMENT — Continued. 1872 1874-78 1874 1874 1874 1874 1874 1876 1876 1876-78 1876-78 1876-78 1876-78 1876-78 1876-78 1876-78 1876-78 1876-78 1876-78 1876-78 1876-78 Aylett H. Buckner. . « « « Edward ©. Kerr. « 2 « © « Charles H. Morgan . .~ « «+ John F. Philips. . . . + + B. J. Franklin . . David Rea. . 2 « © + © © Rezin A. De Bolt . . - « « Anthony Ittner. . . 2 + « Nathaniel Cole . . 2 - «© « Robert A. Hatcher. 2. + « « R.P. Bland . . .- 2. « « » A.H. Buckner . . 2 0 + « J.B. Clark, dro. 1 6 0 oe T. T. Crittenden . . 2... B.J. Franklin . 2. 2. 2 «© « John M. Glover . ... « Robert A. Hatcher. . 2. « « Chas. H.Morgan . .-. > L.S. Metcalf. . 2. . © 2 « H.M. Pollard . 2. 2 « «© « David Rea. 2. . - 2 2 © © S.L. Sawyer. . . . + ~ « 1878-80 N. Ford . 2... + + « « « 1878-82 G. F. Rothwell. . . . . - 1878-82 John B. Clark, Jr... . « + « 1878-82 W.H. Hatch . ... © « 1878-82 A. H. Buckner 1878-82 M.L. Clardy. . . . - + « 1878-82 R.G. Frost . . . + « © « 1878-82 L. H. Davis «2. s+ © «1878-82 R.P. Bland... «~~ - 1878-82 J.B. Waddell « . « « ~ « 1878-80 T, Allen . - « + « « « « 1880-82 BR. Hazeltine. . . » - + » 1880-82 T.M.Rice . . . . + « « 1880-82 R.T. Van Horn. . « « - © 1880-82 Nicholas Ford . . . . + « 1880-82 J.G@. Burrows . . « « « « 1880-82 EN ORGANIZED. Caldwell....s.sseseee ...esDecember 26, 1836 Callaway......eee- November 25, 1820 Camden...cccccorsrerrreeceees January 29, 1841 Cape Girardeau...... ......October 1, 1812 Carroll..... cesses January 8, 1833 CAarter....sasccoscacerseeissaces «March 10, 1859 «September 14, 1835 «February 14, 1845 Chariton... November 16, 1820 Christian,......cccceccscesere «March 8, 1860 Clark...00e -ossereeeesereeeDecember 15, 1818 eeccceres oeecee 42 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. Butler..coceccccooesesseeeeeEebruary 27, 1849 | Monroe.......+++ weve January 6, 1831 accuses January 2, 1822 | Montgomery. .December 14, 1818 ietdaes January 16, 1883 | Morgan........ sessed anuary 5, 1883 November 16, 1820 | New Madrid.............+--+ October 1, 1812 Coopern.s.ssssessseseeeeeeDecember 17, 1818 | Newton........ .. January 28, 1829 | Nodaway..... Dade..cccssccoe eocsorecceosees January 29, 1841 | Oregon......-+. +20. ..February 14, 1845 ..February 14, 1845 Dallas. ..csepsssoceees ...December 10, 1844 | Osage.......sereceesssesseeees January 29, 1841 Daviess.....cccoerescerseees December 29, 1886 | Ozark....cseereee seen soveee January 29, 1841 DeKalb......ccccsseseseee February 25, 1845 | Pemiscot...... s+ o-seses February 19, 1861 February 10, 1851 | Perry..... .November 16, 1820 Douglas..... .. October 19, 1857 | Pettis ...........-cseereeecee January 26, 1833 Dunkilin..... ..February 14, 1845 | Phelps... .... November 18, 2867 Franklin... ...December 11, 1818 | Pike...... is ....December 14, 1818 Gasconade. ...November 25, 1820 | Platte........ee-see ....December 81, 1838 Gentry..c.c.sseccneseeceees February 12, 1841 | Polkk.....ssseserere soserseses «March 13, 1885 Greene... ... January 2, 1883 | Pulaski......+sesseereee December 15, 1818 Grundy........... ... January 2, 1843 | Putnam ....-.+sereserees February 28, 1845 Harrison......ccssseceseeese February 14, 1845 | Ralls.....ccsseseeerseeeeees November 16, 1820 Henry....... ...December 13, 1884 | Randolphu.......seesesesess January 22, 1829 Hickory...........0+ s++.February 14, 1845 Ray. scssceres ....November 16, 1820 Hlt........ccsssecesscovenes February 15, 1841 | Reynolds.......--. eysaensese February 25, 1845 Howard. .. January 23, 1816 | Ripley.scesse soeeeseseee . January 5, 1838 Howell........csccescecescevenesee: March 2, 1857 | St. Charles... ..October 1, 1812 Tronseccsosesssseees seseeseeHebruary 17, 1857 | St. Clair...... .... January 29, 1841 Jackson.. December 15, 1826 | St. Francois... ...-December 19, 1821 TASPeP.cecsersserereresssereee January 29, 1841 | Ste. Genevieve......-..-.+++ October 1, 1812 TeffersON.....cererereecerees December 8, 1818 | St. Louis ......se+- wse.sOctober 1, 1812 Johngon....... ... December 18, 1834 | Saline.... seseseeeeeNovember 25, 1820 Knox........ «February 14, 1845 | Schuyler......++ ssseeee++ February 14, 1845 Laclede. ..February 24, 1849 | Scotland...e...cceseseeees January 29, 1841 Lafayette.. ..November 16, 1820 | Scott... ..December 28, 1821 Lawrence.,.......0ceceeeee February 25, 1845 | Shannon... . .January 29, 1841 Le Wibesctssssesesesecesssvsenss January 2, 1888 | Shelby........ ...January 2, 1886 Lincoln........cccccsssecees December 14, 1818 | Stoddard...........seseee eee January 2, 1835 Lint. conce cssecccocssesssorenees January 7, 1837 | Stone.........- ...February 10, 1851 Livingston...........+:00 .. January 6, 1887 | Sullivan... .-.. February 16, 1845 McDonald........ccsssecesereee: March 8, 1849 | Taney.ecccccersreee seeeeeee January 16, 1887 Macon..ceccccessereeseee sseoee January 6, 1837 | Texas.....ccccccccersseees February 14, 1835 Madison... .-»sDecember 14, 1818 | Vernon..c.cesssesseeseeeees February 17, 1851 Maries... ere March 2, 1855 | Warren......cccccseeesee sores January 5, 1838 Marion.. ....-December 23, 1826 | Washington......... maciate August 21, 1813 Mercer.. .».Kebruary 14, 1845 | Wayne... ...December 11, 1818 Miller.... «February 6, 1837 | Webster..sessccrserssssesereraee March 3, 1855 i --February 14, 1845 | Worth..... e000 ..February 8, 1861 Moniteau...cccccorcsvees «February 14, 1346 | Wrightsrcorssseosereeees January 29, 1841 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 43 CHAPTER VII. CIVIL WAR IN MISSOURI. i Fort Sumter fired upon — Call for 75,000 men— Gov. Jackson refuses to furnish a man—U. S. Arsenal at Liberty, Mo., seized — Proclamation of Gov. Jackson — General Order No. 7 — Legislature convenes —Camp Jackson organized — Sterling Price appointed Major-General — Frost’s letter to Lyon— Lyon’s letter to Frost — Surrender of Camp Jackson — Proclamation of Gen. Harney — Conference between Price and Harney — Harney superseded by Lyon — Second Conference — Gov. Jack- son burns the bridges behind him— Proclamation of Gov. Jackson— Gen. Blair takes possession of Jefferson City — Proclamation of Lyon — Lyon at Springfield ~ State offices declared vacant — Gen. Fremont assumes command — Proclamation of Lieut.-Gov. Reynolds — Proclamation of Jeff. Thompson and Gov. Jackson — Death of Gen. Lyon — Succeeded by Sturgis — Proclamation of McCulloch and Gamble — Martial law declared — Second proclamation of Jeff. Thompson — President modi- fies Fremont’s order— Fremont relieved by Hunter — Proclamation of Price — Hun- ter’s Order of Assessment—Hunter declares Martial Law— Order relating to Newspapers — Halleck succeeds Hunter — Halleck’s Order 81 — Similar order by Halleck — Boone County Standard confiscated — Execution of prisoners at Macon and Palmyra— Gen. Ewing’s Order No. 11 — Gen. Rosecrans takes command — Mas- sacre at Centralia— Death of Bill Anderson—Gen. Dodge succeeds Gen. Bose- crans—List of Battles. “ Lastly stood war — With visage grim, stern looks, and blackly hued, * s * * * * e Ah! why will kings forget that they are men? And men that they are brethren? Why delight In human sacrifice? Why burst the ties Of nature, that should knit their souls together In one soft bond of amity and love?”’ Fort Sumter was fired upon April 12, 1861. On April 15th, Presi- dent Lincoln issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 men, from the the militia of the several States, to suppress combinations in the South- ern States therein named. Simultaneously therewith, the Secretary of War sent a telegram to all the governors of the States, excepting those mentioned in the proclamation, requesting them to detail a cer- tain number of militia to serve for three months, Missouri’s quota being four regiments. In response to this telegram, Gov. Jackson sent the following answer : ExecuTive DEPARTMENT oF MissouRt, JEFFERSON City, April 17, 1861. To the Hon. Simon Cameron, Secretary of War, Washington, D.C.: Sir: Your dispatch of the 15th inst., making a call on Missouri for ° 44 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. four regiments of men for immediate service, has been received. There can be, I apprehend, no doubt but these men are intended to form a part of the President’s army to make war upon the people of the seceded States. Your requisition, in my judgment, is illegal, unconsti- tutional, and can not be complied with. Not one man will the State of Missouri furnish to carry on such an unholy war. C. F. Jackson, Governor of Missouri. April 21, 1861. U.S. Arsenal at Liberty was seized by order or Governor Jackson. April 22,1861. Governor Jackson issued a proclamation convening the Legislature of Missouri, on May following, in extra session, to take into consideration the momentous issues which were presented, and the attitude to be assumed by the State in the impending struggle. On the 22nd of April, 1861, the Adjutant-General of Missouri issued the following military order: Heapquarters ADJUTANT-GENERAL’S OFFICE, Mo., JEFFERSON City, April 22, 1861. (General Orders No. 7.) I. To attain a greater degree of efficiency and perfection in organ- ization and discipline, the Commanding Officers of the several Military districts in this State, having four or more legally organized compa- nies therein, whose armories are within fifteen miles of each other, will assemble their respective commands at some place to be by them sever- ally designated, on the 3rd day of May, and to go into an encampment for a period of six days, as provided by law. Captains of companies not organized into battalions will report the strength of their compa- nies immediately to these headquarters, and await further orders. II. The Quartermaster-General will procure and issue to Quarter- masters of Districts, for these commands not now provided for, all necessary tents and camp equipage, to enable the commanding officers thereof to carry the foregoing orders into effect. Ill. The Light Battery now attached to the Southwest Battalion, and one company of mounted riflemen, including all officers and sol- diers belonging to the First District, will proceed forthwith to St. Louis, and ~eport to Gen. D. M. Frost for duty. The remaining companies of said battalion will be disbanded for the purpose of assisting in the organization of companies upon that frontier. The details in the exe- HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 45 cution of the foregoing are intrusted to Lieutenant-Colonel John S. Bowen, commanding the Battalion. IV. The strength, organization, and equipment of the several com- panies in the District will be reported at once to these Headquarters, and District Inspectors will furnish all information which may be ser- viceable in ascertaining the condition of the State forces. By order of the Governor. Warwick Houeu, Adjutant-General of Missouri. May 2, 1861. The Legislature convened in extra session. Many acts were passed, among which was one to authorize the Governor to purchase or lease David Ballentine’s foundry at Boonville, for the man- ufacture of arms and munitions of war; to authorize the Governor to appoint one Major-General ; to authorize the Governor, when, in his opinion, the security and welfare of the State required it, to take pos- session of the railroad and telegraph lines of the State; to provide for the organization, government, and support of the military forces; to borrow one million of dollars to arm and equip the militia of the State to repel invasion, and protect the lives and property of the people. An act was also passed creating a ‘‘ Military Fund,”’ to consist of all the money then in the treasury or that might thereafter be received from the one-tenth of one per cent. on the hundred dollars, levied by act of November, 1857, to complete certain railroads; also the pro- ceeds of a tax of fifteen cents on the hundred dollars of the assessed value of the taxable property of the several counties in the State, and the proceeds of the two-mill tax, which had been theretofore appro- priated for educational purposes. 7 May 3, 1861. ‘* Camp Jackson”’ was organized. May 10, 1861. Sterling Price appointed Major-General of State Guard. May 10,1861. General Frost, commanding ‘* Camp Jackson,”’ ad- dressed General N. Lyon, as follows: — Heapquarters Camp Jackson, Missourr Miniria, May 10, 1861. Cart. N. Lroy, Commanding U. 8. Troops tn and about St. Louis Arsenal: Sir: I am constantly in receipt of information that you contem- plate an attack upon my camp, whilst I understand that you are im- pressed with the idea that an attack upon the Arsenal and United States troops is intended on the part of the Militia of Missouri. I am 46 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. greatiy at a loss to know what could justify you in attacking citizens of the United States, who are in lawful performance of their duties, devolving upon them under the Constitution in organizing and instruct- ing the militia of the State in obedience to her laws, and, therefore, have been disposed to doubt the correctness of the information I have received. I would be glad to know from you personally whether there is any truth in the statements that are constantly pouring into my ears. So far as regards any hostility being intended toward the United States, or its property or representatives by any portion of my command, or, as far as I can learn (and I think I am fully informed), of any other part of the State forces, I can positively say that the idea has never been entertained. On the contrary, prior to your taking command of the Arsenal, I proffered to Major Bell, then in command of the very few troops constituting its guard, the services of myself and all my command, and, if necessary, the whole power of the State, to protect the United States in the full possession of all her property. Upon General Harney taking command of this department, I made the same proffer of services to him, and authorized his Adjutant-General, Capt. Williams, to communicate the fact that such had been done to the War Department. I have had no occasion since to change any of the views I entertained at the time, neither of my own volition nor through orders of my constitutional commander. I trust that after this explicit statement that we may be able, by fully understanding each other, to keep far from our borders the mis- fortunes which so unhappily affect our common country. This communication will be handed you by Colonel Bowen, my Chief of Staff, who will be able to explain anything not fully set forth in the foregoing. T am, sir, very respectfully your obedient servant. BrigaDIER-GENERAL D. M. Frost, Commanding Camp Jackson, M. V. M. May 10, 1861. Gen. Lyon sent the following to Gen. Frost: Heapquarrers UNITED States Troops, Str. Louis, Mo., May 10, 1861. Gen. D. M. Frost, Commanding Camp Jackson: Sir: Your command is regarded as evidently hostile toward the Government of the United States. It is, for the most part, made up of those Secessionists who have HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 47 openly avowed their hostility to the General Government, and have been plotting at the seizure of its property and the overthrow of its authority. You are openly in communication with the so-called Southern Confederacy, which is now at war with the United States, and you are receiving at your camp, from the said Confederacy and under its flag, large supplies of the material of war, most of which is known to be the property of the United States. These extraordinary preparations plainly indicate none other than the well-known purpose of the Governor of this State, under whose orders you are acting, and whose communication to the Legislature has just been responded to by that body in the most unparalleled legislation, having in direct view hostilities to the General Government and co-operation with its enemies. In view of these considerations, and of your failure to disperse in obedience to thé proclamation of the President, and of the imminent necessities of State policy and warfare, and the obligations imposed upon me by instructions from Washington, it is my duty to demand, and I do hereby demand of you an immediate surrender of your com- mand, with no other conditions than that all persons surrendering under this command shall be humanely and kindly treated. Believing myself prepared to enforce this demand, one-half hour’s time before doing so will be allowed for your compliance therewith. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, N. Lyon, Captain Second Infantry, Commanding Troops. May 10, 1861. Camp Jackson surrendered and prisoners all released excepting Capt. Emmet McDonald, who refused to subscribe to the parole. May 12, 1861. Brigadier-General Wm. S. Harney issued a procla- mation to the people of Missouri, saying ‘‘ he would carefully abstain from the exercise of any unnecessary powers,’’ and only use ‘the military force stationed in this district in the last resort to preserve peace.”’ May 14, 1861. General Harney issued a second proclamation. May 21, 1861. General Harney held a conference with General Sterling Price, of the Missouri State Guards. May 31, 1861. General Harney superseded by General Lyon. June 11,1861. A second conference was held between the National and State authorities in St. Louis, which resulted in nothing. 48 HSTORY OF MISSOURI. June 11,1861. Gov. Jackson left St. Louis for Jefferson City, burning the railroad bridges behind him, and cutting telegraph wires. June 12, 1861. Governor Jackson issued a proclamation calling into active service 50,000 militia, «*to repel invasion, protect life, property,’’ ete. June 15,1861. Col. F. P. Blair took possession of the State Capi- tal, Gov. Jackson, Gen. Price and other officers having left on the 13th of June for Boonville. June 17, 1861. Battle of Boonville took place between the forces of Gen. Lyon and Col. John S. Marmaduke. June 18, 1861. General Lyon issued a proclamation to the people of Missouri. July 5, 1861. Battle at Carthage between the forces of Gen. Sigel and Gov. Jackson. July 6, 1861. Gen. Lyon reached Springfield. July 22, 1861. State convention met and declared the offices of Governor, Lieutenant-Governor and Secretary of State vacated. July 26,1861. Gen. John C. Fremont assumed command of the Western Department, with headquarters in St. Louis. July 31, 1861. Lieutenant-Governor Thomas C. Reynolds issued F a proclamation at New Madrid. August 1, 1861. General Jeff. Thompson issued a proclamation at Bloomfield. , August 2, 1861. Battle of Dug Springs, between Captain Steele’s forces and General Rains. August 5, 1861. Governor Jackson issued a proclamation at New Madrid. August 5, 1861. Battle of Athens. August 10, 1861. Battle of Wilson’s Creek, between the forces under General Lyon and General McCulloch. In this engagement General Lyon was killed. General Sturgis succeeded General Lyon. August 12, 1861. McCulloch issued a proclamation, and soon left Missouri. August 20, 1861. General Price issued a proclamation. August 24, 1861. Governor Gamble issued a proclamation calling for 32,000 men for six months to protect the property and lives of the citizens of the State. _August 30, 1861. General Fremont declared martial Jaw, and declared that the slaves of all persons who should thereafter take an active part with the enemies of the Government should be free. t HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 49 September 2, 1861. General Jeff. Thompson issued a proclamation in response to Fremont’s proclamation. September 7, 1861. Battle at Drywood Creek. September 11,1861. President Lincoln modified the clause in Gen. Fremont’s declaration of martial law, in reference to the confiscation of property and liberation of slaves. September 12, 1861. General Price begins the attack at Lexing- ton on Colonel Mulligan’s forces. September 20, 1861. Colonel Mulligan with 2,640 men surren- dered. October 25, 1861. Second battle at Springfield. October 28, 1861. Passage by Governor Jackson’s Legislature, at Neosho, of an ordinance of secession. November 2, 1861. General Fremont succeeded by General David Hunter. : November 7, 1861. General Grant attacked Belmont. November 9, 1861. General Hunter succeeded by General Halleck, who took command on the 19th of same month, with headquarters in St. Louis. November 27, 1861. General Price issued proclamation calling for 50,000 men, at Neosho, Missouri. December 12, 1861. General Hunter issued his order of assess- ment upon certain wealthy citizens in St. Louis, for feeding and cloth- ing Union refugees. December 23-25. Declared martial law in St. Louis and the country adjacent, and covering all the railroad lines. March 6, 1862. Battle at Pea Ridge between the forces under Gen- erals Curtis and Van Dorn. January 8, 1862. Provost Marshal Farrar, of St. Louis, issued the following order ia reference to newspapers : OFFICE OF THE Provost MarsHatL, GENERAL DEPARTMENT OF MIssouRI, Sr. Louis, January 8, 1862. (General Order No. 10.) It is hereby ordered that from and after this date the publishers of newspapers in the State of Missouri (St. Louis City papers excepted), furnish to this office, immediately upon publication, one copy of each issue, for inspection. A failure to comply with this order will render the newspaper liable to suppression. 4 50 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. Local Provost Marshals will furnish the proprietors with copies of this order, and attend to its immediate enforcement. BErRnarp G. Farrar, Provost Marshal General. January 26, 1862. General Halleck issued order (No. 18) which forbade, among other things, the display of Secession flags in the hands of women or on carriages, in the vicinity of the military prison in McDowell’s College, the carriages to be confiscated and the offend- ing women to be arrested. February 4,1862. General Halleck issued another order similar to Order No. 18, to railroad companies and to the professors and direct- ors of the State University at Columbia, forbidding the funds of the institution to be used ‘ to teach treason or to instruct traitors.”’ February 20, 1862. Special Order No. 120. convened a military commission, which sat in Columbia, March following, and tried Ed- mund J. Ellis, of Columbia, editor and proprietor of ‘* The Boone County Standard,’’ for the publication of information for the benefit of the enemy, and encouraging resistance to the United States Gov- ernment. Ellis was found guilty, was banished during the war from Missouri, and his printing materials confiscated and sold. April, 1862. General Halleck left for Corinth, Mississippi, leaving General Schofield in command. June, 1862. Battle at Cherry Grove between the forces under Colonel Joseph C. Porter and Colonel H. 8. Lipscomb. June, 1862. Battle at Pierce’s Mill between *’ \ forces under Major John Y. Clopper and Colonel Porter. July 22, 1862. Battle at Florida. July 28, 1862. Battle at Moore’s Mill. August 6, 1862. Battle near Kirksville. August 11, 1862. Battle at Independence, August 16, 1862. Battle at’ Lone Jack. September 13, 1862. Battle at Newtonia. September 25, 1862. Ten Confederate prisoners were executed at Macon, by order of General Merrill. October 18,1862. Ten Confederate prisoners executed at Palmyra, by order of General McNeill. January 8, 1868. Battle at Springfield between the forces of Gen- eral Marmaduke and General E. B. Brown. April 26, 1863. Battle at Cape Girardeau. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. ‘ 5] August —, 1863. General Jeff. Thompson captured at Pocahontas, Arkansas, with his staff. August 25, 1863. General Thomas Ewing issued his celebrated Order No. 11, at Kansas City, Missouri, which is as follows: — Heapquartrers DistRicT OF THE ak Kansas City, Mo., August 25, 1863. (General Order No. 11.) © First. — All persons living in Cass, Jackson and Bates Counties,. Missouri, and in that part of Vernon included in this district, except those living within one mile of the limits of Independence, Hickman’s Mills, Pleasant Hill and Harrisonville, and except those in that part of Kaw Township, Jackson County, north of Brush Creek and west of the Big Blue, embracing Kansas City and Westport, are hereby ordered to remove from their present places of residence within fifteem days from the date hereof. Those who, within that time, establish their loyalty to the satisfac- tion of the commanding officer of the military station nearest their present place of residence, will receive from him certificates stating the fact of their loyalty, and the names of the witnesses by whom it can be shown. All who receive such certificate will be permitted to remove to any military station in this district, or to any part of the State of Kansas, except the counties on the eastern borders of the State. All others shall remove out of this district. Officers com- manding companies and detachments serving in the counties named, will see that this paragraph is promptly obeyed. Second. — All grain and hay in the field, or under shelter, in the district from which the inhabitants are required to remove within reach of military stations, after the 9th day of September next, will be taken to such stations and turned over to the proper officer there, and report of the amount so turned over made to district headquarters, specifying the names of all loyal owners and the amount of such produce taken from them. All grain and hay found in such district after the 9th day of September next, not convenient to such stations, will be destroyed. Third. —The provisions of General Order No. 10, from these headquarters, will at once be vigorously executed by officers com- manding in the parts of the district, and at the stations not subject to the operations of paragraph First of this Order —and especially in the towns of Independence. Westport and Kansas City. 52 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. Fourth, — Paragraph 8, General Order No. 10, is revoked as to all who have borne arms against the Government in the district since August 20, 1863. By order of Brigadier-General Ewing: H. Hannans, Adjutant, October 13. Battle of Marshall. January, 1864. General Rosecrans takes command of the Depart- ment. September, 1864. Battle at Pilot Knob, Harrison and Little Mo- reau River. October 5, 1864. Battle at Prince’s Ford and James Gordon’s farm. October 8, 1864. Battle at Glasgow. October 20, 1864. Battle at Little Blue Creek. September 27, 1864. Massacre at Centralia, by Captain Bill An-. derson. October 27, 1864. Captain Bill Anderson killed. December —, 1864. General Rosecrans relieved and General Dodge appointed to succeed him. Nothing occurred specially, of a military character, in the State after December, 1864. We have, in the main, given the facts as they occurred without comment or entering into details. Many of the minor incidents and skirmishes of the war have been omitted because of our limited space. It is utterly impossible, at this date, to give the names and dates of all the battles fought in Missouri during the Civil War. It will be found, however, that the list given below, which has been arranged for convenience, contains the prominent battles and skirmishes which took place within the State : — Potosi, May 14, 1861. Boonville, June 17, 1861. Blue Mills Landing, September 17, 1861. . Glasgow Mistake, September 20, 1861. Carthage, July 5, 1861. Monroe Station, July 10, 1861. Overton’s Run, July 17, 1861. Dug Spring, August 2, 1861. Wilson’s Creek, August 10, 1861. Athens, August 5, 1861. Moreton, August 20, 1861. Bennett’s Mills, September —, 1861. Drywood Creek, September 7, 1861. Norfolk, September 10, 1861. Lexington, September 12-20, 1861. Osceola, September 25, 1861. Shanghai, October 18, 1861. Lebanon, October 18, 1861. Linn Creek, October 16, 1861. Big River Bridge, October 15, 1861. Fredericktown, October 21, 1861. Springfield, October 25, 1861 Belmont, November 7, 1861. Piketon, November 8, 1861. Little Blue, November 10, 1861. Clark’s Station, November 11, 1861. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 53 Mt. Zion Church, December 28, 1861. Silver Creek, January 15, 1862. New Madrid, February 28, 1862. Pea Ridge, March 6, 1862. Neosho, April 22, 1862. Rose Hill, July 10, 1862. Chariton River, July 30, 1862. Cherry Grove, June —, 1862. Pierce’s Mill, June —, 1862. Florida, July 22, 1862. Moore’s Mill, July 28, 1862. Kirksville, August 6, 1862. Compton’s Ferry, August 8, 1862. Yellow Creek, August 18, 1862. Independence, August 11, 1862. Lone Jack, August 16, 1862. Newtonia, September 13, 1862. Springfield, January 8, 1863. Cape Girardeau, April 29, 1863. Marshall, October 13, 1863. Pilot Knob, September —, 1864. Harrison, September —, 1864. Moreau River, October 7, 1864. Prince’s Ford, October 5, 1864. Glasgow, October 8, 1864. Little Blue Creek, October 20, 1864. Albany, October 27, 1864. Near Rocheport, September 23, 1864. Centralia, September 27, 1864. CHAPTER IX. EARLY MILITARY RECORD. Black Hawk War — Mormon Difficulties — Florida War — Mexican War. On the fourteenth day of May, 1832, a bloody engagement took place between the regular forces of the United States, and a part of the Sacs, Foxes, and Winnebago Indians, commanded by Black Hawk and Keokuk, near Dixon’s Ferry in Illinois. The Governor (John Miller) of Missouri, fearing these savages would invade the soil of his State, ordered Major-General Richard Gentry to raise one thousand volunteers for the defence of the fron- tier. Five companies were at once raised in Boone county, and in Callaway, Montgomery, St. Charles, Lincoln, Pike, Marion, Ralls, Clay and Monroe other companies were raised. Two of these companies, commanded respectively by Captain John Jamison of Callaway, and Captain David M. Hickman of Boone county, were mustered into service in Jnly for thirty days, and put under command of Major Thomas W. Conyers. This detachment, accompanied by General Gentry, arrived at Fort Pike on the 15th of July, 1832. Finding that the Indians had not crossed the Mississippi into Missouri, General Gentry returned to Columbia, leaving the fort in charge of Major Conyers. Thirty days having expired, the command under Major Conyers was relieved by two 84 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. other companies under Captains Sinclair Kirtley, of Boone, and Patrick Ewing, of Callaway. This detachment was marched to Fort Pike by Col. Austin A. King, who conducted the two companies under Major Conyers home. Major Conyers was left in charge of the fort, where he remained till September following, at which time the Indian troub- les, so far as Missouri was concerned, having all subsided, the frontier forces were mustered out of service. Black Hawk continued the war in Iowa and Illinois, and was finally defeated and captured in 1833. MORMON DIFFICULTIES. In 1832, Joseph Smith, the leader of the Mormons, and the chosen prophet and apostle, as he claimed, of the Most High, came with many followers to Jackson county, Missouri, where they located and entered several thousand acres of land. The object of his coming so far West —upon the very outskirts of civilization at that time — was to more securely establish his church, and the more effectively to instruct his followers in its peculiar tenets and practices. Upon the present town site of Independence the Mormons located their ‘*Zion,’’ and gave it the name of ‘* The New Jerusalem.” They published here the Hvening Star, and made themselves gener- ally obnoxious to the Gentiles, who were then in a minority, by their denunciatory articles through their paper, their clannishness and their polygamous practices. Dreading the demoralizing influence of a paper which seemed to be inspired only with hatred and malice toward them, the Gentiles threw the press and type into the Missouri River, tarred and feathered one of their bishops, and otherwise gave the Mormons and their lead- ers to understand that they must conduct themselves in an entirely different manner if they wished to be let alone. After the destruction of their paper and press, they became fu- riously incensed, and sought many opportunities for retaliation. Mat- ters continued in an uncertain condition until the 31st of October, 1833, when a deadly conflict occurred near Westport, in which two Gentiles and one Mormon were killed. On the 2d of October following the Mormons were overpowered, and compelled to lay down their arms and agree to leave the county with their families by January lst on the condition that the owner would be paid for his printing press. al HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 55 Leaving Jackson county, they crossed the Missouri and located in Clay, Carroll, Caldwell and other counties, and selected in Caldwell county a town site, which they called ‘‘ Far West,’’ and where they entered more land for their future homes. Through the influence of their missionaries, who were exerting themselves in the East and in different portions of Europe, converts had constantly flocked to their standard, and «* Far West,’’ and other Mormon settlements, rapidly prospered. In 1837 they commenced the erection ot a magnificent temple, but never finished it. As their settlements increased in numbers, they became bolder in their practices and deeds of lawlessness, During the summer of 1838 two of their leaders settled in the town of De Witt, on the Missouri River, having purchased the land from an Illinois merchant.’ De Witt was in Carroll county, and a good point from which to forward goods and immigrants to their town — Far West. Upon its being ascertained that these parties were Mormon leaders, the Gentiles called a public meeting, which was addressed by some of the prominent citizens of the county. Nothing, however, was done at this meeting, but at a subsequent meeting, which was held a few days afterward, a committee of citizens was appointed to notify Col. Hin- kle (one of the Mormon leaders at De Witt), what they intended to do. Col. Hinkle upon being notified by this committee became indig- nant, and threatened extermination to all who should attempt to molest him or the Saints. In anticipation of trouble, and believing that the Gentiles would attempt to force them from De Witt, Mormon recruits flocked to the town from every direction, and pitched their tents in and around the town in great numbers. The Gentiles, nothing daunted, planned an attack upon this en- campment, to take place on the 21st day of September, 1838, and, accordingly, one hundred and fifty men bivouacked near the town on that day. A conflict ensued, but nothing serious occurred. The Mormons evacuated their works and fled to some log houses, where they could the more successfully resist the Gentiles, who had in the meantime returned to their camp to await reinforcements. Troops from Saline, Ray and other counties came to their assist- ance, and increased their number to five hundred men. Congreve Jackson was chosen Brigadier- General; Ebenezer Price, 56 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. Colonel; Singleton Vaughan, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Sarshel Woods, Major. After some days of discipline, this brigade prepared for an assault, but before the attack was commenced Judge James Earickson and William F. Dunnica, influential citizens of Howard county, asked permission of General Jackson to let them try and adjust the difficul- ties without any bloodshed. It was finally agreed that Judge Earickson should propose to the Mormons, that if they would pay for all the cattle they had killed be- longing to the citizens, and load their wagons during the night and be ready to move by ten o’clock next morning, and make no further attempt to settle in Carroll county, the citizens would purchase at first cost their lots in De Witt and one or two adjoining tracts of land. Col. Hinkle, the leader of the Mormons, at first refused all atterspts to settle the difficulties in this way, but finally agreed to the proposi- tion. In accordance therewith, the Mormons without further delay, loaded up their wagons for the town of Far West, in Caldwell county. Whether the terms of the agreement were ever carried out, on the part of the citizens, is not known. The Mormons had doubtless suffered much and in many ways — the result of their own acts — but their trials and sufferings were not at an end. In 1838 the discord between the citizens and Mormons became so great that Governor Boggs issued a proclamation ordering Major- General David R. Atchison to call the militia of his division to enforce the laws. He called out a part of the first brigade of the Missouri State Militia, under command of Gen. A. W. Doniphan, who pro- ceeded to the seat of war. Gen. John B. Clark, of Howard county, was placed in command of the militia. The Mormon forces numbered about 1,000 men, and were led by | G. W. Hinkle. The first engagement occurred at Crooked river, where one Mormon was killed. The principal fight took place at Haughn’s Mills, where eighteen Mormons were killed and the balance captured, some of them being killed after they had surrendered. Only one militiaman was wounded. In the month of October, 1838, Joe Smith surrendered the town of Far West to Gen. Doniphan, agreeing to his conditions, viz.: That they should deliver up their arms, surrender their prominent leaders for trial, and the remainder of the Mormons should, with their HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 57 families, leave the State. Indictments were found against a number of these leaders, including Joe Smith, who, while being taken to Boone county for trial, made his escape, and was afterward, in 1844, killed at Carthage, Illinois, with his brother Hiram. FLORIDA WAR. In September, 1837, the Secretary of War issued a requisition on Governor Boggs, of Missouri, for six hundred volunteers for service in Florida against the Seminole Indians, with whom the Creek nation had made common cause under Osceola. The first regiment was chiefly raised in Boone county by Colonel Richard Gentry, of which he was elected Colonel; John W. Price, of Howard county, Lieutenant-Colonel; Harrison H. Hughes, also of Howard, Major. Four companies of the second regiment were raised and attached to the first. Two of these companies were composed of Delaware and Osage Indians. October 6, 1837, Col. Gentry’s regiment left Columbia for the seat of war, stopping on the way at Jefferson barracks, where they were mustered into service. Arriving at Jackson barracks, New Orleans, they were from thence transported in brigs across the Gulf to Tampa Bay, Florida. Gen- eral Zachary Taylor, who then commanded in Florida, ordered Col. Gentry to march to Okee-cho-bee Lake, one hundred and thirty-five miles inland by the route traveled. Having reached the Kissemmee river, seventy miles distant, a bloody battle ensued, in which Col. Gentry was killed. The Missourians, though losing their gallant leader, continued the fight until the Indians were totally routed, leav- ing many of their dead and wounded on the field. There being no further service required of the Missourians, they returned to their homes in 1838. MEXICAN WAR. Soon after Mexico declared war, against the United States, on the 8th and 9th of May, 1846, the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma were fought. Great excitement prevailed throughout the country. In none of her sister States, however, did the fires of patriotism burn more intensely than in Missouri. Not waiting for the call for volunteers, the ‘‘ St. Louis Legion ’’ hastened to the field of conflict. The ‘* Legion’’ was commanded by Colonel A. R. Easton. During the month of May, 1846, Governor Edwards, of Missouri, 368 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. called for volunteers to join the ‘Army of the West,’’ an expedition to Sante Fe — under command of General Stephen W. Kearney. Fort Leavenworth was the appointed rendezvous for the volunteers. By the 18th of June, the full complement of companies to compose the first regiment had arrived from Jackson, Lafayette, Clay, Sa- line, Franklin, Cole, Howard and Callaway counties. Of this regi- ment, A. W. Doniphan was made Colonel; C. F. Ruff, Lieutenant- Colonel, and Wm. Gilpin, Major. The battalion of light artillery from St. Louis was commanded by Captains R. A. Weightman and A. W. Fischer, with Major M. L. Clark as field officer; battalions of infantry from Platte and Cole counties commanded by Captains Murphy and W. Z. Augney respectively, and the ‘‘ Laclede Rangers,” from St. Louis, by Captain Thomas B. Hudson, aggregating all told, from Missouri, 1,658 men. In the summer of 1846 Hon. Sterling Price resigned his seat in Congress and raised one mounted regiment, one mounted extra battalion, and one extra battalion of Mormon in- fantry to reinforce the «‘Army of the West.’? Mr. Price was made Colonel, and D. D. Mitchell Lieutenant-Colonel. In August, 1847, Governor Edwards made another requisition for one thousand men, to consist of infantry. The regiment was raised at once. John Dougherty, of Clay county, was chosen Colonel, but before the regiment marched the President countermanded the order. A company of mounted volunteers was raised in Ralls county, com- manded by Captain Wm. T. Lafland. Conspicuous among the en- gagements in which the Missouri volunteers participated in Mexico were the battles of Bracito, Sacramento, Cafiada, El Embudo, Taos and Santa Cruz de Rosales. The forces from Missouri were mustered out in 1848, and will ever be remembered in the history of the Mexi- can war, for A thousand glorious actions that might claim Triumphant laurels and immortal fame, HISTORY OF MISSOURI. . 59 CHAPTER X. AGRICULTURE AND MATERIAL WEALTH. Missouri as an Agricultural State—The Different Crops— Live Stock — Horses — Mules — Milch Cows—Oxen and other Cattle —Sheep — Hogs — Comparisons — Missouri adapted to Live Stock — Cotton —Broom-Corn and other Products — Fruits — Berries — Grapes — Railroads — First Neigh of the ‘Iron Horse’ in Mis- souri — Names of Railroads — Manufactures — Great Bridge at St. Louis. Agriculture is the greatest among all the arts of man, as it is the first in supplying his necessities. It favors and strengthens popula- tion; it creates and maintains manufactures; gives employment to navigation and furnishes materials to commerce. It animates every species of industry, and opens to nations the safest channels of wealth. It is the strongest bond of well regulated society, the surest basis of internal peace, and the natural associate of correct morals. Among all the occupations and professions of life, there is none more honorable, none more independent, and none more conducive to health and happiness. ‘In ancient times the sacred plow employ’d The kings, and awful fathers of mankind; And some, with whom compared your insect tribes Are but the beings of a summer’s day. Have held the scale of empire, ruled the storm Of mighty war with unwearied hand, Disdaining little delicacies, seized The plow and greatly independent lived.’’ As an agricultural region, Missouri is not surpassed by any State in the Union. It is indeed the farmer’s kingdom, where he always reaps an abundant harvest. The soil, in many portions of the State, has an open, flexible structure, quickly absorbs the most excessive rains, and retains moisture with great tenacity. This being the case, it is not so easily affected by drouth. The prairies are covered with sweet, luxuriant grass, equally good for grazing and hay; grass not sur- passed by the Kentucky blue grass —the best of clover and timothy in growing and fattening cattle. This grass is now as full of life-giv- ing nutriment as it was when cropped by the buffalo, the elk, the an- telope, and the deer, and costs the herdsman nothing. 60 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. No State or territory has a more complete and rapid system of nat- ural drainage, or a more abundant supply of pure, fresh water than Missouri. Both man and beast may slake their thirst from a thousand perennial fountains, which gush in limpid streams from the hill-sides, and wend their way through verdant valleys and along smiling prai- ries, varying in size, as they onward flow, from the diminutive brooklet to the giant river. Here, nature has generously bestowed her attractions of climate, soil and scenery to please and gratify man while earning his bread in the sweat of his brow. Being thus munificently endowed, Missouri offers superior inducements to the farmer, and bids him enter her broad domain and avail himself of her varied resources. We present here a table showing the product of each principal crop in Missouri for 1878: — Vidian Cote vevcocessecscssen:sevessseateceecen vaieseeseecesss ossiavdsnvecnes 93,062,000 bushels. Wheat...... .... Siegaatins iesaaied sabe kee eyenansincess un stkececenereadeenrse res 20,196,000 RYO iccessavacceeveeste gatediespiecsssanenets seseveas aucussesevesen dusverebewers 732,000 « OAKS xevssnsessvsusenee suns teens sspescosassuesicesdacedenvbuesusa emanate savers 19,584,000 «* Buk whee U iiccsstsccascscccscuecevastvesacassetiasetasseedececvecvwecinadecs 46,400 « Dota toeats siccscyceepvcceaschavesdevenes ets cnesscis dveneusumeceecseassaseaees 5,415,000 « "PODACCO: cssesisssagvessascnecdsscusacaresesicestaada: ctaceveatidagstnasn de sta 23,028,000 pounds. TAY iesicescicnts 2s Biet sh cdoven sheatances (oesy ou etaceaccaatunlectesatceegsetbeves 1,620,000 tons. There were 3,552,000 acres in corn; wheat, 1,836,000; rye, 48,800; oats, 640,000; buckwheat, 2,900; potatoes, 72,200; to- bacco, 29,900; hay, 850,000. Value of each crop: corn, $24,196,- 224; wheat, $13,531,320; rye, $300,120; oats, $3,325,120; buck- wheat, $24,128; potatoes, $2,057,700; tobacco, $1,151,150; hay, $10,416,600. Average cash value of crops per acre, $7.69; average yield of corn per acre, 26 bushels; wheat, 11 bushels. Next in importance to the corn crop in value is live stock. The fol- lowing table shows the number of horses, mules, and milch cows in the different States for 1879: — HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 61 States. Horses. Mules. ak Main sesssieswsscovescveci ts ssezecscee vases a svseass na veesttassectiveecsess 81,700 196,100 New Hampshire.. 57,100 98,100 Vermont .....cceee 77,400 217,800 Massachusetts 131,000 160,700 Rhode Tsland sieveesvine tics wsusvagsaieevevevswccoseseueddavarsesesearseeses 16,200 22,000 GODS CHGUE seks ievias sccvsasscsecevs tose ctiea: caseesgucnusavesSais cies 53,500 116,500 INOW OPK isssccsesnopsszsecqcesesnavacediceaas cia weabtns casi sevaracisccesc 898,900 11,800 | 1,446,200 New Jersey..... Rgiedesersachesssateewe see ecient 114,500 14,400 152,200 PONDS] VAN As ssescssweiviwsnesediscsccssaevesaienscacdentsessecsacnsasdss 614,500 24, 900 828,400 Delawares:ccscssssssevsvasvecsevestesd seacsevuisciscevevsavtessuacevevenss 19,900 4000 28,200 Maryland.......-.scecsssessscsensererseseatssencnenseasnesiseesersenenees ‘| 108,600 | 11,300 | 100,500 Virginia... -| 208,700 80,600 236, 200 North Caroli 144,200 74,000 232,300 South Carolina 59,600 | 51,500 |, 181,800 Georgia.. 119,200 97,200 278, 100 Florida. 22,400 11,900 70, 000 Alabama... 112800 | 111,700 | 215,200 Mississippi. vee a-| 97,200 | 100,000 188, 000 Louisiana... Sadie Mees Suadvavedavsieeesesiese 79,300 80,700 110, 900 Texas........ Lasrvcdawaei cane vessiiaatescaseus 618,000 | 180,200 544, 500 ATK ANEAS 5555 sasisensodsnccsdscasacceonsvoncuceslbuilesties bee tantaticsteasece’d 180,500 89,300 187,700 NT ONNGGSCC sas as sivas svaniexcssvensste ies simeeeiiiweccswedsestees'aavveiceeseas 828,700 99,700 245,700 West A eulbe. cucansboeddes 122,200 2,4 180,500 Kentucky.... aestcen 886,900 117,800 257,200 Q)I0 sss seccesssieciccenssess 772,700 26,700 714,100 Michigan... 833,800 4,300 416,900 Tndian esc swicsesvacessvecvesssiscs see] 688,800 61,200 489,200 Tlinois...... fee .-.-| 1,100,000 183, 000 702,400 WiiSCOnsitisss scaiscscivandes ask iecessacne vw edaiooseveenwwevecansccatandevens 884,400 ) 477,300 Minnesota.... 247,300 7,000 278,900 Towa......... 770,700 43,400 676,200 MISS OUR Eveidc. esi savecsdazectazenea seisesautecss sees 627,300 191,900 616,200 Kansas..... 275,000 60,000 821,900 Nebraska 157,200 18,600 127,600 California 273,000 25,700 495,600 POLO serssssines vee varvnvcosicanadessessanes ss 109,700 8,500 112,400 Nevada, Colorado, and Territories............s.scsccssseneeseneeee 260,000 25,700 423,600 It will be seen from the above table, that Missouri is the fifth State in the number of horses; fifth in number of milch cows, and the leading State in number of mules, having 11,700 more than Texas, which produces the next largest number. Of oxen and other cattle, Missouri produced in 1879, 1,632,000, which was more than any other In 1879 Mis- .souri raised 2,817,600 hogs, which was more than any other State produced, excepting Iowa. The number of sheep was 1,296,400. The number of hogs packed in 1879, by the different States, is as State produced excepting Texas, which had 4,800,00. follows : — States. No. States. No. Ohio 982,878 || MISSOURI .0..cc00 ceseee sereseseeerarceees 965,889 Indiana 622,821 ||Wisconsin.. ..| 472,108 Tllinois .............. | 8,214,896 ||Kentucky....... cscs cosereerereesceees 212,412 To Watesses ssscsendl devcveucesiuescacueastes ees 569,763 62 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. AVERAGE WEIGHT PER HEAD FOR EACH STATE. States. Pounds. States. Pounds, 210.47 |/MissouRI... 211.32 193.80 |/Wisconsin.. 220.81 225.71 ||Kentucky.. 210.11 211.98 From the above it will be seen that Missouri annually packs more hogs than any other State excepting Illinois, and that she ranks third in the average weight. We see no reason why Missouri should not be the foremost stock- raising State of the Union. In addition to the enormous yield of corn and oats upon which the stock is largely dependent, the climate is well adapted to their growth and health. Water is not only inex- haustible, but everywhere convenient. The ranges of stock are boundless, affording for nine months of the year, excellent pasturage of nutritious wild grasses, which grow in great luxuriance upon the thousand prairies. Cotton is grown successfully in many counties of the southeastern portions of the State, especially in Stoddard, Scott, Pemiscot, Butler, New Madrid; Lawrence and Mississippi. Sweet potatoes are produced in abundance and are not only sure but profitable. Broom corn, sorghum, castor beans, white beans, peas, hops, thrive well, and all kinds of garden vegetables, are produced in great abun- dance and are found in the markets during all seasons of the year. Fruits of every variety, including the apple, pear, peach, cherries, apricots and nectarines, are cultivated with great success, as are also, the strawberry, gonseberry, currant, raspberry and blackberry. The grape has not been produced with that success that was at first anticipated, yet the yield of wine for the year 1879, was nearly half a million gallons. Grapes do well in Kansas, and we see no reason why they should not be as surely and profitably grown ina similar climate and soil in Missouri, and particularly in many of the counties north and east of the Missouri River. RAILROADS. Twenty-nine years ago, the neigh of the «iron horse ’’ was heard for the first time, within the broad domain of Missouri. His coming presaged the dawn of a brighter and grander era in the history of the HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 63 State. Her fertile prairies, and more prolific valleys would soon be of easy access to the oncoming tide of immigration, and the ores and minerals of her hills and mountains would be developed, and utilized in her manufacturing and industrial enterprises. Additional facilities would be opened to the marts of trade and commerce ; transportation from the interior of the State would be se- cured; a fresh impetus would be given to the growth of her towns and cities, and new hopes and inspirations would be imparted to all her people. Since 1852, the initial period of railroad building in Missouri, be- tween four and five thousand miles of track have been laid; addi- tional roads are now being constructed, and many others in contem- plation. The State is already well supplied with railroads which thread her surface in all-directions, bringing her remotest districts into close connection with St. Louis, that great center of western railroads and inland commerce. These roads have a capital stock ag- gregating more than one hundred millions of dollars, and a funded debt of about the same amount. The lines of roads which are operated in the State are the follow- ing : — Missouri Pacific — chartered May 10th, 1850; The St. Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern Railroad, which is a consolidation of the Arkan- sas Branch; The Cairo, Arkansas & Texas Railroad; The Cairo & Fulton Railroad; The Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific Railway; St. Louis & San Francisco Railway; The Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Railroad ; The Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad; The Missouri, Kan- sas & Texas Railroad; The Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs Railroad ; The Keokuk & Kansas City Railway Company; The St. Louis, Salem & Little Rock Railroad Company; The Missouri & Western; The St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern Railroad; The St. Louis, Hannibal & Keokuk Railroad ; The Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska Railway; The Quincy, Missouri & Pacific Railroad; The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railway; The Burlington & Southwestern Railroad. MANUFACTURES. The natural resources of Missouri especially fit her for a great man- ufacturing State. She is rich in soil; rich in all the elements whicb supply the furnace, the machine shop and the planing mill; rich in the multitude and variety of her gigantic forests; rich in her marble, stone and granite quarries; rich in her mines of iron, coal, lead and 64 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. zinc; rich in strong arms and willing hands to apply the force; rich in water power and river navigation; and rich in her numerous and well-built railroads, whose numberless engines thunder along their multiplied track-ways. Missouri contains over fourteen thousand manufacturing establish- ments, 1,965 of which are using steam and give employment to 80,000 hands. The capital employed is about $100,000,000, the material annually used and worked up, amounts to over $150,000,- 000, and the value of the products put upon the markets $250,000,000, while the wages paid are more than $40,000,000. The leading manufacturing counties of the State, are St. Louis, Jackson, Buchanan, St. Charles, Marion, Franklin, Greene, Lafay- ette, Platte, Cape Girardeau, and Boone. Three-fourths, however, of the manufacturing is done in St. Louis, which is now about the second manufacturing city in the Union. Flouring mills produce annually about $38,194,000; carpentering $18,763,000; meat-packing $16,- 769,000 ; tobacco $12,496,000 ; iron and castings $12,000,000 ; liquors $11,245,000; clothing $10,022,000; lumber $8,652,000; bagging and bags $6,914,000, and many other smaller industries in propor- tion. REAT BRIDGE AT sT. LOUIS. Of the many public improvements which do honor to the State and reflect great credit upon the genius of their projectors, we have space only, to mention the great bridge at St. Louis. This truly wonderful construction is built of tubular steel, total length of which, with its approaches, is 6,277 feet, at a cost of nearly $8,000,000. The bridge spans the Mississippi from the Illinois to the Missouri shore, and has separate railroad tracks, roadways, and foot paths. In durability, architectural beauty and practical utility, there is, perhaps, no similar piece of work manship that approximates it. The structure of Darius upon the Bosphorus; of Xerxes upon the Hellespont ; of Cesar upon the Rhine; and Trajan upon the Danube, famous in ancient history, were built for military purposes, that over them might pass invading armies with their munitions of war, to de- stroy commerce, to lay in waste the provinces, and to slaughter the people. But the erection of this was for a higher and nobler purpose. Over it are coming the trade and merchandise of the opulent East, and thence are passing the untold riches of the West. Over it are crowd- HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 65 ing legions of men, armed not with the weapons of war, but with the implements of peace and industry ; men who are skilled in all the arts of agriculture, of manufacture and of mining; men who will hasten the day when St. Louis shall rank in population and importance, sec- ond to no city on the continent, and when Missouri shall proudly fill the measure of greatness, to which she is naturally so justly entitled. CHAPTER XI. EDUCATION. Public School System = Public School System of Missouri — Lincoln Institute — Off- cers of Public School System — Certificates of Teachers — University of Missouri— Schools — Colleges — Institutions of Learning — Location — Libraries — Newspa- pers and Periodicals —No. of School Children—Amount expended — Value of Grounds and Buildings — ‘‘ The Press.’ The first constitution of Missouri provided that ‘‘one school or more shall be established in each township, as soon as practicable and neces- : sary, where the poor shall be taught gratis.’’ It will be seen that even at that early day (1820) the framers of the constitution made provision for at least a primary education for the poorest and the humblest, taking it for granted that those who were able would avail themselves of educational advantages which were not gratuitous. The establishment of the public-school system, in its essential fea- tures, was not perfected until 1839, during the administration of Gov- ernor Boggs, and since that period the system has slowly grown into favor, not only in Missouri, but throughout the United States. The idea of a free or public school for all classes was not at first a popular one, especially among those who had the means to patronize private institutions of learning. In upholding and maintaining public schools the opponents of the system felt that they were not only compromis- ing their own standing among their more wealthy neighbors, but that they were, to some extent, bringing opprobrium upon their children. Entertaining such prejudices, they naturally thought that the training received at public schools could not be otherwise than defective ; hence many years of probation passed before the popular mind was prepared 5 66 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. to appreciate the benefits and blessings which spring from these insti- tutions. Every year only adds to their popularity, and commends them the more earnestly to the fostering care of our State and National Legis- Jatures, and to the esteem and favor of all classes of our people. We can hardly conceive of two grander or more potent promoters of civilization than the free school and free press. They would indeed seem to constitute all that was necessary to the attainment of the hap- piness and intellectual growth of the Republic, and all that was neces- sary to broaden, to liberalize and instruct. 6‘ Tis education forms the common mind; * s » * * * For noble youth there is nothing so meet As learning is, to know the good from ill; To know the tongues, and perfectly indite, And of the laws to have a perfect skill, Things to reform as right and justice will; For honor is ordained for no cause But to see right maintained by the laws.” All the States of the Union have in practical operation the public- school system, governed in the main by similar laws, and not differing materially in the manner and methods by which they are taught ; but pone have a wiser, a more liberal and comprehensive machinery of instruction than Missouri. Her school laws, since 1839, have under- gone many changes, and always for the better, keeping pace with the most enlightened and advanced theories of the most experienced edu- cators in theland. But not until 1875, when the new constitution was adopted, did her present admirable system of public instruction go into effect. Provisions were made not only for white, but for children of African descent, and are a part of the organic law, not subject to the caprices of unfriendly legislatures, or the whims of political parties. The Lin- coln Institute, located at Jefferson City, for the education of col- ored teachers, receives an annual appropriation from the General Assembly. For the support of the public schools, in addition to the annual income derived from the public school fund, which is set apart by law not less than twenty-five per cent. of the State revenue, exclusive of the interest and sinking fund, is annually applied to this purpose. The officers having in charge the public school interests are the State ‘* Board of Education,’’ the State Superintendent, County Commission- ihe i vt : : i, ‘ pS iy i 4 mS Ai i f ; i ¥ A re ‘ oe : | ‘AVECUVULN WAVO LV TOOHOS TWWHON (29) 68 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. ers, County Clerk and Treasurer, Board of Directors, City and Town School Board, and Teacher. The State Board of Education is composed of the State Superintendent, the Governor, Secretary of State, and the Attorney-General, the executive officer of this Board being the State Su- perintendent, who is chosen by the people every four years. His duties arenumerous. He renders decisions concerning the local application of school law; keeps arecord of the school funds and annually distributes the same to the counties ; supervises the work of county school officers ; delivers lectures ; visits schools; distributes educational information ; grants certificates of higher qualifications, and makes an annual report to the General Assembly of the condition of the schools. The County Commissioners are also elected by the people for two years. Their work is to examine teachers, to distribute blanks, and make reports. County clerks receive estimates from the local direct- ors and extend them upon the tax-books. In addition to this, they keep the general records of the county and township school funds, and return an annual report of the financial condition of the schools of their county to the State Superintendent. School taxes are gathered with other taxes by the county collector. The custodian of the sehoot funds belonging to the schools of the counties is the county treasurer, except in counties adopting the township organization, in which case the township trustee discharges these duties. Districts organized under the special law for cities and towns are governed by a board of six directors, two of whom are selected annu- ally, on the second Saturday in September, and hold their office for three years. One director is elected to serve for three years in each school dis- trict, at the annual meeting. These directors may levy a tax not exceeding forty cents on the one hundred dollars’ valuation, pro- vided such annual rates for school purposes may be increased in dis- tricts formed of cities and towns, to an amount not exceeding one dollar on the hundred dollars’ valuation, and in other districts to an amount not to exceed sixty-five cents on the one hundred dollars’ vale uation, on the condition that a majority of the voters who are tax-pay- ers, voting at an election held to decide the question, vote for said increase. For the purpose of erecting public buildings in school dis- tricts, the rates of taxation thus limited may be increased when the rate of such increase and the purpose for which it is intended shall have been submitted to a vote of the people, and two-thirds of the HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 69 qualified voters of such school district voting at such election shall vote therefor. Local directors may direct the management of the school in respect to the choice of teachers and other details, but in the discharge of all important business, such as the erection of a school house or the extension of a term of school beyond the constitutional period, they simply execute the will of the people. The clerk of this board may be a director. He keeps a record of the names of all the children and youth in the district between the ages of five and twenty-one ; records all business proceedings of the district, and reports to the annual meeting, to the County Clerk and County Commissioners. Teachers must hold a certificate from the State Superintendent or County Commissioner of the county where they teach. State certifi- cates are granted upon personal written examination in the common branches, together with the natural sciences and higher mathematics. The holder of such certificate may teach in any public school of the State without further examination. Certificates granted by County Commissioners are of two classes, with two grades in each class. Those issued for a longer term than one year, belong to the first class and are susceptible of two grades, differing both as to length of time and attain- ments. Those issued for one year may represent two grades, marked by qualification alone. The township school fund arises from a grant of land by the General Government, consisting of section sixteen in each ‘congressional township. The annual income of the township fund is ap- propriated to the various townships, according to their respective proprietary claims. The support from the permanent funds is supple- mented by direct taxation laid upon the taxable property of each dis- trict. The greatest limit of taxation for the current expenses is one per cent; the tax permitted for school house building cannot exceed the same amount. Among the institutions of learning and ranking, perhaps, the first in importance, is the State University located at Columbia, Boone County. When the State was admitted into the Union, Congress granted to it one entire township of land (46,080 acres) for the sup- port of «‘A Seminary of Learning.’? The lands secured for this pur- pose are among the best and most valuable in the State. These lands were put into the market in 1832 and brought $75,000, which amount was invested in the stock of the old bank of the State of Mis- souri, where it remained and increased by accumulation to the sum of $100,000. In 1839, by an act of the General Assembly, five commis- 40 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. sioners were appointed to select a site for the State University, the site to contain at least fifty acres of land in a compact form, within two miles of the county seat of Cole, Cooper, Howard, Boone, Calla- way or Saline. Bids were let among the counties named, and the county of Boone having subscribed the sum of $117,921, some $18,000 more than any other county, the State University was located in that county, and on the 4th of July, 1840, the corner-stone was laid with imposing ceremonies. The present annual income of the University is nearly $65,000. The donations to the institutions connected therewith amount to nearly $400,000. This University with its different departments, is open to both male and female, and both sexes enjoy alike its rights and privileges. Among the professional schools, which form a part of the University, are the Normal, or College of Instruction in Teaching ; Agricultural and Mechanical College; the School of Mines and Metallurgy; the College of Law; the Medical College; and the Department of Analytical and Applied Chemistry. Other departments are contemplated and will be added as necessity requires. The following will show the names and locations of the schools and institutions of the State, as reported by the Commissioner of Education in 1875: — UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES, Christian Oniversity...c:.54:. 00305004 ss-asessoreas pcan aicensoide sean su sivs dvsace Usialdedepigesessansscensss Canton, St. Vincent's College.........cececescseces cccceee cc cesesesaseensscensesssene coaeeressooees Cape Girardeau, - Univorsityof Missouri: iis: csvevstsenarescainccaveweecsusscoesschpanconcaansans iadseacusssresasaeesed Columbia, ‘Oontral Colle peicssaisessvassesseacsvecesesceusetsessteccsvins Gueteeecawecetencausocdncseccesanecuactereeses Fayette, "Weatminster College siscccccscsssssasciunsss vsresensventevacsed aexauectsscaxcedecuieusetanavercrwseseces Fulton, Tiewid: Collepres cccsies sos cies seins seis waata vetwaswaveexsiecuuvesss dosuxatacvmcaenbeubnbaswenesaerecewescses Glasgow. ‘Pritchett School, Inatitutescs ss. s0ssa:. ccnsenassscessnenaarzeravnnsescucevs cereus euecevsiesvenresewsane Glasgow. Lincoln Colleges csissss sess iceisi esivessoa'sss ae secs sasnadevuve sveaaresveuvevarsovemeievecesreeressssieveis Greenwood. Hannibal! College icisssss.csassssscetasenssiessdeatsevance)-asnvsneeras seviee se iiesssesnaenceemraneuedesses Hannibal. Woodland College. .i..:0,...icsscoentsesessaeacdesesenensvionaerereeice abeiueadesussasieéesens Independence, SPAA Yer COMO gO. soca sesiscsengusavccdedespenccengacsntiev eave see een suse vsdagasiaeyevessausrseeeersacsenssass Kidder. Wid Grange Colleges ive sccnsnssscviosniscctissnves sicsnucestsiie Tasddedgeseeeesanaincebescontesncewess La Grange. William Jowell College.........0.ccccesseccrscssscnenessceeeeacsneee sesserersessesceeceseoscoeseeeaeseene Liberty. BAPtist: ColGPevassccisnsncsceicecsasederess cvsveiinik asses seaesoensusonied alsin depnsavsivistaosaaavercanss Louisiana. Bt Joseph College...ccccccccsccccsssticsses ceseseeeresesesssssereees senneeesceasaeseeessesseeeaes St. Joseph, College of Christian Brothers......... 2106 ccssecscceccsees ceceeececerssesenenee seseesnenees aes St. Louis University............. Washington University Drury College.....ccsesccccscsrerssecesereerscessensesens cneaienesseessersmeesesenssesarsnesssessee Central Wesleyan Colleze......sc. cesccssesssseetssssesesecsssacescssssreseceasesseecerssessssees Warrenton. FOR SUPERIOR INSTRUCTION OF WOMEN. St. Joseph Female Seminary..........-cscesescscseseesessseessesssesereesssnessnssessesesesens St. Joseph. Obristian College. .....sssscesssssssenscesssscesersseneeessesensnsnnesansesuasuesorssscssessersserssoes Columbia. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 71 Stephong Colleges. swwsivsies seeveceencveceeaseceuienccavnzcesevastos wine anbleabine sislavste sees sesseeeesColumbia. Howard College ....ccccosscsssesscces cesssarcessseonens fe wenlsesdescsecveedcadesses soseel ayette. Independence Female College... sevebsentbiandvaebeactaes Independence. Central Female College........csssseces cesssersssreeeerececeseresensenees siedadaaiweestewsasadexeses Lexington. Clay Seminary....cccccescescseccceeee sesesseccseceerseseasccaeessersseeseee coeseseeuseaceseeeseoaosseeeenee Liberty. Ingleside Female College.s.......ccccssssessesssserseerreeceseeensees .--Palmyra. Lindenwood College for Young Ladies..... .-.9t. Charles. Mary Institute (Washington University).............::ssssceescsssssneesessseeesssseneaeeanoee St. Louis. St. Louis Seminary...........00 cde Se alees Seweaacawieupvedawa valde ols Giaasunsssualots Wis se sebecslenuctemecvues St. Louis. Ursuline Academy.....ccssscccsssccssesssssseseesssnseccssssssseesee csenerasessanerssecerstesseeene St. Louis. FOR SECONDARY INSTRUCTION. Arcadia College......cccsssssccsessesesssesssetsenecsrsceeesereereesearererereseassenenarssasasonseaee -. Arcadia, St. Vincent’s Academy. ..Cape Girardeau. Chillicothe Academy....... icuaauediag bees ies Ges HOES suey eee eoduastageiseneeeets Chillicothe, Grand River College............. i glawigeissieaesie soveexa eee creeaaeneeeitneeeen Edinburgh. Marionville Collegiate Institute oe .-Marionville. Palmyra Seminary. --- Palmy?ae St. Paul’s College........0. cccesseccssseersereeeseeesenseesseeeesceeeessssesssseeonseerenses ..-Palmyra. Van Rensselaer Academy .........-- .... Rensselaer. Shelby High School........sccccssssereeseereeeersessensresseesenneeasasaesseseuesneessererereeays Shelbyville. Stewartsville Male and Female Seminary......cccecersccesesrees see .-- Stewartsville, SCHOOLS OF SCIENCE. Missouri Agricultural and Mechanical College (University of Missouri).............. Columbia. Schools of Mines and Metallurgy (University of Missouri) Rolla, Polytechnic Institute (Washington University)....0...-.-+.+ 5‘ SCHOOLS OF THEOLOGY. Bt. Vincent’s College (Theological Department)..........ssseseesssesereeerseess Westminster College (Theological School). ......++-sses+++ Vardeman School of Theology (William Jewell College)..... Liberty. Concordia College St. Louis. SCHOOLS OF MEDICINE. Medical College, University of Missouri....s...+--sssssscesesereresseeseuscesssssses cesses .-.Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons...s..ssseseee ....St. Joseph. Kansas City College of Physicians and Surgeons..........sssssesssssestacseesneerers Kansas City. Hospital Medical College........ss-eeseseeee ccesesenseeascccccssenceccessensesasenertassesereearacane St. Joseph. Missouri Medical College.....s...--seee- eee ...5St. Louis, Northwestern Medical College...... ..rssssssssscrrscssseseresessrareenscssenecusnnernesseasenaaes St. Joseph. St. Louis Medical College...scccsssssssssceessssrsecsnsesssscerstecssncessnesencsnsecsarersonsseensas St. Louis. Homeopathic Medical College of Missouri.......s:ssoreseersssersrees aosesoee .-.. St. Louis, Missouri School of Midwifery and Diseases of Women and Children...............-..5t, Louis. Missouri Central College...cscsceressssunssesererescsceees Scieuesdeuxauesexexesarssesscds suastecoreesss St. Louis. St. Louis Oollege of Pharmacy.........-sessssseees dceescetvasn Sete ses esidneundsorsoee sadeucueseess St. Louis. 73 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. LARGEST PUBLIC LIBRARIES. Name. Location. Volumes. Bt. Vincent’s College....cecsssccscnsssessrererssssorsessecesses seseseeeee(Cape Girardeau... 6,500 Southeast Missouri State Normal School... .../Cape Girardeau. 1,225 Dniversity of Missouri.....cessscscessesesceroees Columbia ......... 10,000 Athenian Society.......-++ Columbia .......+. 1,200 Union Literary Society.. Columbia ... 1,200 Law College.....s....sc0see .|Columbia 1,000 Westminster College.. Pulton....ccoseeess 5,000 Lewis College........+.+ Glasgow......s000.- 8,000 Mercantile Library.. Hannibal........-- 2,219 Library Association........ Independence... 1,100 Fruitland Normal Institute . «| JACKSON cesesseeeos 1,000 State Library........sscsce cesses Jefferson City.... 13,000 Fetterman’s Circulating Library. .|Kansas City....... 1,300 Law Library. .....s.ccccssssessorrereeres Kansas City. 8,000 Whittemore’s Circulating Library...... 1,000 North Missouri State Normal School. 1,050 ‘William Jewell College.......se0sseee- ; 4,000 Bt. Paul’s College.........sssccorsessersceenerenes 2,000 Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy. : 1,478 St. Charles Catholic Library.........sssesseeeee .|St. Charles... 1,716 Carl Frielling’s Library..... ..{St. Joseph... 6,000 Law Library........ccccsseeee St. Joseph. 2,000 Public School Library... St. Joseph.. 2,500 Walworth & Colt’s Circ’ St. Joseph... 1,500 Academy of Science..... .|St. Louis..... 2,744 Academy of Visitation....... ssveaes St. Louis 4,000 College of the Christian Brothers.. St. Loui 22,000 Deutsche Institute.........csesccccsscssssesscecsssensressseseeees St. Loui 1,000 German Evangelical Lutheran, Concordia College... St. Louis 4,800 Law Library Association......ccsscscscessssssssenseees St. Loui 8,000 Missouri Medical College....... ednetoasseosae St. Louis. 1,000 Mrs. Cuthbert’s Seminary (Young Ladies) St. Louis. 1,600 Odd Fellow’s Library.....ssssccsssesseseseressers St. Louis. 4,000 Public School Library........+.- St. Loui 40,097 St. Louis Medical College.... St. Louis 1,100 St. Louis Mercantile Library.. (St. Louis 45,000 St. Louis Seminary...........00 (St. Louis. 2,000 8t. Louis Turn Verein. ../St. Louis. 2,000 St. Louis University....... .ccsseese St. Louis. 17,000 St. Louis University Society Libr St. Loui 8,000 Ursuline Academy.....-.-cccese ee St. Loui 2,000 Washington University. St. Louis 4,500 St. Louis Law School... St. Louis... 8, Young Men’s Sodality.. St. Louis... 1,327 Library Association..... Sedalia... 1,500 Public School Library.. .|(Sedalia... 1,015 Drury College...........++ spats sguabestdessiued oes asa startin +-seee.|Springfield ....... 2,000 IN 1880. Newspapers and Periodicals.....cesssseeseeeseee senssreceees ssseagssnesneaeass sei essence sseasescereveeesees 481 CHARITIES. State Asylum for Deaf and Dumb...........ssssssssrccceesscsssssecssnnceeceetseteraneeeenenee «soos Fulton. St. Bridget’s Institution for Deaf and Dumb... ...9t, Louis. Institution for the Education of the Blind... «St. Louis. State Asylum for Insane............:eceecees veveeeFulton State Asylum for the Insane.........scssceesssescrsessssernsenseeseeacs « St. Louis. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 73 NORMAL SCHOOLS. Normal Institute...........00 sei vesetaaeeaness:ieeesvesananciecsecenesasaeeeeNs datsedcusenirouseensese Bolivar. Southeast Missouri State Normal School.............:c:ssesssesccsseeeesensenees conse Cape Girardeau. Normal School (University of Missouri).........t....cccsssccscsesessescene coevssssesserecseseees Columbia, Fruitland Normal Institute. .........ccce. ccssssseessceeseeassceseascrssssessescentecesteresesees seees Jackson. Lincoln Institute (for colored)........ .cesssssssssseeseseeceenscceeceeereneses sees Jefferson City. City Normal School...cccccccscscsoscrsssssss seevesensscsesancseerecsrscscssseensesese saceeseerecosceses St. Louis. Missouri State Normal School............ccceccsccencecesseecteeseesssseses ... Warrensburg. In 1880. Number of school children.......s0sssssssecssssersscossssssessesseseerseeccsaceceeessesunses esse ses o_— In 1878. Estimated value of school property.......-ssssccessssseessccssccccensseereerssensesesscsseee sae $8,321,899 Total receipts for public schools swe «4,207,617 Total expemditures......ccocsccccrsrsssesesssoseccsstseenseesecesesssentecceeeee seceteneeqeeeriecsee - 2,406,139 NUMBER OF TEACHERS. Male teachers,.......ssccrcrsesscssssevees - 6,239; average monthly pay........00 westegeae $36.86 Female teachers..............sssesseseneee 5,060; average monthly pay.....sveseeecerseee - 28.09 The fact that Missouri supports and maintains four hundred and seventy-one newspapers and periodicals, shows that her inhabitants are not only a reading and reflecting people, but that they appreciate ‘¢ The Press,’’ and its wonderful influence as an educator. The poet has well said: — But mightiest of the mighty means, On which the arm of progress leans, Man’s noblest mission to advance, His woes assuage, his weal enhance, His rights enforce, his wrongs redress — Mightiest of mighty ‘s the Press. CHAPTER XIL. RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS. Baptist Church—Jts History—Congregational—When Founded—Its History — Christian Church — Its History — Cumberland Presbyterian Church — Its History — Methodist Episcopal Church —Its History — Presbyterian Church — Its History — Protestant Episcopal Church—Its History—United Presbyterian Church — Its History — Unitarian Church —Its History — Roman Catholic Church —Its History. The first representatives of religious thought and training, who penetrated the Missouri and Mississippi Valleys, were Pere Marquette, La Salle, and others of Catholic persuasion, who performed missionary 74 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. labor among the Indians. A century afterward came the Protestants, At that early period «A church in every grove that spread Its living roof above their heads,”’ constituted for a time their only house of worship, and yet to them «* No Temple built with hands could vie In glory with its majesty.” In the course of time, the seeds of Protestantism were scattered along the shores of the two great rivers which form the eastern and western boundaries of the State, and still a little later they were sown upon her hill-sides and broad prairies, where they have since bloomed and blossomed as the rose. BAPTIST CHURCH. The earliest anti-Catholic religious denomination, of which there is any record, was organized in Cape Girardeau county in 1806, through the efforts of Rev. David Green, a Baptist, and a native of Virginia. In 1816, the first association of Missouri Baptists was formed, which was composed of seven churches, all of which were located in the southeastern part of the State. In 1817 a second association of churches was formed, called the Missouri Association, the name being afterwards changed to St. Louis Association. In 1834 a general con- vention of all the churches of this denomination, was held in Howard county, for the purpose of effecting a central organization, at which time was commenced what is now known as the ‘‘ General Association of Missouri Baptists.’’ To this body is committed the State mission work, denominational education, foreign missions and the circulation of religious literature. The Baptist Church has under its control a number of schools and colleges, the most important of which is William Jewell College, located at Liberty, Clay county. As shown by the annual report for 1875, there were in Missouri, at that date, sixty-one associations, one thousand four hundred churches, eight hundred and twenty-four min- isters and eighty-nine thousand six hundred and fifty church members. CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. The Congregationalists inaugurated their missionary labors in the State in 1814. Rev. Samuel J. Mills, of Torringford, Connecticut, and Rev. Daniel Smith, of Bennington, Vermont, were sent west by the Massachusetts Congregational Home Missionary Society during HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 75 that year, and in November, 1814, they preached the first regular Protestant sermons in St. Louis. Rev. Samuel Giddings, sent out under the auspices of the Connecticut Congregational Missionary Society, organized the first Protestant church in the city, consisting of ten members, constituted Presbyterian. The churches organized by Mr. Giddings were all Presbyterian in their order. No exclusively Congregational Church was founded until 1852, when the “First Trinitarian Congregational Church of St. Louis ”’ was organized. The next church of this denomination was organized at Hannibal in 1859. Then followeda Welsh church in New Cambria in 1864, and after the close of the war, fifteen churches of the same order were formed in different parts of the State. In 1866, Pilgrim Church, St. Louis, was organized. The General Conference of Churches of Missouri was formed in 1865, which was changed in 1868, to General Association. In 1866, Hannibal, Kidder, and St. Louis District Associations were formed, and following these were the Kan- . gas City and Springfield District Associations. This denomination in 1875, had 70 churches, 41 ministers, 3,363 church members, and had also several schools and colleges and one monthly newspaper. CHRISTIAN CHURCH. The earliest churches of this denomination were organized in Cal- laway, Boone and Howard Counties, some time previously to 1829. The first church was formed in St. Louis in 1836 by Elder R. B. Fife. The first State Sunday School Convention of the Christian Church, was held in Mexico in 1876. Besides a number of private institutions, this denomination has three State Institutions, all of which have an able corps of professors and have a good attendance of ' pupils. It has one religious paper published in St. Louis, «* Zhe Chris- tian,’ which is a weekly publication and well patronized. The mem- bership of this church now numbers nearly one hundred thousand in the State and is increasing rapidly. It has more than five hundred organized churches, the greater portion of which are north of the Missouri River. CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN. CHURCH. In the spring of 1820, the first Presbytery of this denomination west of the Mississippi, was organized in Pike County. This Pres- bytery included all the territory of Missouri, western Illinois. and Arkansas and numbered only four ministers, two of whom resided at 76 HISTORY OF MISSOUR that time in Missouri. There are now in the State, twelve Presby- teries, three Synods, nearly three hundred ministers and over twenty thousand members. The Board of Missions is located at St. Louis. They have a number of High Schools and two monthly papers pub- lished at St. Louis. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. In 1806, Rev. John Travis, a young Methodist minister, was sent out to the ‘« Western Conference,’’ which then embraced the Missis- sippi Valley, from Green County, Tennessee. During that year Mr. Travis organized a number of small churches. At the close of his conference year, he reported the result of his labors to the Western Conference, which was held at Chillicothe, Ohio, in 1870, and showed an aggregate of one hundred and six members and two circuits, one called Missouri and the other Meramec. In 1808, two circuits had been formed, and at each succeeding year the number of circuits and members constantly increased, until 1812, when what was called the Western Conference was divided into the Ohio and Tennessee Confer- ences, Missouri falling into the Tennessee Conference. In 1816, there was another division when the Missouri Annual Conference was formed. In 1810, there were four traveling preachers and in 1820, fif- teen travelling preachers,.with over 2,000 members. In 1836, the terri- tory of the Missouri Conference was again divided when the Missouri Conference included only the State. In 1840 there were 72 traveling preachers, 177 local ministers and 18,992 church members. Between 1840 and 1850, the church was divided by the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church South. In 1850, the membership of the M. E. Church was over 25,000, and during the succeeding ten years the church prospered rapidly. In 1875, the M. E. Church reported 274 church edifices and 34,156 members; the M. E. Church South, reported 443 church edifices and 49,588 members. This denomina- tion has under its control several schools and colleges and two weekly newspapers. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. The Presbyterian Church dates the beginning of its missionary efforts in the State as far back as 1814, but the first Presbyterian Church was not organized until 1816 at Bellevue settlement, eight miles from St. Louis. The next churches were formed in 1816 and 1817 at Bonhomme, Pike County. The First Presbyterian Church was organized in St. Louis in 1817, by Rev. Salmon Gidding. The HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 77 first Presbytery was organized in 1817 by the Synod of Tennessee with four ministers and four churches. ‘The first Presbyterian house of worship (which was the first Protestant) was commenced in 1819 and completed in 1826. In 1820 a mission was formed among the Osage Indians. In 1831, the Presbytery was divided into three: Missouri, St. Louis, and St. Charles. These were erected with a Synod comprising eighteen ministers and twenty-three churches. The church was divided in 1838, throughout the United States. In 1860 the rolls of the Old and New School Synod together showed 109 ministers and 146 churches. In 1866 the Old School Synod was di- vided on political questions springing out of the war—a part form- ing the Old School, or Independent Synod of Missouri, who are con- nested with the General Assembly South. In 1870, the Old and New School Presbyterians united, since which time this Synod has steadily increased until it now numbers more than 12,000 members with more than 220 churches and 150 ministers. This Synod is composed of six Presbyteries and has under its con- trol one or two institutions of learning and one or two newspapers. That part of the original Synod which withdrew from the General Assembly remained an independent body until 1874 when it united with the Southern Presbyterian Church. The Synod in 1875 num- bered 80 ministers, 140 churches and 9,000 members. It has under its control several male and female institutions of a high order. The St. Louis Presbyterian, a weekly paper, is the recognized organ of the Synod. PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The missionary enterprises of this church began in the State in 1819, when a parish was organized in the City of St. Louis. In 1828, an agent of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society, visited the city, who reported the condition of things so favorably that Rev. Thomas Horrell was sent out as a missionary and in 1825, he began his labors in St. Louis. A church edifice was completed in 1830. In 1836, there were five clergymen of this denomination in Missouri, who had organized congregations in Boonville, Fayette, St. Charles, Hannibal, and other places. In 1840, the clergy and laity met in convention, a diocese was formed, a constitution, and canons adopted, and in 1844 a Bishop was chosen, he being the Rev. Cicero S. Hawks. Through the efforts of Bishop Kemper, Kemper College was founded near St. Louis, but was afterward given up on account of 78 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. pecuniary troubles. In 1847, the Clark Mission began and in 1849 the Orphans’ Home, a charitable institution, was founded. In 1865, St. Luke’s Hospital was established. In 1875, there were ‘in the city of St. Louis, twelve parishes and missions and twelve clergymen. This denomnation has several schools and colleges, and one newspaper. « UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. This denomination is made up of the members of the Associate and Associate Reformed churches of the Northern States, which two bodies united in 1858, taking the name of the United Presbyterian Church of North America. Its members were generally bitterly opposed to the institution of slavery. The first congregation was organized at Warrensburg, Johnson County, in 1867. It rapidly increased in numbers, and had, in 1875, ten ministers and five hundred members. UNITARIAN CHURCH. This churcn was formed in 1834, by the Rev. W. G. Eliot, in St. Louis. The churches are few in number throughout the State, the membership being probably less than 300, all told. It has a mission house and free school, for poor children, supported by donations. ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH. The earliest written record of the Catholic Church in Missouri shows that Father Watrin performed ministerial services in Ste. Genevieve, in 1760, and in St. Louis in 1766. In 1770, Father Menrin erected a small log church in St. Louis. In 1818, there were in the State four chapels, and for Upper Louisiana seven priests. A college and semi- nary were opened in Perry County about this period, for the education of the young, being the first college west of the Mississippi River. In 1824, a college was opened in St. Louis, which is now known as the St. Louis University. In 1826, Father Rosatti was appointed Bishop of St. Louis, and through his instrumentality the Sisters of Charity, Sisters of St. Joseph and of the Visitation were founded, besides other benevolent and charitable institutions. In 1834 he completed the present Cathedral Church. Churches were built in different portions of the State. In 1847 St. Louis was created an arch-diocese, with Bishop Kenrick, Archbishop. In Kansas City there were five parish churches, a hospital, a con- vent and several parish schools. In 1868 the northwestern portion of the State was erected into a separate diocese, with its seat at St.Joseph, HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 79 and Right-Reverend John J. Hogan appointed Bishop. There were, in 1875, in the city of St. Louis, 34 churches, 27 schools, 5 hospitals, 3 colleges, 7 orphan asylums and 3 female protectorates. There were also 105 priests, 7 male and 13 female orders, and 20 conferences of St. Vincent de Paul, numbering 1,100 members. In the diocese, out- side of St. Louis, there is a college, a male protectorate, 9 convents, about 120 priests, 150 churches and 30 stations. In the diocese of St. Joseph there were, in 1875, 21 priests, 29 churches, 24 stations, 1 college, 1 monastery, 5 convents and 14 parish schools: Number of Sunday Schools in 1878 . . . . é . ° 2,067 Number of Teachers in 1878 . a ‘i . ~-. 18,010 Number of Pupils in 1878 : . . . e . = ° 139,578 THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS. Instrucvion preparatory to ministerial work is given in connection with collegiate study, or in special theological courses, at: Central College (M. E. South) 3 : . . a . 7 Fayette. Central Wesleyan College (M. E. Church) . ‘ ‘ : . Warrenton. Christian University (Christian) . 7 a 2 . Canton. Concordia College Seminary (Evangelical Lutheran) . ‘i ‘ - St. Louis. Lewis College (M.E. Church) . : : . . . 5 - Glasgow. St. Vincent College (Roman Catholic) ‘. . < . . Cape Girardeau. Vardeman School of Theology (Baptist) . . ” . ° Liberty. The last is connected with William Jewell College. CHAPTER XIII. ADMINISTRATION OF GOVERNOR CRITTENDEN. Nomination and election of Thomas T. Crittenden—Personal Mention—Marmaduke’s. candidacy — Stirring events — Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad — Death of Jesse James — The Fords — Pardon of the Gamblers. It is the purpose in this chapter to outline the more important events of Governor Crittenden’s unfinished administration, stating briefly the facts in the case, leaving comment and criticism entirely to the reader, the historian having no judgment to express or prejudice to vent. Thomas T. Crittenden, of Johnson county, received the Demo- cratic nomination for Governor of Missouri at the convention at Jeffer- 80 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. son City, July 22d, 1880. Democratic nomination for a State office in Missouri is always equivalent to election, and the entire State ticket was duly elected in November. Crittenden’s competitors before the convention were Gen. John S. Marmaduke, of St. Louis, and John A. Hockaday, of Callaway county. Before the assembling of the convention many persons who favored Marmaduke, both personally and politically, thought the nomination of an ex-Confederate might prejudice the prospects of the National Democracy, and therefore, as a matter of policy, supported Crittenden. His name, and the fame of his family in Kentucky — Thomas T. being a scion of the Crittendens of that State, caused the Democracy of Missouri to expect great things from their new Governor. This, together with the important events which followed his inauguration, caused some people to overrate him, while it prejudiced others against him. The measures advocated by the Governor in his inaugural address were such as, perhaps, the entire Democracy could endorse, especially that of refunding, at a low interest, all that part of the State debt that can be so refunded ; the adoption of measures to relieve the Supreme Court docket ; a compromise of the indebtedness of some of the counties, and his views concerning repudiation, which he con- temned. HANNIBAL & ST. JOE RAILROAD CONTROVERSY. By a series of legislative acts, beginning with the act approved February 22, 1851, and ending with that of March 26, 1881, the State of Missouri aided with great liberality in the construction of a system of railroads in this State. Among the enterprises thus largely assisted was the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad, for the construction of which the bonds of the State, to the amount of $3,000,000, bearing interest at 6 per cent per annum, payable semi-annually, were issued. One half of this amount was issued under the act of 1851, and the remainder under the act of 1855. The bonds issued under the former act were to run twenty ears, and those under the latter act were to run thirty years. Some of the bonds have since been funded and renewed. Coupons for the interest of the entire $3,000,000 were executed and made payable in New York. These acts contain numerous provisions intended to secure the State against loss and to require the railroad company to pay the interest and principal at maturity. It was made the‘duty of the railroad company to save and keep the State from all loss on account of said bonds and coupons. The Treasurer of the State was HISTORY OF MISSOURI. $1 to be exonerated from any advance of money to meet either principal or interest. The State contracted with the railroad company for com- plete indemnity. She was required to assign her statutory mortgage lien only upon payment into the treasury of a sum of money equal to all indebtedness due or owing by said company to the State by reason of having issued her bonds and loaned them to the company. In June, 1881, the railroad, through its attorney, Geo. W. Easley, Esq., paid to Phil. E. Chappell, State Treasurer, the sum of $3,000,- 000, and asked for a receipt in full of all dues of the road to the State. The Treasurer refused to give such a receipt, but instead gave areceipt for the sum ‘‘on account.’? The debt was not yet due, but the authorities of the road sought to discharge their obligation pre- maturely, in order to save interest and other expenses. The railroad company then demanded its bonds of the State, which demand the State refused. The company then demanded that the $3,000,000 be paid back, and this demand was also refused. The railroad company then brought suit in the United States Court for an equitable adjustment of the matters in controversy. The $3, 000,000 had been deposited by the State in one of the banks, and was drawing interest only at the rate of one-fourth of one per cent. It was demanded that this sum should be so invested that a larger rate of interest might be obtained, which sum of interest should be allowed to the company as a credit in case any sum should be found due from it to the State. Justice Miller, of the United States Supreme Court, who heard the case upon preliminary injunction in the spring of 1882, decided that the unpaid and unmatured coupons constituted a liability of the State and a debt owing, though not due, and until these were provided for the State was not bound to assign her lien upon the road, Another question which was mooted, but not decided, was this: That, if any, what account is the State to render for the use of the $3,000,000 paid into the treasury by the complainants on the 20th of June? Can she hold that large sum of money, refusing to make any account of it, and still insist upon full payment by the railroad eompany of all outstanding coupons? Upon this subject Mr. Justice Miller, in the course of his opinion, said: ‘‘I am of the opinion that the State, having accepted or got this money into her possession, is under a moral obligation (and I do not pretend to commit anybody as to how far its legal obligation goes) to so use that money as, so far as possible, to protect the parties who have paid it against the loss of the interest which it might accumulate, q 82 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. and which would go to extinguish the interest on the State’s obliga- tions.”’ March 26, 1881, the Legislature, in response to a special message of Gov. Crittenden, dated February 25, 1881, in which he informed the Legislature of the purpose of the Hannibal and St. Joseph com- pany to discharge the full amount of what it claims is its present indebtedness as to the State, and advised that provision be made for the ‘‘ profitable disposal’’ of the sum when paid, passed an act, the second section of which provided. «¢ Sec. 2. Whenever there is sufficient money in the sinkiug fund to redeem or purchase one or more of the bonds of the State of Missouri, such sum is hereby appropriated for such purpose, and the Fund Commissioners shall immediately call in for payment a like amount of the option bonds of the State, known as the ‘5-20 bonds,” provided, that if there are no option bonds which can be called in for payment, they may invest such money in the purchase of any of the bonds of the State, or bonds of the United States, the Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad’ bonds excepted.” On the Ist of January, 1882, the regular semi-annual payment of interest on the railroad bonds became due, but the road refused to pay, claiming that it had already discharged the principal, and of course was not liable for the interest. Thereupon, according to the provisions of the aiding act of 1855, Gov. Crittenden advertised the road for sale in default of the payment of interest. The company then brought suit before U.S. Circuit Judge McCrary at Keokuk, Iowa, to enjoin the State from selling the road, and for such other and further relief as the court might see fit and proper to grant. August 8, 1882, Judge McCrary delivered his opinion and judgment, as follows: ‘‘ First. That the payment by complainants into the treasury of the State of the sum of $3,000,000 on the 26th of June, 1881, did not satisfy the claim of the State in full, nor entitle complainants to an assignment of the ‘State’s statutory mortgage. ‘«‘ Second. That the State was bound to invest the principal sum‘ of $3,000,000 so paid by the complainants without unnecessary delay in the securities named in the act of March 26, 1881, or some of them, and so as to save to the State as large a sum as possible, which sum so saved would have constituted as between the State and complainants a credit pro tanto upon the unmatured coupons now in controversy. HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 83 “Third. That the rights and equity of the parties are to be deter- .mined upon the foregoing principles, and the State must stand charged with what would have been realized if the act of March, 1881, had been complied with. It only remains to consider what the rights of the parties are upon the principles here stated. ‘In order to save the State from loss on account of the default of the railroad company, a further sum must be paid. In order to deter- mine what that further sum is an accounting must be had. The ques- tion to be settled by the accounting is, how much would the State have lost if the provisions of the act of March, 1881, had been complied with? * * ® © J think a perfectly fair basis of settle- ment would be to hold the State liable for whatever could have been saved by the prompt execution of said act by taking up such 5-20 option bonds of the State as were subject to call when the money was paid to the State, and investing the remainder of the fund in the bonds of the United States at the market rates. ** Upon this basis a calculation can be made and the exact sum still to be paid by the complainant in order to fully indemnify and protect the State can be ascertained. For the purpose of stating an account upon this basis and of determining the sum to be paid by the com- plainants to the State, the cause will be referred to John K. Cravens, one of the masters of this court. In determining the time when the investment should have been made under the act of March, 1881, the master will allow a reasonable period for the time of the receipt of the said sum of $3,000,000 by the Treasurer of the State — that is to say, such time as would have been required for that purpose had the offi- cers charged with the duty of making said investment used reason- able diligence in its discharge. ‘¢The Hannibal and St. Joseph railroad is advertised for sale for the amount of the instalment of interest due January 1, 1882, which instalment amounts to less than the sum which the company must pay in order to discharge its liabilities to the State upon the theory of this opinion. The order will, therefore, be that an injunction be granted to enjoin the sale of the road upon the payment of the said instal- ment of interest due January 1, 1882, and if such payment is made the master will take it into account in making the computation above mentioned.” KILLING OF JESSE JAMES. The occurrence during the present Governor’s administration which did most to place his name in everybody’s mouth, and even to herald 84 HISTORY OF MISSOURI. it abroad, causing the European press to teem with leaders announcing the fact to the continental world, was the ‘*removal’’ of the famous Missouri brigand, Jesse W. James. The career of the James boys, and the banditti of whom they were the acknowledged leaders, is too well-known and too fully set forth in works of a more sensational character, to deserve further detail in these pages; and the ‘* removal’’ of Jesse will be dealt with only in its relation to the Governor. It had been long conceded that neither of the Jameses would ever be taken alive. That experiment had been frequently and vainly tried, to the sorrow of good citizens of this and other States. It seems to have been one of the purposes of Gov. Crittenden to break up this band at any cost, by cutting off its leaders. Soon after the Winston train robbery, on July 15, 1881, the railroads combined in empower- ing the Governor, by placing the money at his disposal, to offer heavy rewards for the capture of the two James brothers. This was ac- cordingly done by proclamation, and, naturally, many persons were on the lookout to secure the large rewards. Gov. Crittenden worked quietly, but determinedly, after offering the rewards, and by some means learned of the availability of the two Ford boys, young men from Ray county, who had been tutored as juvenile robbers by the skillful Jesse. An understanding was had, when the Fords declared they could find Jesse —that they were to ‘“‘turn him in.’? Robert Ford and brother seem to have been thoroughly in the confidence of James, who then (startling as it was to the entire State) resided in the city of St. Joseph, with his wife and two children! The Fords went there, and when the robber’s back was turned, Robert shot him dead in the back of the head! The Fords told their story to the authorities of the city, who at once arrested them on a charge of mur- der, and they, when arraigned, plead guilty to the charge. Promptly, however, came a full, free and unconditional pardon from Gov. Crit- tenden, and the Fords were released. In regard-to the Governor's course in ridding the State of this notorious outlaw, people were divided in sentiment, some placing him in the category with the Ford boys and bitterly condemning his action, while others — the majority of law-abiding people, indeed, —though deprecating the harsh meas- ures which James’ course had rendered necessary, still upheld th Governor for the part he played. As it was, the «Terror of Mis- souri’’ was effectually and finally «‘ removed,’’ and people were glad that he was dead. Robert Ford, the pupil of the dead Jesse, had HISTORY OF MISSOURI. 85 been selected, and of all was the most fit tool to use in the extermina- tion of his preceptor in crime. The killing of James would never have made Crittenden many ene- mies among the better class of citizens of this State; but, when it came to his PARDON OF THE GAMBLERS. The case was different. Under the new law making gaminghouse- keeping a felony, several St. Louis gamblers, with Robert C. Pate at their head, were convicted and sentenced to prison. The Governor, much to the surprise of the more rigid moral element of the State, soon granted the gamblers a pardon. This was followed by other pardons to similar offenders, which began to render the Governor quite unpopular which one element of citizens, and to call forth from some of them the most bitter denunciations. The worst feature of the case, perhaps, is the lack of explanation, or the setting forth of sufficient reasons, as is customary in issuing pardons, This, at least, is the bur- den of complaint with the faction that opposes him. However, it must be borne in mind that his term of office, at this writing, is but half expired, and that a full record can not, therefore, be given. Like all mere men, Gov. Crittenden has his good and his bad, is liked by some and disliked by others. The purpose of history is to set forth the facts and leave others to sit in judgment; this the historian has tried faithfully to do, leaving all comments to those who may see fit to make them. HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY, MO. CHAPTER I. EARLY HISTORY TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY. The Indians — The French and Spanish — First Exploration and Settlement by Amer- icans — The First American Settlers in Clay— An Indian Fight — Organization of Clay County. THE INDIANS. Prior to about the close of the eighteenth century the country now comprised within the boundaries of Clay county was in undisputed possession of the Missouri tribe of Indians, who fished and trapped in its streams, hunted over its surface, and sang their songs and danced their dances with none to molest them or make them afraid. From about 1680 for a hundred years the Missouris held the north side of the river (to which they gave their name) from a point opposite the mouth of the Gasconade, on the east, out into what is now the State of Kansas. Northward their territory extended to the Des Moines river or until checked by the fierce Dakotas. Occasionally the Mis- souris crossed the river and went on the war path against the Osages, their long time enemies, whom they had first driven out of this coun- try, and again they would go far north against the tribes along the Upper Des Moines or Upper Missouri. They were warlike and aggres- sive, although they appeared to greatly enjoy a quiet life, and their forays seem to have been partly for the sake of glory, and partly for recreation, not particularly for conquest. The name Missouri is an old one. Father Marquette, in 1680, called the tribe of Indians in this quarter, ‘‘ We-Missouret,’’ which (87) 88 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. Thivenet, his reviser, changed to On-Missouri.1 The name means muddy, or, as is said dirty, and doubtless the latter was given to the particular tribe of Indians as indicating their habits and uniform per- sonal condition; though why the term was limited to any particular tribe can not be conjectured. If would seem that a characteristic so generally prevalent among the aborigines of America ought not to have been especially attributed to the tribe that immediately preceded the Anglo-Saxons who first settled Clay county. But some writers say that the Missouri tribe of Indians took their name from the river, which was called muddy, and that the river was named first. To the mind of the writer the testimony is against this theory. Father Marquette called the stream Pekitanouz and the tribe We-Missouret, andthe name Pekitanoui prevailed among Europeans until Marest’s time, in 1712. The Recollects, the early French monks, called the stream the river of the Osages.? Certain Indian tribes called it a name signifying mad water; other Indians termed it Wee- Shuga, or smoky water.? But all tribes and every one acquainted with them called the Indians the Missouris, or as it was almost uni- versally pronounced, Mis-soo-rees (not ‘* Mizzoorys’’). The best testimony is that the French first culled the stream the Missouri, or as stated by Charlevoix, La Riviere des Missouris— the River of the Missouris. Evidently the stream was named from the tribe, and not the tribe from the stream. Upon the appearance of the French in this quarter of the West they almost immediately became on good terms with the Missouris. These friendly relations were never disturbed. * THE FRENCH AND SPANIARDS. Stoddard’s Annals of Louisiana, now a rare but very valuable work, says that the old French colony of Louisiana suffered much from the war which broke out between France and Spain in 1719. Although the contest was chiefly confined to the posts on the Gulf of Mexico, the upper settlements severely felt its injurious effects. Their com- merce was interrupted, and the immense expenditures which were necessary to carry on the war impoverished both the company and the colony. The’war, however, was not long carried on in a systematic manner, but as the two nations had always been competitors for the 1 Shea’s Mississippi Valley, p. 268. 2 Shea, p. 38. 3 Wetmore’s Gazetteer, p. 33. HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 89 Indian trade, and as continual disputes arose concerning the rights of territory, they kept up a predatory war for several years. In 1720 the Spaniards formed a design of destroying the nation of the Missouris, situated on the Missouri river, and of forming a settle- ment in their country. The object of this was to divert the current of Indian trade, and to confine the settlements of the French to the borders of the Mississippi. The Spaniards believed, that in order to put their colony in safety, it was necessary they should entirely destroy the Missouris, who were the warm and constant friends of the French ; but, concluding that it would be impossible to subdue them with their own force alone, they resolved to enter into an alli- ance with the Osages, a people who were the neighbors of the Mis- souris, and, at the same time, their most mortal enemies. With these intentions they formed a caravan at Santa Fe, consisting of men, women, and soldiers; having a priest for chaplain, and an engineer . captain for their chief conductor, with the horses and cattle necessary for a permanent settlement. The caravan set out in 1720; but being unacquainted with the country, and not having proper guides, they mistook their way. They wandered about for some time in the wilderness, and at length arrived at the Missouris, whom they supposed to be Osages.! Under this impression, the conductor of the caravan, with his interpreter, im- mediately held a council with the chiefs. He explained to them the object of his visit, telling them that he had come to form an alliance with their tribe, in order to destroy their common enemies, the Mis- souris! The great chief of the Missouris, concealing his thoughts upon this expedition, evinced the greatest joy. He showed the Spaniards every possible attention and promised to act in concert with them. For this purpose he invited them to rest a few days, after their tiresome journey, till he had assembled his warriors and held a council with the old men, to which the Spaniards acceded. The boldness of the Spaniards, in thus penetrating into a country of which they had no previous knowledge, made the French sensible of their danger and warned them to provide against further encroach- ment. They suspected the intentions of the Spaniards, and determined to prevent, if possible, their being put into execution. Accordingly, in the summer of 1721 a considerable force was dispatched from 1 This assertion rests upon the authority of several respectable writers, Du Pratz and Charlevoix among them. Maj. Stoddard, however, in his Historical Sketches of Louisiana, states that the Spaniards marched in pursuit of the Pawnee, and not the Osage villages. For the truth of this he refers to the records of Santa Fe. 90 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. the French posts on Mobile Bay, under M. de Bourgmont, who as- cended the Missouri and took possession of an island in the river, about five miles below the mouth of Grand river. On this island a considerable fort was erected which was called Fort Orleans. A sergeant among the French soldiers, named Dubois, became enamored of a woman of the Missouri tribe of Indians, a large body of whom encamped on the north bank of the river, opposite the fort, and married her. He was afterwards placed in command of the fort. M. de Bourgmont found the different tribes on and adjacent to the Missouri engaged in a sanguinary warfare, which not only diminished their number but interfered greatly with trade, and rendered all inter- course with them extremely hazardous. Hence it became an object to the French to bring about a general peace. And so in the spring of 1724 Bourgmont ascended the Missouri to the mouth of the «* Cansez,’’ or where Kansas City now is, and then went some leagues to the northwest among several Indian tribes. He was accompanied by a few French soldiers and a large purty of; friendly Indians. His object in visiting the different tribes was to invite their chiefs and head men to a grand peace council, to be held in the early summer. All the tribes received the peacemaker kindly, even joyfully, and promised to send delegates to the council. Bourgmont and his party spent some weeks in this noble endeavor. July 38, 1724, the council came off. It was held on the Missouri at the ‘* Cansez,’’ then the site of the chief town of the Kansas tribe of Indians, afterward Fort Osage, now Sibley, Jackson county. All the tribes for hundreds of miles to the west, northwest and southwest sent embassadors, and the proceedings were full of interest. Bourgmont made a great speech, and the delegates of the several tribes smoked the pipe of peace, and entered into a treaty of amity and good will between themselves, promising to be always faithful and friendly and to learn war no more. M. de Bourgmont was of course the leading spirit of the council. By his urgent invitation a number of the chiefs and principal men of many of the* tribes accompanied him on a visit to France, where they were highly entertained, and their attachment to the French was fully confirmed. Sergeant Dubois and his wife ac- companied this excursion party to and from Paris and Versailles, and it was on his return that the sergeant was placed in command of Fort Orleans. But in the fall of 1725 Fort Orleans was attacked and totally de- stroyed, and all of its inmates massacred. The town of the Missouris, HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 91 opposite the fort, was attacked the same time, and 200 or more men and women killed, and the remainder, only a score or less, driven to the other side of the river, and down upon the Little Osage. Though it has never been proved to a certainty who did this bloody work, it is reasonably certain that its authors were those ‘fierce Huns of the north, the Sacs and Foxes, who swept down from the Des Moines river upon the unsuspecting Missouris and their allies, the French, and annihilated them. Doubtless M. de Bourgmont and his party, while on their way to invite the Indians to the place of council, in the spring of 1724, were the first whites to visit the soil of what is now Clay county. They made no settlements here, it is true, but they may be said to have dis- covered the country. Crossing and recrossing the river, they landed upon its southern borders, and when returning passed through it. After the massacre of the French at Fort Orleans, until the found- ing of St. Louis, in 1764, there were no Caucasians in this quarter of Missouri. The red Indians held undisputed sway so far as the whites were concerned. But in this year the great province of Louisiana passed from the control and assumed ownership of the French into the hands of the Spaniards. What is now Missouri was then :Upper Louisiana, whose capital was St. Louis, and whose first Governor was Don Pedro Piernas. The Spanish Governors (Piernas, from 1764 to 1775; Francisco Cruzat, from 1775 to 1778 ; Ferdinando Leyba, from 1778 to 1780; Cruzat again from 1780 to 1788; Manuel Perez, from 1788 to 1793, and Zenon Trudeau, from 1793 to 1800) made no es- pecial efforts to extend the settlements until Governor Trudeau came. He encouraged immigration, gave to the fur trade a new impetus and rewarded all projectors of new enterprises according to their own efforts and the merits of their schemes. The fur traders pushed far out into hitherto unexplored regions, and adventurers were frequently setting forth to accomplish enterprises of value and moment. Doubt- less some of these traders and trappers visited Clay county in the prosecution of their business. The days of the Spanish possession were the golden ones in the history of the Upper Mississippi. There was little else but peace and plenty — ‘¢ And health and quiet and loving words.”’ The rulers (except Leyba, who did not last long) were easy, good natured and well disposed ; their subjects loyal, obedient, industrious and well behaved. French, English, American and Spanish, though 92 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. they were by birth, they were each all Spanish in their devotion to Spain and the banner of Castile. Not a man among them but who would have been glad to give his goods and his life Por el Rey. The dreamy, sensuous life in the wilderness, amid ‘the glorious forests, by the sweet, clear springs and brooks, and on the flowery prairies, was peculiarly suited to the dreamy, sensuous Dons. The little work done by the colonists in their fields was so easily accomplished and so abundant in its results that it was but pastime to do it. FIRST EXPLORATIONS AND SETTLEMENTS BY AMERICANS. In 1803 Missouri Territory underwent an important change. The Indian summer of Spanish possession and occupancy had been suc- ceeded by the stormy winter of French domination, and now there followed the balmy and bustling spring and summer of American rule. From about 1805 to 1812 French voyageurs and American trappers traveled up and down the Missouri Valley, sometimes paddling their way on the river in canoes, sometimes tramping overland. Many of these passed through our county, of course, but none of us can tell how or when. A few actual settlers came up some distance from St. Louis during this period. The next representatives of the Caucasian race to visit the borders of Clay county, of whom we have definite knowledge, were the mem- bers of Lewis and Clark’s expedition, sent out by President Jefferson in 1804. Very soon after the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory Mr. Jefferson projected an expedition to explore the newly acquired district from the mouth of the Missouri to its source, and thence across to the Pacific ocean. The President’s private secretary, Capt. Merriwether Lewis, then but thirty-one years of age, was given com- mand of the expedition, with Capt. William Clark, of the regular army, as second incommand. The company consisted of nine young Kentuckians, fourteen soldiers, two Canadian voyageurs, a hunter, and Capt. Clark’s negro servant. In May, 1804, this expedition passed up the Missouri, along the borders of Clay, but from their published journal it does not appear that any particular examination of the country was made. Two years afterward, or in September, 1806, Lewis and Clark passed down the river again, reaching St. Louis and terminating the expedition on the 23d of the mouth. From accounts received by Mr. D. C. Allen from early settlers and others, that gentleman felt warranted in stating in Campbell’s Gazet- teer that, without much doubt, the first white settlement within the borders of Clay county was made by a few French families at Ran- HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 93 dolph Bluff, on the Missouri, three miles northeast of Kansas City, about the year 1800. The heads of these families were trappers, acting probably under the direction of Pierre Chouteau, Sr., of St. Louis. They left scarcely a trace of their occupancy, however, and the compiler has been unable to learn anything definite or explicit about them. The county was visited in 1808 by Maj. Dougherty, long afterward a resident of the county, where he died December 28, 1860. At the time of his first visit Maj. Dougherty was but 17 years of age, and was on his way to the Rocky Mountains in the employ of the Ameri- cin Fur Company. Other representatives of the fur company passed through here at intervals on their way to and from the waters of the Upper Missouri, but their stay was only temporary. Some time prior to the War of 1812, one Delaney Bowlin, who had settled a locality in Montgomery county known as the Big Spring, and had given his name to’a considerable elevation of land in the neighborhood which is known to this day as Bowlih’s Knob, left Loutre Island, with four or five companions, two of whom were John Davis and Lewis Jones, for the mouth of the Kans or Kaw river (now the Kansas). Davis and Jones returned, and old settlers of Mont- gomery county says that Bowlin and one or two of the others built at least one cabin in what is now Clay county, where they resided some years, engaged in trapping and hunting. What finally become of Bowlin is not known. During the War of 1812 he was in Fort Kincaid, How- ardcounty. Jones and Davis died in the southern part of Montgomery county, where many of their descendants yet reside. The daughter of the man (Jacob Groom) to whom Bowlin sold his claim, yet lives at the Big Spring with her husband, a Mr. Snethen. In the year 1808 Fort Osage, on the south side of the Missouri, was built by a force of dragoons or mounted rangers, under Capt. - James Clemson. ‘The fort was established as a government post or factory, and around it there was laid off a tract of land six miles square, on which a limited number of white settlers were permitted to locate in order to raise supplies for the garrison. The site of Fort Osage is now called Sibley, in honor of Gen. Geo. C. Sibley, who was the government factor and agent at the fort from 1818 until its abandonment in 1825. The locality is about five miles in a straight line southeast of Missouri City, and nearly two miles southeast of the extreme southeast boundary of Clay county. If there were any American settlers on what is now Clay county soil prior to the breaking out of the War of 1812, it can not at this date 94 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. be stated who they were and where they located. The war coming on drove all the American settlers who were on the frontiers to the block- houses and forts in Howard county or still further down the Missouri river, and sent the American trappers back to their headquarters and trading posts. The country here belonged to the Indians at that time, and was not open to settlement anyhow, and it can not be proved that there were any dona fide settlers in this quarter. March 9, 1815, a treaty was concluded with the Indians, by which the territory within the following limits were resigned to the whites: ‘«¢ Beginning at the mouth of the Kaw [Kansas] river, thence running north 140 miles, thence east to the waters of the Auhaha [Salt river], which empties into the Mississippi, thence to a point opposite the mouth of the Gasconade, thence up the Missouri river, with its meanders, to the place of beginning.”’ In the years 1818 and 1819 the territory now included in the coun- ties of Ray and Clay—and much other territory besides— was sur- veyed and opened to entry, and thereupon settlers came in rather rapidly. In what is now Ray county, settlements were made on Crooked river as early as 1817 by the Vanderpools, Abraham Lin- ville, John Proffitt, Isaac Martin, Isaac Wilson, John Turner, Lewis Richards, and one or two others, who were from Kentucky and Virginia. THE FIRST AMERICAN SETTLERS IN CLAY. No authentic information can be given of any permanent settle- ments made in what is now Clay county prior to the year 1819. In that year! there came John Owens, Samuel McGee, Benjamin Hensley, William Campbell, Thomas Campbell, John Wilson, Zachariah Averett and John Braley ; and also, according to Smith’s Atlas sketch, Charles McGee, George Taylor, Travis Finley, Cornelius Gilliam and Edward Pyburne. These located in the southern and southeastern portions of the county, some of them in the vicinity of where Liberty now stands. In 1820 immigration began in earnest, and settlements were made on Fishing river, Big Shoal, along the Missouri, and throughout the southern portion of the county generally by Samuel Tilford, John Thornton, Andrew Robertson, Sr., Andrew Robertson, Jr., Col. Shuball Allen, Robert Murray, John Bartleson, Andrew Bartleson, John Dean, Henry Estes, Thomas Estes, Peter Estes, James Hyatt, Samuel Hyatt, Richard Hill, William Munkers, James 1 According to Hon. D. C. Allen’s sketch in Campbell’s Gazetteer, 1875. HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 95. Gilmore, Robert Gilmore, Ennis Vaughan, Andrew Russell, Eppa Tillery, Martin Palmer, Henry Mailes, Squire Hutchinson, Solomon Fry, Edmond Munday, William Lenhart, William L. Smith, Hum- phrey Best, David McElwee, Eldridge Patter, Thomas Hixon, Joseph Grooms, Hugh Brown, Joseph Brown, Thomas Officer, Robert Officer, Patrick Laney, and doubless others. At this time the territory. now embraced in Clay county formed a part of or at least was attached to Howard county. The county seat was at Old Franklin, where was also the United States Land Office at which the land was entered. November 16, 1820, Ray county was or- ganized (named for Hon. John Ray, of Howard) and what is now Clay became a part thereof, being denominated at first Fishing River town- ship. Afterward, in 1821, the western half was called Gallatin town- ship. The first county seat of Ray county was called: Bluffton, which stood on the Missouri river, near where Camden now stands. It remained the seat of justice until 1827. The first county court was held in April, 1821, and of its members two of the justices, John Thornton and Elisha Cameron; the clerk, William L. Smith, and the sheriff, John Harris, were either then or soon afterward became citizens of Clay and held the same positions in our first county court. AN INDIAN FIGHT. Although there were numerous bands of Indians in close proximity to the settlements in Clay, and though many of these were semi-hos- tile; no outbreaks or collisions occurred between them and the pioneers until in the summer of 1821. Up in what is now the northwestern part of the county lived the Vesser family, whose adult male members were not above suspicion in many regards. Especially were they accused of frequently acquir- ing property by questionable means. Their fondness for horses was a particular weakness. On one occasion, in the summer of 1821, they visited a camp of Iowa Indians up in the Platte country and carried away some horses belonging to the savages. It was some time in the month of August, 1821, probably, when nine Iowa Indians came down into the Clay county settlements to take reprisal for the horses stolen from them by the Vessers. To the southeastern part of the county, three miles northeast of where Mis- souri City now stands (northwest quarter section 34, township 52, range 30), David McElwee had come from Tennessee the previous year, and built a house and opened a farm. At the time of the visit 96 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. of the Indians, however, he was back in Tennessee on a visit, having taken with him his wife and daughter, the latter now Mrs. Margaret Howdeshell. He left behind to care for the house and farm his sons, James and William, and his daughter Sarah, all unmarried young people. The nine Indians came to Mr. McElwee’s one evening and took three horses belonging to the settler, from the stable, and seized an- other which they were prevented from carrying off only by the stub- born and plucky interposition of young James McElwee. The Indians seemed greatly elated at the ease with which they had “got even” with the whites in the matter of horse stealing, and at once sent off the three captured animals, in charge of two of their number,. to the tribe. The other seven Indians went into camp for the night within fifty yards of Mr. McElwee’s house. The young McElwees were in great terror to be sure. But when their father left he had charged them that if they were ever in danger from the Indians they had only to let their nearest neighbor know it and they would soon be relieved. On this occasion they contrived to let Mr. Thomas Officer know of their situation and soon the entire settlement was informed that seven Indians had already taken three horses from the McElwee young folks and were threatening them by their presence with further damage and injury. The next morning early came old Martin Parmer, and with him Patrick Laney, Thomas Officer, James Officer, David Liles, William Liles, James Woolard, Alex. Woolard and Brummett. With them were Mrs. Jane Laney, wife of Patrick Laney, and Miss Mary Crawford, who had come for companionship for Miss McElwee. The Indians were a little startled by the appearance of the settlers but stoutly maintained that what they had done was justifiable and altogether proper. Old Martin Parmer was not in a mood to discuss the principles of the /ex ¢alionis and its applicability to this case. He never let an opportunity pass to have a fight with the Indians. Two years before, in a fight of his own bringing on, down on the Wakenda, in Carroll county, he and his party killed three Indians and wounded a number more. ‘His voice was always for war—or, at least for a fight — when there was the smallest provocation. The discussion in McElwee’s door-yard grew warm, and at last Parmer said something to one of the Indians which so incensed him that he presented his gun at Parmer and cocked it, but before he could fire Parmer shot him dead. A fierce and stubborn little fight then came off in the door-yard. Both HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 97 whites and Indians ran to cover. Two of the Indians ran into the house where the ladies were, but seing them coming Miss McElwee ran out of doors and Mrs. Laney and Miss Crawford took refuge under a bed. The Indians outside were defeated and scattered, one of them ‘being wounded. Those in the house closed the door tightly and bravely held the fort. But at last the whites climbed to the top of the house and began tearing away the roof, when the savages sud- -denly opened the door and sprang forth, hoping to escape by swift running. Some of the settlers were waiting for them and one was shot dead before he had gotten twenty feet from the door; the other escaped. The fight was now over. Two Indians had been killed, and one at least was wounded. Three of the unharmed survivors made their way in safety back to the tribe, but the remaining one was never heard of. It was believed that he, too, was wounded, and crawled off into the woods and died. The one known to have been wounded made his way to Ft. Osage, where he was cared for until he recovered, and was then sent back to his tribe. When the two Indians were running into the cabin Wm. McElwee and his sister Sarah both attempted to run out. Miss McElwee got safely away, but one of the Indians struck at William with a toma- hawk. Young McElwee threw up his arm to protect his head from the blow, but the weapon descending cut off one of his fingers. This was all the injuries the whites received, though some of them heard bullets whiz uncomfortably close to their ears. It is believed that this is the first time the details of this incident have been published, and that this account is the only correct one ever given to the public. It has been derived from the statements of Mrs. Margaret Howdeshell, a daughter of David McElwee, and a sister of Sarah, William and James McElwee. She is now living in Fishing River township, and through her son Samuel the facts above set forth have been learned. Smith’s sketch in the Clay County Atlas refers to this incident as having occurred in 1820, and calls it ‘‘ a skirmish which occurred that year in the eastern part of the county, and in which seven [ !] Indians were killed.’? Mr. D. C. Allen, author of the valuable and well writ- ten article on Clay county in Campbell’s Gazetteer (1875), thus de- scribes it: ‘‘In a skirmish in the southeastern part of the county, in 1820, seven Indians were killed; another about the same time had his hand cut off in attempting to burst open the door of David Mc- Elwee’s.house.’’ The reader will see that both Mr. Smith and Mr. 98 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. Allen were misinformed in regard to the facts in the case. Mr. Allen’s informants caused him to believe that not only were ‘ seven ”’ Indians killed in the ‘‘ skirmish,’’ but that another row occurred in the same locality in which an Jndian had his hand cut off, etc. The old settlers got the story mixed. It was William McElwee’s finger which was cut off by an Indian, and this occurred in the only ‘* skir- mish’’ ever had with the savages in this county; and moreover only two or possibly three Indians were slain, not ‘¢seven.’’ There were only seven Indians in the party. ORGANIZATION OF CLAY. During the year 1821 settlers had poured into the western part of Ray county in considerable numbers. The pioneers evinced a disposi- tion to go out upon the frontiers to the ‘* jumping off place,’’ or to the extreme western boundary of the State, as far as they could go. So it was that Clay was well settled before Carroll, the eastern part of Ray, and a large portion of Chariton were. Fishing River and Gallatin townships of Ray county were so well populated that it was determined to create out of them a new county to be called Clay, in honor of the then brilliant orator and coming statesman of Kentucky, Henry Clay. January 2, 1822, the Legisla- ture passed the following act forming the new county : — Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows: 1. A new county shall be established as follows: Beginning in the middle of the main channel of the Missouri river, south of the range line passing between range twenty-nine and thirty west of the fifth principal meridian, thence north and with said range line, pursuing the course thereof, when continued to the northern boundary line of this State; thence west with the northern boundary line to the north- west range of this State; thence south with said boundary line due south to the Missouri river, and to the middle of the main channel thoreof; thence down the middle of the main channel thereof to the place of beginning, which shall be called the county of Clay. 2. John Hutchins, Henry Estes, Enos Vaughn, Wyatt Atkins and John Poor, be, and are hereby appointed commissioners, with power to fix upon the most suitable place in said county whereon to erect a court-house and jail; and the place whereon they, or a majority of them shall agree, shall be the permanent seat of justice for the said county of Clay. 1 Since the above was written the statements are corroborated by one or two old settlers. z HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 99 3. The power and duties of the said commissioners within the county of Clay shall be the same as the powers and duties assigned by an act entitled «* An act defining the limits of Howard county, and laying off new counties within the limits of said county as hereto- fore defined,’’ to the commissioners appointed to point out and fix upon the most suitable place in the county of Ray whereon to erect a court-house and jail for the said county of Ray. 4. The said commissioners, or a majority of ics, be and are hereby empowered to receive as a donation, or to purchase the land by them selected, and to lay off the same into lots or squares, and to expose them to public sale under the same restrictions as were imposed by the before recited act, on the commissioners of Ray county, and the powers and duties of the judge of the circuit court shall be the same in the said county of Clay, as in the said county of Ray. 5. The courts to be holden in the county of Clay, shall be holden at the house of John Owens, until said commissioners shall choose and fix on a temporary seat of justice for said county; and after the said commissioners have selected a temporary seat of justice in said county, the courts to be holden for said county shall be holden at the tempo- rary seat of justice until a house for holding courts and a jail is pro- vided at the permanent seat of justice for said county of Clay. 6. All executions to be issued after the taking effect of this act, from the circuit court of the county of Ray, shall be directed to the proper officers of the county of Clay, if the person against whom they may issue reside within the said county of Clay ; and such exe- cutions shall be executed and returned by him in the same manner as if issued by the clerk of the county of Clay; and all accounts of executors, administrators and guardians now pending in the county of Ray, if such executors, administrators or guardians reside in the county of Clay, shall at the request of such executors, administra- tors or guardians, be certified by the clerk of the said county of Ray, with the proceedings had thereon, to the clerk’s office in the county of Clay, and shall stand ready for trial or settlement as if they had commenced therein; and all justices of the peace and constables now residing in the said limits of said county of Clay shall continue to execute all the duties of their offices, as justices and constables, in the county of Clay; and it shall be the duty of the county court for said county of Clay, at the first term of said court, to appoint a collector for said county, who shall immediately enter upon the duties of his office; and the taxes for the said county of Clay shall be collected and accounted for by the collector of said county in the same manner as is now required of the collector of Ray county. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after the pas- sage thereof. ; Approved, January 2, 1822. CHAPTER ILI. HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1822 TO 1830. General Historical Sketch from 1822 to 1830— First County Courts — First Circuit Courts — Three Indian Horse Thieves— First Murder Case—Execution of the Murderess — The County in 1822 as Described by Dr. Beck — Martin Palmer, the ‘‘Ring-Tailed Painter ’’ — Miscellaneous Items — Liberty Township— Roads and Ferries — Important County Court Proceedings in 1826 — Miscellaneous — Valua- tion of Property in 1829— The Indian Alarm of 1828— The Expedition into the Platte Country. Upon the organization of Clay county, in January, 1822, the popu- lation was about 1,200. The area of the county at that time was very much larger than at present, but the population was almost entirely confined to the territory embraced within the present limits. The number of voters was 240. Liberty was laid out and made the county seat in the summer of 1822, and the same year a dozen houses— nearly all log cabins — were built. Six small stores were in the county this year, two of which were Essex & Hough’s and Robert Hood’s. These were at Liberty. A few Indian traders were at the mouth of the Kansas and across the river at Fort Osage. . Other merchants in Clay county from 1822 to 1830 were William Samuels & Co., Ely & Curtis, Hickman & Lamme (afterward Hick- man, Lamme & Ringo), Joshua Pallen, F. P. Chouteau, James Aull, James M. Hughes & Co., and Moore, Samuels & Croysdale. Some of the grocers’ were James Aull, Hiram Rich, Gershom Compton and Laban Garrett. Noah Richards had a licensed dram-shop in 1828. All these were in Liberty. Merchants’ licenses were $15; grocers’, $5 and $10. From the records of the county court — indisputable evidence — it appears that among other industries Lewis Scott had a tanyard in 1825; Ely & Curtis operated a distillery in 1826; and John Baxter had a saddle and harness shop in Liberty in 1827. Mills followed the first settlers. Smith’s sketch in the Atlas says the first horse-mill was built near Liberty in 1821, by Samuel Tilford 1 At that date a ‘grocer’? sold more whisky than coffee and sugar, and a “ gro- cery’’ was understood to be a place where ardent spirits were retailed. (100) HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 101 ‘‘and ground only corn.’’ Probably there was nothing else to grind. The buhrstones of this mill were made of ‘‘ lost rocks,’’ as are some- times called the granite boulders scattered over the county, relics of the glacial period. Four other mills were in existence certainly as early as 1826—Manchester’s mill, on Shoal creek; William and Joel Estes’ mill, on Fishing river ; Smith’s mill, on Smith’s fork, and Hixon’s mill. David D. Moore had a mill on Big Shoal creek, in the south- western part of the county, in 1830. A serious obstacle to the settlement of Clay county was the diffi- culty of crossing the Missouri, then more so than now a turbid, troublesome stream, with its shifting currents and channels, its treach- erous bars and shoals, and, when at a high stage, its almost irresistible tides. Trifles and insignificant circumstances often directed a settler’s location, and many a man located on the south side of the Missouri because of the difficulty of crossing to the northside. The first ferries whose owners lived in this county were Joseph Boggs’, established in 1825; Richard Linville’s the same year; John Thornton’s in 1826, and Frost’s about the year 1828. Linville, in 1826, disposed of his ferry to an old Frenchman named Calisse Montargee, commonly called **Calisse’’ (pronounced Caleece). He ran it until in 1830, when he sold it to Benj. Hancock. -Old Calisse was an eccentric character. He was one of the first settlers in the county, coming here soon after the War of 1812, first as a trapper and voyageur. He had a landing on the river, known as Calisse’s landing, on fractional section 18-50-32, or a mile south of the present site of Moscow. He ran his ferry from this landing. Aaron Overton had a ferry over the Missouri, at the mouth of Rose’s branch, in May, 1830. It and all the other ferries were pro- pelled by oars, or sweeps, and it was a good half day’s work to take the boat over to the south side and bring back an emigrant wagon. Schools were established early. Smith’s sketch states that a few steps south of the Baptist Church, in Liberty, was built a log school- house as early as 1821, the first in the-county, and that the first school was taught there by Judge Sibron G. Sneed. There may be and probably is a mistake in the statement that this house was built as early as 1821, but there was certainly a school-house in Liberty in 1823. In 1825 there was a good school-house near Benjamin Samp- son’s in the southwestern portion of the county (elections were held in it), but the name of the first teacher can not here and now be given. 102 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. There was also a church, or as the records call it ‘*a meeting- house,’’ near Mr. Sampson’s, in 1825. Upon the first settlement of the county Government land was $2 per acre, and the nearest land office was at Old Franklin, in Howard county. In about 1825 the price of land was reduced to $1.25 per acre, and the land office was removed not long afterward to Lexing- ton! A number of the farms in this county were taken as ‘‘ New Madrid claims.”’ The term ‘‘ New Madrid claim’’ may thus be explained to those who do not understand it: After the great earthquake at and in the vicinity of New Madrid, in December, 1811, Congress passed an act for the relief of the settlers who had been injured by that great con- vulsion of nature, giving each of them certain favors and privileges in regard to re-entering or locating land in other parts of the State. In some instances this relief amounted to an absolute grant of land. The act was passed February 17, 1815, and was entitled, ‘* An act for the relief of the inhabitants of the late (?) county of New Madrid, in Mis- souri Territory, who suffered by earthquakes.’’ In 1827 a United States military post was established on the site of the present Fort Leavenworth, an incident of importance to this county, since it furnished a market for horses, mules and supplies, and also gave employment to a number of our citizens, contractors and others. In a letter to the compiler, Gen. R. C. Drum,, Adjutant- General of the United States, says: ‘It appears from the records of this office that Cantonment Leavenworth, on the site of the present Fort Leavenworth, was first established by Cos. B, D, E and H, Third Infantry, under Col. Henry Leavenworth (who was its first commandant, and for whom it was named), about April 1, 1827.” In the summer of 1826 came the first ‘* big rise ’’ in the Missouri. The bottom lands were overflowed and the settlers thereon were forced to remove to higher ground. Though there was some inconvenience and even damage and distress at first, the flood proved a blessing in disguise to the county in general. Many of the pioneers were afraid of the highlands, and especially of the prairies, but now they preferred them to the bottoms, which, as they could see, were liable annually to be submerged by the mighty, tawny waters of the Missouri, bringing destruction and devastation and leaving malaria and pestilence. So now, the uplands of the county were tested and found to be good, and thus the whole county begam to settle up. 1 The Atlas sketch says this was in 1822, but there was no Lexington in 1822. HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 103 Upon the first settlement of the country many of the pioneers shared the expressed opinion of Dr, Beck, given on another page, and held that the prairies were and always would be practically valueless ; but there were others who knew good soil when they saw it, and did not hesitate to say that the Clay county prairies were fertile and would produce well. There was a serious obstacle in the way of their cul- tivation, however. At that day there were no plows strong enough to tear up the thick, tough sod. The plows then in vogue were light affairs, with small iron (chiefly cast-iron) points, and wooden mold- boards. These were wholly insufficient for prairie breaking. Aftera time stronger plows were introduced, the prairie sod was trodden and became less substantial, and prairie farms became very popular. FIRST SESSIONS OF THE COUNTY COURT. February 11, 1822, the first county court of Clay county convened at the house of John Owens, which stood on what is now lot 186, on the northwest corner of Water and Mill streets, in the city of Liberty. There were present the county justices, John Thornton, Elisha Cam- ron! and James Gilmor, who exhibited their commissions, signed by Gov. Alexander McNair, and took their seats. (Thornton and Cam- ron had previously been justices of the county court of Ray county). William L. Smith was appointed county clerk, with Col. Shubael Allen and John Shields as secretaries. Smith had been clerk of Ray county. The court first proceeded to the appointment of certain other officers of the county for the year 1822, viz.: William Hall, assessor ; Jesse Gilliam, collector; Samuel Tilford, John Hutchings, Howard Averatt,? Richard Linville and Benjamin Sampson, commissioners “to preserve from waste the school lands lying in this county.’’ All of these, except William Hall, were present in court and took the oath of office. John Harris was sheriff; he had been sheriff of Ray county. It is said that the court room was Mr. Owens’ sitting room, vacated by the family for the occasion. Old Zadock Martin was present, and seemed to hold the entire proceedings in contempt, and so the first order of the court was the imposition of a fine of $1 on Mr. Martin for his said contempt. Whereupon Zadock awoke to a realization of 1 Judge Camron died in this county June 2, 1853, aged sixty-nine. As he wrote it himself his name was spelled as here printed, but latterly it is spelled with ane. The city of Cameron was named for him. 2 Afterward and now spelled Everett. 2 104 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. the fact that this really was a court, with power to protect its dignity and punish affronts thereupon, and so he made apology, and the fine was subsequently remitted. Martin was afterward a county judge himself, and he it was who is said to have been the first American actual settler in Platte county, whither he removed in 1827, and established a ferry on Platte river, at the crossing of the military road from Liberty to Fort Leavenworth. On the second day of the term the newly appointed assessor, Wm. Hall, appeared and took the oath of office. The court determined to establish a precedent for economy in the administration of the county government and made the following order: — Ordered, That the sum of one dollar only per day be charged by the justices of this court for their services; and it is further ordered that the same economy be observed by all persons who shall have claims against the county. Money was scarce that day, and the judges wisely determined that the county ought to live within its income. Mr. Owens was allowed - $2 for the use of his house as a court room during the two days’ ses- sion, and then the court adjourned. The court made no order dividing the county into municipal town- ships — at least none is to be found. It seemed to accept the division which had previously been made by the Ray county court —of two townships, Fishing River and Gallatin. The line between these town- ships ran north and south, dividing the county nearly into halves. A special session was held at Owens’ March 9, 1822, at which Judges Thornton and Gilmor were present. Jesse Gilliam gave bond as collector, and Wm. Hall was appointed assessor in Gallatin town- ship, and Pleasant Adams assessor of the State taxes for Fishing River. At the regular May term, 1822, all the justices were present, and John Thornton was made presiding judge. George Halfacre and James Williams were’ nominated to the Governor as suitable persons to be commissioned as justices of the peace for Fishing River town- ship. Preparations were made for holding the August election in the two townships, as follows : — In Fishing river, the house of James Munker was designated as the voting place, and Thos. Officer, Howard Averatt and Bailey George were appointed judges of the election. In Gallatin township, the house of John Owens, in Liberty, was named as the voting place, and the judges of election were James McClelland, John Evans and John McKissick. HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 105 The jirst roads established by the Clay county court were ordered surveyed or reviewed at this term. Those already in use had been make by the Ray court. The first road established by our court was one from Liberty to the intersection of a road leading to Bluffton, on the Missouri river, which was then the county seat of Ray county. This road was directed to be surveyed ‘ from the county line, where the road leading from Bluffton strikes said line; from thence by Col. [Martin] Palmer’s, taking the dividing ridge between Fish- ing river and the Missouri; thence with the said ridge to the line ranges 30 and 31, and from thence to the county seat by the nearest between and most practicable route.’’ The commissioners were Joseph Hutchings, Jacob McKoy, Thos. Estes, Elisha Hall and Elijah Smith. Other roads were established as follows: A road leading from the north end of Main street, in Liberty, ‘‘ the nearest and best way to the prairie in the direction of Magill’s.’’ Commissioners, John Owens, Eppa Tillery, Ezekiel Huffman and John Hall. A road ‘leading from the court house [John Owens’] in Liberty, the nearest and best way to Andrew Russell’s, from thence to the [State] boundary line.’? Commissioners, Mitchell Poage, South Malott, Aaron Roberts and Andrew Russell. The settlers had already begun to push out as far as possible, or was safe, and settlements were being made on the western frontiers, and roads were needed for communi- cation with the outer world. At this term David ‘Manchester was appointed county surveyor, and Joshua Adams assessor for Fishing River township. Mr. Adams was selected to assist Mr. Hall, the county assessor, who, owing to the size of the county at that time, could attend to his duties in but one township, Gallatin, in time for the June levy. Some idea of the character of the county at this time can be gained from the report of Jesse Gilliam, the county collector, who stated to the court that he had issued sx retail licenses (at $5 each), thus showing that there were six retail stores in the county in the spring of 1822. These, of course, were not comparable with the establishments of to-day, but their stocks were limited to the necessaries of pioneer life at that day. Some of the merchants in the county this year were Essex & Hough and Robert Hood. FIRST CIRCUIT COURT. ‘ March 4, 1822, the first circuit court of Clay county was held at the house of John Owens —in Liberty — David Todd, judge; Wm. L. 106 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. Smith, clerk; Hamilton R. Gamble, circuit attorney,’ and John Har- ris, sheriff. The court was in session two days, and had for grand jurors: Richard Linville, foreman ; Zachariah McGree, Benj. Samp- son, Robert Y. Fowler, Zachariah Averett, Howard Averett, John Ritchie, James Munker, John Evans, Thomas Estes, Andrew Robert- son, Richard Hill, David Magill, Walker McClelland, Robert Poage, Samuel Tilford, David Gregg, Wm. Allen, Elisha Hall and James Williams. There was no trial jury until the July term, in the case of “The State vs. Jonathan Camron.’’ Indictment for affray. The jurors were: Abijah Means, Richard Chaney, Abraham Creek, John Bartleson, James Gladdin, Francis T. Slaughter, Enos Vaughn, Andrew Copelin, John Carrell, Matthew Averett, Eppa Tillery and Samuel Magill. Verdict, ««Not guilty.’’ There was no fixed place for holding court, it being sometimes held under the arbor of a tree, until 1832, when the first court house was built. The first attorney admitted to practice before our circuit court was Dabney Carr, at the first term. Judge David Todd was born in Fayette county, Ky.,in 1790. He came to Missouri at an early day and located at Old Franklin, How- ard county. He was well known and long remembered as an able and upright judge and a pure man. Judge Todd died at Columbia, Boone county, in 1859. Hamilton R. Gamble was born in Winchester county, Va., November 29, 1798; came to St. Louis in 1818, and in 1819 to Old Franklin; was appointed prosecuting attorney in 1822; Secretary of State in 1824, and Supreme Court Judge in 1851. In 1861, when Claib. Jackson was deposed, he was made Provisional Governor. He died in 1864. THREE INDIAN HORSE THIEVES. In the month of May, 1823, a roving band of Iowa Indians passed through this county on their way down to the Grand river country. Three of these Indians stole three horses from Ezekiel Huffman and other citizens of this county, and carried them off to the encampment on Grand river, above where Brunswick now stands. The chiefs of the tribe gave information to the authorities, and on an affidavit of John P. Gates, the Hon. David Todd, then judge of the first judicial circuit, issued a warrant directed to the sheriff of Chari- ton county, where the Indians then were, directing him to arrest the \ 1 At this term Mr. Gamble was not present. Hon. Abiel Leonard, then deputy cir- cuit attorney for the first circuit in the counties of Clay, Ray, Lillard, Saline and Cole attended. HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 107 three culprits, whose names were given as Cha-pa-har-lar, or Buffalo Nose ; Mon-to-kar, or White Briar, and Ton-tar-ru-rhue-che, or Where he is Crossing. Subpcenas were also issued for War-sen-nee, or The End of Medicine; War-hu-kea, or Moccasin Awl; Monk-she-kon-nah, a Valiant Man, Won-chee-mon-nee, ‘‘ chiefs of the said Ioway nation of Indians.”’ The Indians were duly arrested,’ and brought before Judge Todd, at Fayette, on the 5th of July. Their preliminary examination resulted in their commitment to the Howard county jail. On the 7th they were again brought before Judge Todd by Sheriff Ben B. Ray, of Howard county. The judge ordered ‘the said Indians committed to the custody of the sheriff of Chariton county, to be forthwith re- manded to the sheriff of Clay county, to await their further trial before the circuit court of Clay county on the first day of the next term, in default of giving bail in $200 each.’’ ? But on the night of the 8th of July the prisoners contrived to escape from their guards, as witness the following return of the deputy sheriff of Chariton county, in whose custody they were : — On the 7th of July the within named Indians were delivered into my custody. I summoned Thos. Smith, Joel King and Thos. Jack as a guard, who kept them under custody until the night of the 8th inst., when the said Indians made‘their escape and have not since been apprehended. ALEXANDER TRENT, July 11, 1823. Deputy Sheriff Chariton County. The Indians were never recaptured, but it is understood that the stolen horses were recovered by Huffman and his neighbors. This is the only instance now to be found where the Indians committed any seri- ous offense against our people after the year 1822, or the organization of the county. THE FIRST MURDER CASE — EXECUTION OF THE MURDERESS, A NEGRO WOMAN. Some time in the summer of 1828 (probably in June ), a slave woman named Annice murdered her children, and the crime having been discovered she was arrested and indicted. At the July term of the circuit court following she was arraigned and tried before a jury 1 The arrest was effected by a posse composed of Maj. Daniel Ashby, John M. Bell, Peregrine Earickson and Christian Houser, who, the return says, were ‘‘ on the search for three days.”’ 2 See the papers in this case, on file in the circuit clerk’s office. 108 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. composed of Charles English, Benedict Weldon, Mayberry Mitchell, David Bevins, Abraham Creek, Josiah Thorp, John Hardwicke, Ed- mund Munday, David Hamilton, James Gray, Lewis Shelton and Nathan Chaney. Of these David Bevins and Josiah Thorp are yet living. Annice belonged to a Mr. Prior, who lived near Greenville, in the northeastern part of the county. The family went away from home, and the negress decoyed her children to the woods and toa small stream, a branch of Fishing river. Ina deep pool formed by a small water-fall she threw two (or three) of her youngest children and drowned them. She was chasing another, her oldest, when she was discovered. | The proof was positive as to the guilt of the accused, and Judge David Todd sentenced her to be hung on the 23d day of August following. There was no appeal of the case, no pardon, no com- mutation, no postponement of the execution, and the wretched crea- ture was hung on the day appointed, by Col. Shubael Allen, the’ then sheriff. The execution came off in the northern part of Liberty. DR. BECK DESCRIBES CLAY COUNTY IN 1822. Beck’s Gazetteer of Missouri, published in 1823, has the following concerning Clay county : — Clay county was erected from Ray in 1822. It is bounded north and west by the boundary lines of the State, east by the county of Ray, and south by Lillard. Its form is that of a parallelogram, about 100 miles in length, and 21 in breadth; containing an area of about 2,000 square miles. The southern boundary is washed by the Mis- souri river; the interior is well washed by Fishing river, and several other small streams, running in a southerly and westerly direction. The lands are generally elevated, and in the northern part approaching to hilly. Of the fertility of this county and the inducements which it offers to emigrants, I need not adduce a more convincing proof than the fact that but two or three years since it was a complete wilderness without a single white inhabitant ; while at present its population is not less than 1,000. The country north and west is owned and in- habited by hordes of Indians. Clay county is attached to the first judicial circuit ; sends one mem- ber to the House of Representatives, and with Ray, Lillard and Chari- ton, one to the Senate. Speaking of the prairies in this quarter of the State, Dr. Beck says: — The prairies, although generally fertile, are so very extensive, that they must for a great length of time, and perhaps forever, remain HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 109 wild and uncultivated; yet such is the enterprise of the Ameri- can citizens— such the immigration to the West, that it almost amounts to presumption to hazard an opinion on the subject. Perhaps before the expiration of ten years, instead of being bleak and deso- late, they may have been converted into immense grazing fields, cov- ered with herds of cattle. It is not possible, however, that the interior of the prairies can be inhabited ; for, setting aside the difficulty of obtaining timber, it is on other accounts unpleasant and uncom- fortable. In winter the northern and western blasts are excessively cold, and the snow is drifted like hills and mountains, so as to render it impossible to cross from one side to the other. In summer, on the contrary, the sun acting upon such an extensive surface, and the southerly winds, which uniformly prevail during this season, produce a degree of heat almost insupportable. It should not, by any means, be understood these objections apply to all the prairies. The smaller ones are not subject to these incon- veniences ; on the contrary, they are by far the most desirable and pleasant situations for settlement. There are those of this description-in the county of which we are treat- ing, surrounded by forests, and containing here and there groves of the finest timber, watered by beautiful running streams, presenting an elevated, rolling or undulating surface, and a soil rarely equaled in fertility. ‘¢THE RING TAILED ‘ PAINTER.’ ”’ In 1826 the first State Senator for the district composed of Ray and Clay was elected. Hitherto the district had been represented by Gen. Duff Green, of Howard. The successful candidate in 1826 was Martin Parmer (or Palmer), of Clay, who lived on Fishing river, in the southeastern part of the county. Parmer was a ‘‘statesman’’ somewhat of the David Crockett species, uneducated, illiterate and uncultivated, but possessing natural good sense, a considerable amount of shrewdness, and an acquaintanceship with the ways of the world. An incident that occurred during Palmer’s career as State Senator is thus described in Wetmore’s Gazetteer : — When the time approached for the meeting of the Legislature, Palmer loaded a small keel with salt on the Missuuri, above Harde- man’s plantation, and having taken the helm himself, manned the vessel with his son and a negro. Uniting, as he did, business and politics, while afloat on the river he stood astride of the tiller, with a newspaper in hand (not more than six weeks old), out of which he was spelling, with all his might, some of the leading points of a poli- tical essay. At this critical period the assemblyman was reminded by his vigilant son in the bow of the break of a ‘‘sawyer head.’’ ‘¢ Wait a minnit,’’ said he, *‘ until Ispell out this other crack-jaw ; it’s longer than the barrel of my rifle gun,’”’ but the current of the Mis- 110 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. souri was no respecter of persons or words, the river ‘‘ went ahead,”’ and the boat ran foul of the nodding obstruction, and was thrown on her beam ends. The next whirlpool turned her keel uppermost. The cargo was discharged into the bowels of the deep, and there his “ salt lost its savor.’? The negro, in a desperate struggle for life, swam for the shore, but the steersman, who, like a politician, determined to stick to the ship as he would to his party, as long as a timber or a fish floated, continued to keep uppermost. Having divested themselves of their apparel, to be in readiness for swimming, the father and son continued astride the keel, until the wreck was landed at the town of Franklin. Here the old hunter, who was a lean citizen, was kindly supplied by a stout gentleman with a suit of his own clothes, which hung, like the morals of the politician, rather loosely about him. The sufferers by shipwreck were invited into the habitation of a gentleman who dwelt near the shore on which they had been cast. While recounting their perils at the breakfast table, the lady, who was administering coffee, inquired of the politician if his little son had not been greatly alarmed. ‘*No, madam,”’ said he, ‘*I am a real ring-tail painter, and I feed all my children on rattlesnakes’ hearts, fried in painter’s grease. There are a heap of people that I would not wear crape for if they was to die before their time; but your husband, marm, I allow, had a soul as big asa court house. When we war floating, bottom uppermost (a bad situation for the people’s’ representative), past Hardeman’s garden, we raised the yell, like a whole team of bar-dog on a wild cat’s trail; and the black rascals on the shore, instead of coming to our assistance, only grinned up the nearest saplin, as if a buck possum had treed. Now, madam, I wish God Almighty’s yearthquakes would sink Hardeman’s d—ned planta- tion — begging your pardon for swearing madam, with my feet on your beautiful kiverlid here. May be you wouldent like me to spit on this kiverlid you have spread on the floor to keep it clean; I'll go to the door — we don’t mind putting anything over our puncheon floors. ‘‘The river, marm,’’ continued the guest, «‘I find is no respecter of persons, for I was cast away with as little ceremony, notwithstand- ing I am the people’s representative, as a stray bar-dog would be turned out of a city church; and upon this principle of Democratic liberty and equality it was that I told McNair, when I collared him and backed him out of the gathering at a shooting match, where he was likely to spoil the prettiest kind of a fight. ‘A Governor,’ said I, ¢ is no more in a fight than any other man.’ I slept with Mac. once, just to have it to say to my friends on Fishing river that I had slept with the Governor.”’ MISCELLANEOUS. A special session of the county court in June, 1822, was devoted to arranging for the collection of taxes. A levy of 50 per cent of the amount of the State tax was made for county purposes, and it was ie lt HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 111 ordered that ‘all taxes collected for county purposes be paid in gold or silver coin.’’ In August following, however, this order was rescinded, the court saying that they ‘‘ doubted the legality’ of making nothing but gold and silver receivable for taxes. The collec- tor was ordered to pay back what specie he had already received on the receipt of its equivalent in loan office or county certificates. At the August term, 1822, the court made an order for the erection of the first public structure built by the county. This was a ‘stray pen’’ or pound for the restraining of animals running at large under certain circumstances. It was 60 feet square, built of posts and rails, by Jonathan Reed, and cost the county $29 .872. Road commissioners, to lay off roads and allot hands to work the same, were appointed, viz.: For Fishing River township, John Hutchings and Thomas Officer; for Gallatin, John Thornton and James Gilmor. Chesley Woodward was’ appointed overseer of the road leading from Liberty to the prairie, ‘‘in the direction of Magill’s.”’ In November, 1822, Jesse Gilliam, the county collector, made his first report. The total tax list of the county was $142.773, and of this he had collected $140.271, leaving a delinquent list of but $2.50. What the delinquent list would have been had the court insisted on the payment of gold and silver can only be conjectured, but doubtless it would have been much larger. At this term the first guardians were appointed: Richard Linville and Thomas Frost were appointed guardians of Gilbert, Thomas, Josiah, Joshua, Benjamin, Polly, Aun and Hannah Frost, children under fourteen, of Elijah Frost, deceased. The county court was in session nine days in the year 1822. In November, 1824, the court appointed the first patrol, one company for the entire county, as follows: Captain, Leban Garrett ; privates, Claiborne Rice and Charles Magee. There were only enough slaves in the county at the time to justify the appointment of but this one company. The tax list in 1824 amounted to $225.523. Merchants in 1824 were Wm. Samuels & Co., Ely & Curtis, Hick- man & Lammes and Robert Hood. In February, 1825, six saloons or dram-shops and one billiard table were licensed in the county. The latter was charged $50 for the priv- ilege of running one year. Our first settlers were men like some of their descendants and loved their toddy. But while Clay county, in 1825, with a population of 4,000 had six saloons, in 1885, sixty years 112 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. later, with a population of nearly 20,000, she has not one saloon, and has not had for many years. In the fall of the previous year (1824) a road had been established through the county leading to ‘‘ the Council Bluffs,’’ and in the early spring of this year another was laid out from Liberty to the Missouri river, ‘‘at a certain blue bank.”’ Under an act of the Legislature, passed the previous session, the jus- tices of the peace of the county constituted the county court, and at the March term, 1825, there assembled at Liberty George Burnett and Sebron G. Sneed, Esqs., of Gallatin township, and George Huf- faker and Howard Averett, of Fishing River. They paid Benj. Simms ‘‘for repairing the court house and for furnishing benches’’ and also paid Nathaniel Patton, of Old Franklin, Howard county, for publishing in his paper, the Boone’s Lick Democrat, the receipts and expendi- tures of the county for the year 1824. At that time the Democrat was the paper published nearest to this county. Thornton Strother and Sebron G. Sneed were recommended to the Governor for commissions as justices of the peace of Gallatin town- ship, at the August term, this year. At this time Sneed’s house, in Liberty, was used to hold courts and elections in, and was called a court house. It is said that it was a vacant building owned by Judge Sneed. TOWNSHIP BOUNDARIES DEFINED — FORMATION OF LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. At the March term, 1825, Liberty township was created by the fol- lowing order of the county court : — a Ordered, That the following boundaries hereafter constitute the townships of this county : — All that part of this county which lies between the line dividing Ray and Clay counties to the sectional line running north and south, di- viding sections 9 and 10, in the tier of townships in range 31, be and constitute Fishing River township. All that part of the county which lies between said sectional line dividing sections 9 and 10, in townships 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, and 57, in range 31, to the first sectional line running north and south in range 32, be and constitute a new township, to be called and known as Liberty township. All of that part of the county which lies west of said sectional line dividing sections 1 and 2, in townships 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, and 57, in range 32, to the western boundary of the county constitute and hereafter be known and designated as Gallatin township. In the following August these boundaries were changed. The HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 113 western boundary of Fishing River was made the section line between sections 2 and 3, in range 31, which is now (1885) the eastern line of Liberty. The western boundary of Liberty was made the line be- tween sections 2 and 3, in range 32,a mile west of the present bound- ary of the township. Gallatin township comprised the western portion of the county. All the townships extended northward from the Missouri river to the northern boundary of the State. The previous year, at the August term, a petition was presented for the creation of Liberty township out of Gallatin, but the court refused to grant the prayer of the petitioners, saying: — * * * Upon consideration, it appears to the court that the signers to said petition, or a large majority of them, reside in or near to the town of Liberty, the county seat, and therefore can not labor under much inconvenience in consequence of the size of the township ; and it moreover appears that said petition, being presented so soon after the election, has been gotten up on improper grounds, and is, therefore, rejected. ROADS AND FERRIES IN 1825. In May a road was laid out from Liberty to Thornton’s ferry, on the Missouri, ‘‘ at or near the Blue bank.’’ Another from Liberty to the Missouri river, ‘‘ at the boat landing at the town of Gallatin.’’ Another from Liberty ‘‘to the mouth of the Kansas river.”’ In September Joseph Boggs was licensed to keep a ferry across the Missouri river, ‘‘from the bank near where Wyatt Adkins lives.’’ He was allowed to charge the following rates: ‘* For a loaded wagon and team, $2; empty wagon and team, $1.50; loaded cart and team, $1; fora dearborn and horses, or gig and horses, 624 cents; man and horse, 371 cents; single person, 183 cents; horses, each, 182 cents; sheep, hogs, and cattle, 3 cents each.’? In November Richard Lin- - Ville was licensed to keep a ferry on the Missouri, from a point in section 18, township 50, range 32, ‘‘where Louis Barthelette now lives,’’ a mile south of the present site of Moscow. Judge Linville was allowed to charge the same rates as Boggs. MISCELLANEOUS. In the spring of 1825 Philip Logan and Wm. Murray engaged in an affray, or fisticuff, one day, in Liberty, and were arrested and con- victed before Esq. Seron G. Sneed, who sentenced them to pay a fine and costs. Not having any money they were sent to Lillard county jail. When they had served ‘in gaol’’ a sufficient time to liquidate the fine they were released upon making oath that they were unable 114 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. to pay the costs and the county court ordered their release. Thomas Young, another convicted and imprisoned fighter, asked for his release, but the court said he should remain’in confinement ‘‘ the time pre- scribed by the verdict of the jury.’’ Logan and Murray were arrested the same summer charged with arson. Elections in 1825 were held: In Gallatin township, at Benj. Samp- son’s ; judges, Zadock Martin, Sr., Harmon Davis and Benj. Sampson. In Liberty, at the town; judges, John Evans, George Lincoln and John Bartleson. In Fishing River, at James Munker’s; judges, Wm. Miller, Thos. Officer and Jeremiah Rose. New merchants this year were Joshua Pallen and F. P. Chouteau, the latter a well known trader. This year, 1825, the county court records mention ‘*a meeting house, near Benj. Sampson’s,’’ in the southwest part of the county. COURT PROCEEDINGS IN 1826. In February, township 51, range 31, including Liberty and the country east and south for five or six miles, was incorporated as the Jirst school township in the county under the act of the Legislature of 1825. At the same session the court provided for a seal of the following design: ‘* Device—A plough and rake, with the sun immediately over the plough, the rays of which point in every direction.’’ The words: ‘* Seal of Clay county, Missouri,’’ were to be ‘* on the outer margin and circle.”’ In May the first steps were taken to build a court house; Wm. Averett was allowed $30 per year for the support of his insane son; and Abraham Lincoln (uncle of the ‘‘ martyr President’’), Reuben Tillery and Abraham Creek were appointed reviewers of a road from Liberty to Estes’ mill, on Fishing river. Elections were held this year in Gallatin township, «at the school house near Mr. Sampson’s, in said township ;’’ judges, Wm. Todd, Benj. Sampson and Hermon Davis. In Fishing River, at James Mun- ker’s ; judges, Peter Writesman, William Miller and Travis Finley. In Liberty, at the court house; judges, James E. Hale, John Evans and Samuel Tilford. This year Reuben Tillery, the county assessor, was twenty days in assessing the county. MISCELLANEOUS. Patrolers were appointed in 1827 as follows: In Fishing River township, Roland Starks, captain; Smith Story and Littleberry Sub- | 1 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 115 lette. In Gallatin, Hiram Fugate, captain; Robert Cain, John ‘Gumm, Daniel Hughes, John 8S. Mallott. In Liberty, Thos. Estes, captain ; David Lincoln, Lewis Scott, Robert Johnson. Their duties required them to patrol at last 24 hours in every month. The Legislature of 1827 repealed the law providing that the justices of the peace should be ex-officio county judges, and in June, pursuant to this act, the county court of Clay assembled, being composed of Elisha Camron, Samuel Tillery and Joel Turnham, all of whom pre- sented commissions signed by Gov. John Miller, appointing them county judges for a term of four years. The first deeds of emancipation were issued in 1828. In February Henry Estes emancipated ‘* Tom, a man of color,”’ and John Evans set free ‘* Sylvia, a woman of color.’’ In May Joseph Collett, who was himself a *‘ man of color,’’ but free, purchased and emancipated ‘‘ Hannah,’’ a slave woman, and her two children, ‘‘ America’’ and ‘¢ Kliza.”? Itis quite certain that the woman was or became Collet’s wife. In 1836 Collet and his wife were granted license to remain in the State as long as they should be of good behavior. No other cases of emancipation are recorded until 1834, when John Robidoux, the founder of the city of St. Joseph, gave freedom to one Jeffrey Dorney. The receipts of the county from all sources during the year 1829 were $1,231.39; the expenditures were $960.26. Wn. L. Smith, county clerk, resigned in January, 1831, and Wm. T. Wood (afterwards the distinguished lawyer and jurist of Lexing- ton) was appointed in his stead. David R. Atchison and Andrew S. Hughes were licensed to practice before the county court at this time. VALUATION OF PROPERTY IN 1829. Perhaps a definite idea of the value of personal property in Clay county in early days may be obtained from the appraisement of Ar- chibald Holtzclaw’s estate, in 1829, and the prices at. which the pro- perty was sold. Mr. Holtzclaw’s estate was very large and valuable, and his property was divided among his children at the following values : — Jincy, a crippled slave girl, 30 years old ; ‘ ; . $100 Anthony, Jincy’s child, 1 year old . 4 : : . 100 Susan, a slave, 14 years old . ‘ . ; ' ‘ . 3800 Henry, aslave, 13 years old . : : : : : . 3836 Isaac, a slave, 25 years old. é é ‘ ‘ ; . 450 George, a slave, 13 years old , ; ‘ s ‘ . 816 116 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. Other personal property had the following sworn values: A horse and side-saddle, $40; cow and calf, $7.50; sow and five pigs, $1.50; sheep, each, $1; a flax wheel, $3; a cotton wheel, $3; flag-bottomed chairs, 50 cents each; Bible and hymn-book, $1.50; skillet, $1.25; a good horse, $25. THE INDIAN ALARM OF 1828. In the summer of 1828 there was another Indian alarm in this county. Some white men up in what is now Clinton county had sold some whisky to a band of Iowa Indians. The latter became uproar- ‘jously drunk, and in the absence of a town, began to paint the prairies red. Of course, an alarm spread that the Indians were on the war- path, and were about to descend on the settlements in Clay. Capt. Wm. Stephenson, of near Liberty, at the head of 63 armed and mounted men set out at once for the scene of the reported troubles, intending, if the Indians were really advancing, to meet them at least half way. The men furnished their own horses, rifles, provisions and equipments. Some of the members of this company were Anthony Harsell, Alex. B. Duncan, Thos. Vaughan, Wm. Campbell and * Pelig’’ Ellington. The company was organized at Liberty, and rendezvoused the first night out at John Owens’, three miles north of Smithville. From thence it went up on Big Platte — being accompanied by Gen. Andrew S. Hughes — then north of where Plattsburg now stands, and over on to Crooked river; from here it went as far back as the waters of Grand river, and then turned back and returned home, after an ab- sence of 14 days. Notan Indian wasseen. The men were afterwards declared to be entitled to 40 acres of land each for their services. About the same time Capt. Leonard Searcy, the well known tavern- keeper of Liberty, took out a company for the protection of the can- tonment and garrison at Fort Leavenworth. This company, like Stephenson’s, accomplished nothing but the fatigue of its members and their loss of time. On its return it encountered a band of 15 peaceable, friendly Iowa Indians and brought them to Liberty, where they were released. An incident that occurred during the stay of these Indians in Lib- erty is remembered by some of the old pioneers, as it was one in- stance wherein an Indian ‘< played off’’ on a white man, Mr. Gill E. Martin, a young son of old Zadock Martin, being the victim. The In- dians were excessively fond of sugar, and were known to consume inordinate quantities when they could get it. HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 117 Young Martin accosted a strapping ‘‘ buck,’’ and told him that if he would eat three pounds of sugar he would buy it for him. With extravagant demonstrations of joy and delight, the Indian accepted the proposition, and Martin bought the sugar. The savage set to work with great gusto and ate handful after handful. Martin and some companions stood watching him, eagerly awaiting the time when the limit of his appetite should be reached, and he should become first satiated and then sickened. But when the Indian had eated a pound or so, he coolly wrapped up the remainder and thrusting it under his blanket and prepared to take hisleave. ‘* Hold on!’’ exclaimed Martin, ‘* you agreed to eat ail of the sugar — stand to your bargain, sir!’’ With something of a shrewd look the ‘‘ untutored savage’’ rejoined: ‘‘Ugh! All right — me eat him all— maybe some to-day — maybe some to-morrow — maybe some one odder day —Injun no lie—me eat him al] — good-by !”’ CHAPTER IU. HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1830 TO 1840. General Sketch of the County from 1830 to 1840— Early Days in Clay County — The Deep Snow of 1880 — Building the First Court House — The First Jail — During the Black Hawk War— Origin of the Platte Purchase — The ‘‘Hetherly War ’’ — Clay County in 1836 — The Mormon War. GENERAL SKETCH OF THE COUNTY FROM 1830 To 1840. In about 1830 steamboats began to make regular trips from St. Louis up the Missouri as high as Liberty Landing, and occasion- ally a boat laden with government freight ascended as high as Ft. Leavenworth, or even up to Council Bluffs. Landings were estab- lished at divers available points on the river in this county. Col. Shubael Allen established a landing on his plantation in about 1830. He had a licensed warehouse and near by Wm. Yates had a ferry in the spring of 1831. In the fall of 1831 Col. Allen obtained the ferry, and operated it from his warehouse. One informed on the subject thus writes of Allen’s Landing in the Missouri volume of the U.S. Biographical Dictionary, p. 813 :— From 1829 until Col. Allen’s death (1841), Allen’s Landing was the main point of exit and entrance of nearly all the business and travel of Northwest Missouri, in its communication with the outer world by the river, and hence there were visible at that point a degree of activity anda multitude of commercial transactions utterly unknown in these days of the degeneracy of the river traffic in Missouri. It was alsu for many years the starting point of a large number of the employ sof the American Fur Company in their expeditions to the plains and mountains of the.great Northwest. The scene presented annually on the assemblage of these employes— embracing, as it did, swarthy French voyageurs; tall, half-breed Indians, straight as arrows, and dressed in wild garbs; the display of arms of all kinds, the tents scattered over the lawn, the picketed animals, the many-colored gar- ments — this scene was unique, semi-barbarous, but animated and highly picturesque. Liberty Landing, in the boating season, was a point of some activity. Joel Turnham built a tobacco warehouse here in the winter of 1830- 31, and had it licensed in February of the latter year ; James Rob- erts was inspector. A great deal of freight was shipped from St. (118) Oe, Sees HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 119 Louis to this landing, and a great many passengers were landed here from the boats—— emigrants and prospectors. In November, 1831, Aaron Overton had a ferry at Overton’s Cross- ing. Shrewsbury Williams operated one in 1832, and Samuel Gragg established one in the spring of 1833. Col. Allen’s ferry was suc- ceeded by Fielding McCoy’s. Some of the grocers in the city in 1834 were S. & A. S. Ringo, Shubael Allen, Charles Carthrae, Abraham Croysdale, George Wallis, J. &R. Aull, and Arthur, Turnham & Stephens. The Big Shoal meeting-house was built in 1835, and is mentioned in the county records of 1836. The first public bridge, that is, built by authority of the county, was erected across Fishing river, at the crossing of the State road, in the spring of 1836. Reuben Long, Solomon Fry and Littleberry Sublette were the commissioners. Soon after, another bridge was built by the county across a small branch near Uriel Cave’s, on the Big Lick road; but as it cost but $37 it could not have bSen a very elaborate or important structure. To be sure, there were other bridges prior to these, but they were built by private subscriptions. As the county was now pretty well settled, and roads were nearly as numerous as now, it became necessary to systematize the matter of establishing new roads and keeping them in repair. In February, 1836, the county court divided the county into 42 road districts, and appointed overseers. The nearness of Fort Leavenworth to the county and the desire for military life, induced some of our young men to Visit the barracks and enlist in the regular army. They imagined, from what they could see from the service, that the life of a soldier was one of smart uniforms, dress parades, and an easy time generally, with $8 a month and ‘board, clothes, and doctor’s bills.’’ Some of them who en- listed soon grew disgusted and desperate at the drudging, menial life they were compelled to lead, and deserted. Others sought to back gracefully out. In March, 1836, our county court took upon itself the responsibility of ordering one Charles D. Stout discharged forthwith from the U. S. service! Whether or not the military authorities obeyed the order can not here be stated. Daniel Ferrill volunteered in Capt. Sconce’s Ray county company, in 1837, and served in the Florida War. It is believed that two or three more Clay county men enlisted with Ferrill. The population of the county in 1830 was 5,338; in 1836, it was 8,533. 3 120 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. The following were the post-offices and their respective postmasters in the county in 1836: Liberty, John Hendly; Barry, P. Flemming ; Elm Grove, James Duncan; Platte, W. Turner. The vote for President in this county in 1832 can not here be given, but in 1836 it stood: For Van Buren, Democrat, 347; for Harrison and Hugh M. White, Whigs, 282. «‘An old resident ’’ writing in the Tribune, in 1859, thus mentions the first Sunday-school in the county : — In contrast with the present public opinion of the county, I will re- late the history of the first Sunday-school established in Liberty. At the request of an aged minister of the gospel, I had purchased some Sunday-school books in Philadelphia, and when they arrived a school was opened in the court-house, and I consented to be one of the teachers. The news spread over the county. that such an institution was established, and that I had taken part in it. Several of my friends advised me to quit — that it was calculated to ‘‘ unite church and State,’’ and that I would lose my custom if I persisted. I did quit, and Ahe school soon broke up, the old minister not being able to procure help to carry it on. Intercourse with Fort Leavenworth was frequent and quite intimate. Many parties, balls, and merry-makings in Liberty were participated in by Gen. Bennett Riley, Lieutenants Nate, Cady, Cooke, Walters, Wickliffe, and others. Liberty was noted for its dancing parties, which were frequently attended by excursionists from Lexington, Richmond, Independence and Leavenworth. In 1834, Gen. A. S. Hughes brought to Liberty the old Indian chief, White Cloud, and his daughter, Sally. They attended a party at Leonard Searcy’s tavern, and the next morning Miss Sally purchased a new leghorn bonnet, trimmed with flaming red ribbon. Her father bought for himself a fur hat, with the crown 15 inches bigh, but with a narrow brim. The father and his daughter paraded the streets in their new clothes, proud of their new acquisitions, and the observed of all observers. EARLY DAYS IN CLAY COUNTY. A writer in the Liberty Tribune of December 19, 1846, under the head of ‘* Clay County 17 Years Ago,’’ thus narrates certain incidents in the early history of this county. Who this writer was can not here be stated, as he signed himself ‘* Old Settler,’’ and his name can not now be identified : — In the month of December, 1829, I saw for the first time the county of Clay and the town of Liberty. I remember it well. I entered the HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 121 county by the way of Meek’s (then Jack’s) ferry, and I had not rid- den more than a mile or two before I saw an opossum, and I got off my horse and killed it. What changes have taken place since that day! The whole Platte country was then inhabited by the Iowa, Sac and Fox Indians; there were only one or two families in what are now Clinton, DeKalb, Gen- try, Caldwell, Daviess and Harrison counties. Clay county was the ultima thule of Western emigration, and Liberty was regarded as the very paradise of Western towns. Compared to the neighboring towns it was so, for Richmond, Lexington and Independence scarcely de- served the name of towns, and Plattsburg was not then in existence. In these days Liberty was a thriving town. It was the headquarters of the Upper Missouri, and Liberty Landing was the head of naviga- tion, except that occasionally steamboats would go up to Fort Leaven- worth. There was no warehouse then at our landing. The arrival of a boat was announced by the firing of a cannon four or five miles below, and by the time it reached Col. Allen’s all the merchants would be there, as well as half the town and neighborhood. Freight was high but money was plenty, and everybody thought that there was no such a place as Clay county. The thought of ever being in want of a mar- ‘ket for the surplus productions of the county never once entered into any of our minds. The change is wonderful in this and the surrounding country since 1829. The Indians have left the Platte country, and now there are at least three counties in-it that contain as heavy a population as Clay, viz.: Buchanan, Platte and Andrew. In 1830 an election for Senator, Representative and sheriff took place. I attended a muster at Judge Elisha Cameron’s and heard the candidates speak. Jacksonism at that time was in its zenith, and rode over everything else. A candidate had but little else to say besides de- claring himself ‘‘a Jackson man.’’ That was enough to defeat the best men who were opposed to Jackson. Irecollect the speech of the famous ‘“« Neal’’ G [Cornelius Gilliam] at the muster above spoken of. He was a candidate for sheriff and of course was elected. He mounted a big elm log and said : — ‘* Fellow-citizens —I am a- Jackson man up to the hub. I have killed more wolves and broke down more nettles than any man in Clay county. Iam a candidate for sheriff, and I want your votes.”’ He then dismounted, and a ‘** Hurrah for Neil ’’ was given by the crowd. In 1832 the Jackson spell was somewhat broken, as the Clay men succeeded in electing the lamented Woodson J. Moss to the Leg- islature, along with Col. Thornton. The Whigs have been in the ascendancy ever since. THE DEEP SsNow OF 1830-31. October 29, 1830, the memorable ‘‘ deep snow ’’ commenced fall- ing, covering the ground to a depth of 20 inches on the level, and drifting in many places twelve feet deep. A week or so afterwards 122 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. another snow fell of about the same depth, and actually covering the ground, without drifting, to a depth of two feet in most places. January 3, 1831, another snow fell, which added to that already on the ground made a depth of nearly three feet. The situation may be imagined. Travel was almost impossible. The few roads were blocked, and no one pretended to go abroad except on horseback. In a short time there came a thaw, then a freeze, the latter forming a crust through which the deer would break, while wolves and dogs passed over in safety. Large numbers of deer and turkey perished, and could be caught with but little difficulty. The snow lasted till the first of March following, when it went off with a warm rain, and there were great floods resultant. The season of 1831 was unfavorable for the settlers of this county. Corn was the chief staple then raised — the principal de- pendence of the people — and the corn crop of that year was a failure. Much of it was planted late, and the season turned out backward and cool and the summer was full of east winds. At last, in August there came a frost, ‘‘a killing frost,’’ and nipped the corn so severely that it did not ripen. The grains were so imperfectly developed that but few of them would germinate and the next spring seed corn was very scare and very dear. Certain vegetables were also injured by the frost, and to many the situation was actually distressing. BUILDING THE FIRST COURT-HOUSE. Up to 1828 there was no attempt made to build a court-house for the county. There was no money in the treasury to build a suit- able one, nor could a sufficient amount be raised by taxation, within a reasonable time, on the property then inthe county. In May, 1826, Enos Vaughan was allowed $4.50 ‘* as commissioner of the court- house and jail,’? but it does not appear what services he per- formed. Temporary houses in which the courts were held were rented of John Owens and John Thornton up to 1828, and afterwards of Stephen A. St. Cyr, J. T. V. Thompson and others. In May, 1838, Wm. L. Smith, who as county commissioner had superseded Wm. Powe, Henry Estes and Wyatt Adkins, was authorized to contract for 100,000 bricks, and also for digging the foundation in the center of the public square, ‘* 44 feet 4 inches square from out to out.”’ A large portion of the expense of building the house was borne by the citizens. In May, 1829, when Commissioner Wm. L. Smith re- signed, he had expended $672.11, of which sum $415.11 had been HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 123 subscribed by the people. Joel Turnham succeeded Smith, and let the contract for laying the brick and for the greater portion of the wood work. The architect of the building was Judge George Burnet. The work dragged along until in May, 1831, when Richard C. Stephens was appointed commissioner, and it was under his super- vision that the work was finally completed. Although some of the lower rooms were occupied in 1831, it was not until the spring of 1833 that the entire building, plastering, furnishing, etc., was finished. Joseph Bright did the carpenter work for $694.50; the lathing and plastering were done by John Dyke, Hezekiah Riley and Robert Bur-- den. The tables were made by George C. Hall. The court-house was of brick, two stories high. The first story was 14 feet and the second nine feet ‘‘in the clear.’’ It was well lighted and had four doors or entrances on the ground floor, one at each cardinal compass pvint. As it was erected before the days of heating stoves the rooms were warmed by fire places, at least for many years. In 1836 lightning rods were placed upon it. This building was burned down in 1857, standing about 25 years, and was replaced by the present handsome, commodious and valuable structure. In May, 1836, the public square was enclosed by post and square- rail fence, the rails being set in the posts ‘‘ diamond position.’’ There were four gates in the center of the four sides opposite each door of the court-house, and two stone steps led up to each gate. THE FIRST JAIL. For about ten years after its organization Clay county had no jail, or gaol, as it was commonly called. Prisoners were sent to the Lil- lard or Jackson county jail for safe keeping. In April, 1833,1 our county court let a contract to Solomon Fry for the building of the substantial stone structure still standing in Liberty. Elisha Camron was commissioner. The building was completed and ordered paid for the following December, and it is said that it cost less than $600. DURING THE BLACK HAWK WAR. Details of the Black Hawk War, which broke out in Wisconsin in the spring of 1832, between the whites and the Sacs, Foxes and Win- nebago Indians, belong to other histories. It is only with the part ! By a misprint the sketch in the County Atlas says 1823. 124 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. of that war with which Clay county was concerned that these pages have to deal. ; The news that the war had broken out reached here in due season. Various circumstances contributed to form a belief on the part of many prominent men well versed in the characteristics of the savages that a general Indian uprising from the Lakes to Mexico was imminent. In this part of Missouri many of the people were acquainted with the Sacs and Foxes and knew that they were formidable enemies if they once went on the war path. Knowledge ef the events taking place in Wisconsin and Illinois coming to the people of this county, there was considerable alarm and apprehension. Some of the more adventurous of the early settlers who had pushed out on the frontiers into where is now Clinton county, retired in good order to this county, fearing that the Indians would swoop down upon them from Iowa unawares and leave none to tell the tale. Fearing for the northern frontier and the settlements in this and other portions of the State, Gov. John Miller early adopted precau- tionary measures. About, the 10th of May, 1832, he ordered the generals commanding the Missouri militia to warn the members of their commands ‘‘to keep in readiness a horse, with the necessary equipments, a rifle in good order, with an ample supply of ammuni- tion,’’ etc. On the 25th of May, 1832, he ordered Maj.-Gen. Richard Gentry, of Columbia, to raise, without delay, one thousand volun- teers for the defense of the frontiers of the State, to be in readiness to start at a moment’s warning. Accordingly, on the 29th of May, 1832, orders were issued by Gen. Gentry to Brig.-Gens. Benjamin Means, commanding the seventh, Jonathan Riggs, eighth, and Jesse T. Wood, ninth brigade, third division, to raise the required quota, the first named 400, and each of the last 300 men. Two companies of militia belonging to Gentry’s division — a com- pany from Pike county, commanded by Capt. Mudd, and a company from Ralls county, under Capt. Richard Matson, were sent to the northeastern border of the State about the Ist of July. Accordingly, Capt. Matson’s company set out for the northern part of the State, and after some days of scouting and marching reached a point eight miles from the Chariton river, in what is now Schuyler county, and began the erection of a fort, which, in honor of the cap- tain of their company, the Ralls county men named Fort Matson.. This fort commanded what was then known as the Chariton river trail, which led from Iowa down to the settlements near Kirksville. Three years before — that is to say, in 1829—a party of Iowa Indians had HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 125 made a raid on these settlements and killed a number of men and two women. It was believed that should the Indians come into the State one line of invasion would be over the Chariton trail, and in that event Fort Matson was designed as the first formidable obstacle they would encounter. The Pike county company marched to the extreme northeastern part of the State, and built a fort ten miles from the mouth of the Des Moines river, within the present limits of Clark county; this fort, in honor of their county, Capt. Mudd’s men called Fort Pike. The two companies were kept pretty busy for some weeks scouting, picket- ing and fort building, but not fighting, for they saw no hostile Indians. These companies were afterward relieved by Capt. Jamison’s and Hickman’s companies of Callaway and Boone respectively, as narrated on page 53 of this volume, which see for a summary of the events that took place in the northeastern portion of the State.1 Coming now to the part taken in the Black Hawk War by Clay county, it may be stated that two companies, commanded by Capts. Geo. Wallis and Smith Crawford, took the field in August. Craw- ‘ford’s company was from the northern and northeastern portions of the county ; Wallis’ was from Liberty and the adjacent neighbor- hoods. Each company numbered about 60 men, who were all mounted, and every man furnished his own horse, arms, ammunition, and rations. The battalion was under command of Col. Shubael Allen, who marched it northeast into the Grand river country, scouting that region thoroughly. From Grand river the battalion went westward to the boundary line, down which they marched to near Smithville, and came back by way of that village to Liberty, which they reached after an absence of 32 days. Not a hostile Indian, or, indeed, no Indians of any sort, were encountered on the entire march, which was void of interesting adventure or incident worth mention. Mr. Anthony Harsell is now the only survivor of the Black Hawk War expedition from Clay county, known tothe compiler, and from him much of the information contained in this article has been obtained. ORIGIN OF THE PLATTE PURCHASE. The accomplishment, in 1836, of what is known as the *‘ Platte Pur- chase,’’ deserves especial mentionin a history of Clay county, because 1 NoTtE.—By an omission, too late to be corrected, no mention is made on pages 53-54 of the only real important services performed by Missouri militia during the Black Hawk War —those performed by Capts. Matson’s and Mudd’s companies —and 80 they are inserted in the history of Clay county. , 126 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. it was in this county that the idea of the acquisition of that purchase originated, and where the plans for the same were fully matured. Moreover it was Clay county men who carried out these plans. As Col. Switzler, in his History of Missouri says, many intelligent citizens of Missouri have often propounded the inquiry, without having it answered, — When, where, and by whom was the suggestion first made that Missouri, a State already among the largest in territorial area in the Union, should extend her boundary so as to embrace what is now known as the ‘ Platte Purchase?’’ The idea originated in the summer of 1835, at a regimental militia muster at Weekley Dale’s farm, three miles north of the town of Liberty, in Clay county. After the morning parade and during recess for dinner, the citizens present were organized into a mass meeting, which was addressed, umong others, by Gen. Andrew S. Hughes, who came to Clay from Montgomery county, Kentucky, in 1828, and who soon afterwards was appointed Indian agent by President John Quincy Adams. Gen. Hughes was a lawyer by profession, a gentleman of acknowledged ability, and in wit and sarcasm almost the equal of John Randolph.} At this meeting, and in this public address, he proposed the acquisi- tion of the Platte country; and the measure met with such emphatic approval that the meeting proceeded at once, by the appointment of a committee, to organize an effort to accomplish it. The committee was composed of the following distinguished citizens: William T. Wood, afterwards judge of the Lexington circuit; David R. Atchison, ex- United States Senator; A. W. Doniphan, too well known to be men- tioned more fully; Peter H. Burnett, afterwards Governor, and one of the supreme judges of California, and Edward M. Samuel, after- wards president of the Commercial Bank in St. Louis, and who died there in September, 1869, —all of them, at the time of the appoint- ment of this committee, residents of Clay county. An able memorial to Congress was subsequently drafted by Judge Wood, embracing the facts and considerations in behalf, of the mea- sure, which all the committee signed, and it was forwarded to our Senators and Representatives at Washington. Pursuant to the prayer of this memorial, in 1836, a bill was intro- duced into Congress by Senator Benton, and ardently supported by his colleague, Senator Linn, namely, an act to extend the then exist- ing boundary of the State so as to include the triangle between the ex- 1 General Andrew S. Hughes died while attending court at Plattsburg, Missouri, December 14, 1843, aged 54 years. HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 127 isting line and the Missouri river, then a part of the Indian Territory, now comprising the counties of Atchison, Andrew, Buchanan, Holt, Nodaway and Platte, and known as the ‘ Platte Purchase.’’ The difficulties encountered were threefold: 1. To make still larger a State which was already one of the largest in the Union. 2. To make atreaty with the Sac and Fox tribes of Indians whereby they were to be removed from lands which had but recently been assigned to them in perpetuity. 38. To alter the Missouri Compromise line in relation to slave territory and thereby convert free into slave soil. Notwith- standing these difficulties, the two first mentioned serious, and the last formidable, the act was passed and the treaties negotiated, and in 1837, the Indians removed west of the Missouri river, thus adding to our State a large body of the richest land in the world. THE ‘‘ HETHERLY WAR.’’ * In the summer of 1836 occurred in Northern Missouri certain inci- dents known in the aggregate as the ‘‘ Hetherly War.’’ With these incidents it is proper to deal in this volume, since two companies of volunteers from Clay county took part in the war, and at the time the entire population was greatly excited and at times apprehensive. From the official records of Carroll county, from the statements of living witnesses, and from other sources of information, it is learned that in the spring of this year a band of desperadoes, robbers and thieves lived in that part of Carroll county known as the Upper Grand river country, and now included in Mercer and Grundy counties. This band had for its principal members a family named Hetherly, from Kentucky, composed of the following persons: Geo. Hetherly, Sr., the father; Jenny Hetherly, the mother; John Hetherly, Alfred Hetherly, George Hetherly, Jr., and James Hetherly, the sons, and Ann Hetherly, the daughter. The Hetherlys lived far out on the frontier, and their cabin was a rendezvous for hard characters of all sorts. The antecedents of the family were bad. Old George Hetherly was regarded as a thief in Kentucky, and Mrs. Hetherly was a sister to the notorious Kentucky murderers and freebooters, Big and Little Harpe. The women of the family were prostitutes, and the men were believed to be villians of the hardest sort. One of Mrs. Hetherly’s children was a mulatto, whose father was a coal black negro, that accompanied the family from Kentucky to Missouri. Bad as they were, however, the Hetherlys were perhaps not as black as they were painted, and many crimes were attributed to them of which, in all probability, they were innocent. 128 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. Living with the Hetherlys as boarders, visitors or. employes, were three or four young men whose reputations were none of the best, and who had doubtless drifted westward from the older States as they fled from the officers of the law from crimes committed. Old Mrs. Hetherly is said to have been the leading spirit of the gang, prompting and planning many a dark deed, and often assisting in its execution. Tales were told of the sudden and utter disappear- ance of many a land hunter and explorer, who visited the Upper Grand river country and was last seen in the neighborhood of the Hetherly house. These stories may or may not have been true, but all the same they were told, and gradually gained credence. Early in the month of June, 1836, a hunting party of the Iowa In- dians from southern Iowa came down on the east fork of Grand river on a hunting expedition. As soon as the Hetherlys heard of the proximity of the Indians they resolved to visit their camp, steal what horses they could, and carry them down to the river counties and sell them. Taking with them James Dunbar, "Alfred Hawkins, and a man named Taylor, the four Hetherlys visited the scene of the Iowas’: hunting operations and began to steal the ponies and horses which had been turned out to graze. Fortune favored them and they managed to secure quite a lot of ponies, and escaped with them to the forks of Grand river. Here they were overtaken by a pursuing party of the Towas, who demanded a return of their property. The demand not being either refused or instantly complied with, the Indians opened fire on the thieves. The first volley killed Thomas. Other shots being fired, the Hetherly gang retreated, leaving the ponies in the hands of their rightful owners. Woon the defeat of their scheme the Hetherlys returned home, and began consulting among themselves as to the best course to pursue under the circumstances. Being much alarmed lest the Indians should give information of the affair to the whites and have the true story believed, it was resolved to anticipate a visit to the whites on the river, and go first themselves and tell a tale of their own. Dunbar had for some time shown symptoms of treachery to the party,’ or rather of a desire to break away from his evil associations. Soon after he was murdered and his body found. In a day or two the Hetherlys made their appearance in the settle- ments raising an alarm that the Indians were in the country murdering and robbing, and claimed that they had killed Dunbar and other white men in the Upper Grand river country. The news was at first be- lieved, and there was great excitement throughout the country.’ A HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 129 part of the story — that the Indians were in the country — was known to be true, and the rest was readily believed. Carriers were sent to Ray, Clay and Clinton, and the people were thoroughly aroused. Gen. B. M. Thompson, of Ray, commanding the militia forces in the district, ordered out several companies, and at the head of a regi- ment from Ray,’ and Carroll moved rapidly to the scene of the re- ported troubles. The whole country north of Carroll county was thoroughly scoured. An advance scouting party penetrated the sec- tion of country where the Indians were, visited their camp and found them quiet and perfectly peaceable, and wondering at the cause of the visit of so many white men in arms. Two companies from Clay were ordered out by Gen. Thompson. These were commanded by Capts. Wallis and Crawford, the same who had led the Clay militia in the Black Hawk War. Campbell’s Gazet- _teer states that one of these companies was the ‘+ Liberty Blues,’’ com- manded by David R. Atchison, but W. A. Breckenridge, who belonged to Wallis’ company, assures the writer that the ‘* Blues ’’ were not out.? The battalion, numbering about 150 men, was again commanded by Col. Shubael Allen. There accompanied the militia some volunteers, among whom were A. W. Doniphan and O. P. Moss. Obedient to orders Col. Allen marched his battalion almost due north, nearly along the then western boundary of the State to a point in what is now DeKalb county, and then turned east to the reported scene of the troubles. This was done to discover whether or not there was a movement of the savages from that quarter or to flank the supposed hostile band reported to be advancing down Grand river. The first night on the march after leaving the county, Col. Allen’s battalion encamped at Joel Burnam’s, in the southwest corner of Clin- ton county, near where Union Mills or Edgerton now stands. Here 30 or 40 Indians, Sacs and Iowas, were encountered on a hunting ex- pedition, all friendly. Col. Allen held -a council with them — it is not clear why. During the deliberations he stated to the savages that they would do well not to go on the war-path against the whites, whose soldiers, he assured.them, ‘‘ outnumbered the blades of grass on all these prairies ! ’’ Arriving at Grand river the battalion crossed and encamped one Sunday on its banks. No trouble of any sort was encountered. 1 The two companies from Ray were commanded by Capts. Matthew P. Long and Wm. Pollard. ? Gen. Atchison himself, in a letter to the writer, corroborates this statement. 130 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. After thorough examination and investigation of the situation and the circumstances, Gen. Thompson became perfectly satisfied that the Indians were not and had not been hostile— were innocent of the offenses alleged against them, but, on the contrary, had been preyed upon by the Hetherly gang inthe manner heretofore described. After consultation the officers returned the men to their homes and disbanded them, and the great scare was over. The Clay county men marched to Liberty, via where Haynesville and Kearney now are. The depredations and crimes alleged against the Indians were now traced directly to the Hetherlys. A warrant for their arrest was is- sued, and July 17, Sheriff Lewis N. Rees, of Carroll county (yet living), with a strong posse, apprehended them, and their preliminary examination came off before Squire Jesse Newlin, who then lived at Knavetown, now Spring Hill, Livingston county. The examination attracted great attention and lasted several days. The result was that the accused were found to be the murderers, either as principals or accessories, of James Dunbar. There was strong talk of lynching them, but on the 27th of July they were given into the custody of the sheriff of Ray county for safe keeping, until the October term of the circuit court. Old man Hetherly, his wife, and their daughter, Ann, were released on bail. October 27, 1836, in obedience to a writ of habeas corpus, issued by Judge John F. Ryland, in vacation, the sheriff of Ray county brought into the circuit court, at Carrollton, the old man, George Hetherly, his wife, Jenny Hetherly, their sons, George, Jr., John, Alfred and James Hetherly, and Alfred Hawkins, all charged with the murder of James Dunbar. The accused were returned to the custody of the sheriff. The grand jury found bills of indictment against the Hetherlys, and a separate indictment against Alfred Hawkins. Austif? A. King took his seat on the bench, as judge of the circuit, in the room of Jadge Ryland, at this term. Thos. C. Birch was circuit attorney, but hav- ing been of counsel for the accused in the preliminary examination, was discharged from the duties imposed upon him by the law in this case, and Amos Rees was appointed by the court special prose- cutor. On Tuesday, March 7, 1837, John Hetherly was acquitted. There being no sufficient jail in Carroll county, the Hetherlys were sent to the Lafayette county jail, and Hawkins to the jail of Chariton county, for safe keeping. Bills to the amount of $530 were allowed certain partiesfor guarding the prisoners. HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 131 It being apparent to the prosecutor that no conviction could be had of the Hetherlys, nor of Hawkins, unless some of his fellow-criminals would testify against him, at the July term, 1837, before Judge King, a nolle pros. was entered against the Hetherlys, and they were dis- charged. Whereupon Hawkins was placed on trial, and the Hetherlys testified against him. He was ably and vigorously defended by his counsel, who induced some of the jury to believe that the Hetherlys themselves were the guilty parties, and the result was, that the jury disagreed, and were discharged. At the November term 1837, Hawkins was again tried, at Carroll- ton, and this time convicted of murder in the first degree, and sen- tenced to death. The sentence was afterwards commuted to twenty _years in the penitentiary, whither he was taken, but, after serving about two years of his time, he died, and thus terminated ‘the Hetherly War.’’ What eventually became of the Hetherly family is not known. < CLAY COUNTY IN 1836. The following description of Clay county in 1836 is from Wetmore’s Gazetteer of Missouri, published in 1837 : — This county, on the left bank of the Missouri river, is bounded on the south by it and west by the old State line, which is now changed by the addition of the territory recently acquired by Missouri. When the State was admitted into the Union, there was not a house in Clay county.1 It is now one of the best settled tracts of country in Mis- souri or elsewhere. The high cultivation of the numerous and large farms, the substantial buildings, and the tasteful arrangements about the domiciles of the old settlers, would lead the visitor to suppose, if he were governed by appearance, that he was in the heart of the best settlements of one of the older States. The pioneers who explored this region of country found the land so rich and the face of the country so attractive, that swarms of good citizens of Kentucky and elsewhere poured in, and the county was speedily settled and densely populated. Great wealth was carried to the country, and more has been acquired by the enterprise and indus- try of the inhabitants. They have not failed to avail themselves of the advantages presented in the frontier market, which they enjoy in common with their neighbors of Jackson county. This market the settlers of Clay at first enjoyed exclusively, having been cultivators before any settlements were made in Jackson. The people of Clay have not complained of having too much prairie ; and it is probable a larger proportion would have been ad- 1 This is an error so palpable that it is a matter of wonderment how Wetmore made it. In 1821 there were a number of houses in this county. — Compiler. 132 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. vantageous. They have, however, the fashion of making prairie, where there is any deficiency, with the Knous' or Collins axes. The timber of Clay is good, and the county abundantly supplied with a variety of oak, black walnut and black ash. The bee hunters (a peo- ple rather less industrious than the insects which they destroy) have made sad havoc with the timber of Missouri. [?] They go ahead of the settler, and find honey in the tops of the tallest trees in the forests. These are necessarily felled to obtain the honey; and thus some of the best timber on the public lands is destroyed. Where the bee hunter is followed up by the tanner, much additional waste is committed on the public domain. But, after all these depredations, enough generally remains for all the purposes of the farmer; and heavy log-rollings are common occurrences. Fields of corn filled with bare and leafless trees are found in various parts of the county, and are among the surplus possessions of the farmers of Clay, as well as their countrymen of other counties. The inhabitants of Clay are at present dependent upon the Kast fork of the Platte and Fishing river and some smaller mill-streams for their water power. But when the great mill gites on the main branch of Little Platte shall be improved, the western part of the county will be happily situated for milling facilities. These sites are in the territory recently acquired by the State. Limestone and sand- stone abound in Clay, and the ‘lost stone’’ is used for milling pur- poses in ordinary or country work milling. There are eleven grist mills that are run with water power in Clay, which are not suflicient for grinding bread stuffs for all the inhabitants of the county, and horse-mills are therefore still in use. There is likewise a steam mill a few miles from Liberty, on the Missouri river. THE MORMON WAR.’ In 1832 the Mormons, under their Prophet, Joe Smith, came into Jackson, where the previous year large tracts of land had been en- tered and purchased for their benefit, and began to occupy and possess the land, with the intention, as they said, of remaining for ‘‘all time.’’ But their years in that land were few and full of trouble. They were in constant collision with their Gentile neighbors, who frequently tied them up and whipped them with cowhides and hickory switches, derided their religion, boycotted them where they did not openly persecute them, and at last engaged in a deadly encounter with them, tarred and feathered their bishop, threw their printing press into the river, and finally drove them from their homes and out of the county. 1 The Knous axes were made by Nathan Knous & Sons, of Fayette, Howard county. 2 See pages 54-57. HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 133 Affrighted and terror-stricken, many of the Mormons took refuge in Clay. Every vacant cabin in the south half of the county was occu- pied by the fugitives. Many of them among the men obtained em- ployment with the farmers ; some of the women engaged as domestics, and others taught school. A few heads of families were able to and did purchase land and homes, but the majority rented. The Clay county citizens received them kindly, ministered to their wants and rendered them so many favors that to this day, away out in Salt Lake, the old Mormons hold in grateful remembrance the residents of the county of 1834-36.! The Jackson county people were indignant at the reception given the Mormons by the citizens of Clay, and stigmatized some of our people as ‘‘ Jack Mormons,’’ aterm yet used. On one occasion a delegation of eleven Jackson county citizens, led by Maj. Sam. Owens and James Campbell, came over to Liberty to hold a council with the Gentile citizens and Mormons of Clay in regard to the lands from which the Mormons had been driven. The title to these lands was in the hands of the Mormons, but the Gentiles wished to extinguish it by purchase, if it could-be obtained at their — the Gentiles’ — price. Accordingly they offered the Mormons an insignificant sum for their lands and farms, many of which were already in possession of certain citizens of Jackson, but this offer was refused. The Clay county people generally indorsed the refusal. Returning home that night, in great ill humor with their neighbors on this side of the river, the delegation of Jackson met with a sad misfortune. As they were crossing the river at Ducker’s ferry, when about the middle of the river the boat sank and five of them were 1 An old citizen of Independence has recently published in the Kansas City Journal an interesting article on the Mormon troubles in Jackson county. One paragraph of this article is as follows: — True history, however, must record the fact that the deluded followers of the so- called prophet, Joseph Smith, in their first effort to organize and establish a religious socialistic community in Jackson county, Mo., were unjustly and outrageously mal- treated by the original settlers, that is seen in the tragic and pitiful scenes which oc- curred during the last part of their sojourn in this, their promised inheritance, their Zion, and New Jerusalem. With scarcely one exception, the settlers were aggressors so far as overt acts of hostility were concerned. During the last year of their stay the continued persecutions to which they were subjected excited the sympathy of many outside of the county, especially of the people of Clay county, who gave them an asylum and assistance for a year or two after their expulsion. Indeed, material ‘aid and arms were furnished them by citizens of Clay before their expulsion; a wagon with a quantity of guns was stopped near the south part of Kansas City and seized by parties on the watch. 134 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. drowned. Three of the unfortunate men were Ibe Job, James Camp- bell, and Everett. The casuality increased the indignation al- ready felt against the people of Clay. By the year 1838, all, or nearly all, of the Mormons had left Clay county and joined the Mormon settlement, at or near Far West or at other points in Caldwell and Daviess counties, and in October of that year the ** Mormon War’”’ broke out. Among the troops dispatched to Far West during that month were some companies of militia from Clay, belonging to Gen. Doniphan’s brigade of Maj.-Gen. D. R. At- chison’s division. Two of these companies were commanded by Capts. Prior and O. P. Moss. Of Capt. Prior’s company Peter Holtzclaw was first lieutenant. He, with 25 men from the northern part of the county, became sepa- rated from the main command and did not leave with it. The detach- ment marched across into Ray county and fell in with the Jackson county regiment which had refused to march through Clay, owing to the animosity existing, and had crossed the river at Lexington. All the Clay county men were present in line confronting the breast- works when the Mormon camp at Far West was surrounded, and wit- nessed all the proceedings. They saw the white flag pass back and forth from the Mormons, and saw the robber, Capt. Bogard, of the Missou- rians, fire on it; saw the cannoneers stand with lighted matches beside their pieces, having sent word to Gen. Doniphan that they were ready to fire; saw suddenly a white flag go up; saw the Mormon battalion march out with ««Gen.’? G. W. Hinkle, brave as a lion, at its head, and form a hollow square and ground arms, and then saw Hinkle ride up to Doniphan, unbuckle his sword and detach his pistols from their holsters and pass them over to his captor, who quietly remarked, ‘¢ Give them to my adjutant.’’ Then they saw Hinkle dash the tears from his face, and ride back to bis soldiers. The Mormons agreed fully to Doniphan’s conditions —that they should deliver up their arms, surrender their prominent leaders for trial, and the remainder of them, with their families, leave the State. As hostages, Joe Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, G. W. Hin- kle, and other prominent Mormons, delivered themselves up to be held for the faithful performance of the hard conditions.! 1 Col. Lewis Wood, of this county, who was present, states to the compiler that at a council of the leading militia officers held the night following the surrender, it was voted by nearly three to one to put these leaders to death, and their lives were only saved by the intervention of Gen. Doniphan, who not only urged his authority as brig- adier, but declared he would defend the prisoners with his own life. HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 135 The Mormon leaders were taken before a court of inquiry at Rich- mond, Judge Austin A. King presiding. He remanded them to Daviess county, to await the action of the grand jury on a charge of treason against the State, and murder. The Daviess county jail being poor and insecure, the prisoners were brought to Liberty and confined in the old stone jail (still standing) for some time. Many citizens of the county remember to have seen Joe Smith when he was a prisoner in the old Liberty jail. In due time indictments for various offenses, treason, murder, resisting legal process, etc., were found against Joe Smith and his brother, Hiram Smith, Sidney Rigdon, G. W. Hinkle, Caleb Baldwin, Parley P. Pratt, Luman Gibbs, Maurice Phelps, King Follett, Wm. Osburn, Arthur Morrison, Elias Higbee and others. Sidney Rigdon was released on a writ of habeas corpus. The others requested a ‘change of venue, and Judge King sent their cases to Boone county for trial. On the way from Liberty to Columbia Joe Smith escaped ; it is generally believed that the guard was bribed. Parley Pratt escaped from the Columbia jail. The others were either tried and acquitted, or the cases against them were dismissed. The entire pro- ceedings in the cases were disgraceful in the extreme. There never was a handful of evidence that the accused were guilty of the crimes with which they were charged. Those that were tried were defended by Gen. Doniphan and James S. Rollins. 4 . CHAPTER IV. HISTORY OF THE COUNTY FROM 1840 TO 1850. The Political Canvass of 1840 and 1844 —Elections of 1846—The Great Flood of 1844 — Miscellaneous—Negro Killing —Tom Haggerty’s Case — Clay County in the Mexican War — List of Capt. Moss’s Company, and Sketch of its Services — The Political Canvass of 1848 — The Jackson Resolutions — Benton’s Appeal — His Meeting at Liberty. THE POLITICAL CANVASS OF 1840 anp 1844. The Presidential campaign of 1840 was one of the most exciting in the history of the country. It marked the advent of the Whig party into power under Harrison and Tyler, and the Democrats, under Van Buren and Johnson, were overwhelmingly defeated. Even in Mis- souri, where the Whigs were in a minority, they were extremely active and held numerous monster meetings, at which their best speakers orated, and where they paraded log cabins, barrels of hard cider, live raccoons, and other emblems of their political heraldry. One meeting at Rocheport, Boone county, lasted three days. Gen. Doniphan was one of the speakers. In Clay: the Democrats were led by Gen. D. R. Atchison, Col. John Thornton and Capt. Geo. Wallis. The Whigs were marshalled by Gen. A. W. Doniphan, Maj. John Dougherty and William T. Wood. Notwithstanding that there is a recollection that in this canvass the Whigs carried the county, the records show they did not, the vote standing: Van Buren, 649; Harrison, 457; Democratic majority, 192. But in 1844 the Whigs swept the polls by a good majority for Henry Clay and Frelinghuysen over Polk and Dallas by the follow- ing vote: Clay, 765; Polk, 552. The canvass had been full of in- terest, and the old Kentuckians rallied largely to the ‘* favorite son” of their native State. The political hosts were under the same leader- ship as in 1840. ELECTIONS OF 1846. At the August election, 1846, Congressmen were first elected from Missouri by districts. Hitherto they had been chosen by a general ticket voted on by all the voters in the State. As now, Missouri was strongly Democratic, and the result had uniformly been the choosing | (136) HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 137 of a ‘solid’? Democratic delegation. The Whigs were growing in numbers, however, and as there was a tendency to bringing out Inde- pendent Democratic candidates, thus dividing the Democratic vote, the chances that Whigs might thereafter be chosen caused the major- ity in the Legislature to adopt the district plan, care being taken that each district be surely and safely Democratic. The district in which Clay was situated (the Fourth ) was composed of the counties of Adair, Linn, Grundy, Livingston, Carroll, Ray, Caldwell, Clay, Platte, Daviess, Clinton, Buchanan, Andrew, Holt, De Kalb, Harrison, Nodaway, Putnam, Gentry, Atchison, Mercer and Sullivan, all of Northwest and a portion of Northeast Missouri. Hon. Willard P. Hall, then a private in Capt. Moss’ Clay county company, of Doniphan’s regiment, and in service, was the regular Democratic nominee (nominated at Gallatin), and opposed to him was Hon. James H. Birch, of Platte, who announced himself as an In- dependent Democratic candidate. The Whigs, largely in the minor- ity, brought out no candidate, and a strong effort was made to prac- tically unite them in the support of Birch. The latter stumped the district, denouncing his opponent as having enlisted not wholly out of patriotic impulses, but as a stroke of demagoguery, to excite sym- pathy and win admiration. But Hall, who was already a noted lawyer and politician, marched along with his company toward Santa Fe, and wrote his reply to Birch and sent it back to his district, where it was printed and circu- lated and proved a most effective campaign document. When the election came off Hall was elected by nearly 3,000 majority.1 Many Whigs voted for him. He and Birch had, however, in the early spring canvassed a portion of the district together, to secure the Dem- ocratic nomination. The vote at the election in this county stood: — Constitution of 1845 — For, 809; against, 211. Congress — Hall, regular Democrat, 564; Birch, Independent, 463. Legislature — Coleman Younger, Whig, 498; Henry Owens, Democrat, 575. Two members were chosen, and there was no opposition to Younger and Owens. Sheriff— Samuel Hadley, Democrat, 683; H. M. Riley, Whig, 468. In the summer Hon. Sterling Price resigned his seat in Congress to become the colonel of a Missouri regiment in the Mexican War, and 1 Though Hall was duly informed of his election he did not at once return home, bu with four others of the Clay company volunteered to accompany Gen. Kearney from Santa Fe to California, and was commissioned a lieutenant in Capt. Hudson’s company. 138 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. in November aspecial State election was held to fill the vacancy. The candidates were Hon. Wm. M. McDaniel, of Marion county (‘ Billy the Buster ’’ ), and Hon. Wm. M. Kincaid, of Platte county, the former a Democrat, the lattera Whig. Hon. J. T. V. Thompson, of Clay, was an Independent candidate, but was voted for in but a few counties. McDaniel was elected by about 500 over Kincaid, although the vote was small, and some 30 counties in the State did not hold an election. In this county the vote stood: Kincaid, 421; Thompson, 184; McDaniel, 30. THE GREAT FLOOD OF 1844. The extraordinary high water of 1844 will long be commemorated in the history of the Missouri valley. The river was higher in that year than in any other now known, exceeding the great overflow of 1826. The «June rise’’ of that year was extraordinary, and it was reinforced by the unprecedented flood in the Kansas river. Judge Ransom, of Kansas City, an old settler, says that the rise in ‘the Kansas was caused by heavy rains along the Republican and Smoky Hill forks, and other tributaries of the river in Kansas. The depth of fall of the Kansas at Kansas City, where it empties into the Mis- sourl, is much greater than that of the Missouri at that point. Dis- charging great volumes of water day and night, the Kansas cut square across the Big Muddy and broke in huge breakers on the banks on the opposite side, and at last over into the Clay county bottoms, doing great damage. The weather was very peculiar; it rained a veritable ‘« forty days and forty nights.’’ Every evening, out of a clear sky, just as the sun went down, there arose a dark, ominous looking cloud in the northwest. Flashes of lightning and the heaviest thunder followed, and about ten o’clock the rain would begin to fall in tor- rents. The bridges were nearly all washed away. ‘The next day the sun would rise clear and beautiful, and not a cloud would fleck the sky as a reminder of the disturbed elements of the night. In Clay county the days on which the flood was the highest were June 14, 15 and 16. The river was over its banks everywhere, and all the low bottom lands were submerged everywhere. The crops of that season were well advanced, and promised a glor- ious harvest ; vast fields of wheat, oats, rye and corn were submerged, - and the waters receded to leave them a desolate waste. Great suffer- ing necessarily followed. The corn in the bottoms was especially luxuriant, and many persons were dependent upon the successful cultivation of that staple for a living. When it was destroyed their: only resource for the necessities of life was the charity of the people. HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 139 MISCELLANEOUS. In the summer of 1846 the prices of produce were as follows: - Hemp, $2.50 per cwt.; wheat, 45 and 50 cents per bushel; flour, $2 and $2.50 per barrel; hams, 4 cents per pound; ‘‘ hog round,’’ 32 cents. Shipping rates to St. Louis from Liberty Landing were, for hemp, $6 and $7 per ton; wheat and corn, 162 cents per bushel ; bacon, $2 per hhd. About April 1 the steamer Wakendah struck a rock at the mouth of Fishing river and sank to the bottom. ‘The boat and cargo were a total loss. A few days later the Tobacco Plant was snagged near Richfield and sank, but was soon after raised, brought down to Liberty Landing and repaired. On May 6, 1846, a hurricane passed over the central part of the county, from southwest to northeast. Three miles south of Liberty it blew down a double log house belonging to a Mr. Simms and pros- trated trees, fences, etc. December 26, 1846, the first railroad meeting in aid of the Hannibal & St. Joseph railroad was held at Liberty. E. M. Samuel was chair- man. A general meeting was called to meet at Fayette, March 8, 1847, ‘* to consider the propriety of building a railroad from Hannibal to some point on the Missouri river,’’ and the following named dele- gates were appointed from Clay county: Thomas W. DcCourcey, A. H. F.-Payne, Walter S. Watkins, E. M. Samuel, Graham L. Hughes and Col. Henry L. Routt. In the winter of 1847, when the old Masonic College was to be removed from Marion county, a strong effort was made to have it located at Liberty. The people worked hard for it. Even the ladies turned out, held meetings, made speeches themselves, and subscribed handsomely. The college was located at Lexington, how- ever. In the winter and early spring of 1848 a temperance wave struck Liberty and rolled from thence over the entire county, bearing along many, but unfortunately not washing away all the whisky. A lodge of the Sons of Temperance was organized at Liberty March 13, with Col. H. L. Routt as H. P.; Benj. Hayes, W. A.; H. M. Jones, R. S.; J. W. Ringo, F. S., and Isaac Palmer, treasurer. The lodge numbered 65 members, some of whom were among the most promi- nent citizens of Liberty. A large temperance celebration was held under the direction of the lodge in May. 140 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. It was some time in the first few years of the decade beginning with 1840 that the murder of Chavez, a wealthy Spanish-Mexican, occurred. Chavez was a merchant and trader of Santa Fe, who had ‘a branch house at Independence. At the time of his murder he was on his way from New Mexico to Missouri, and had several thousand dollars in his possession, chiefly in Spanish doubloons. A party in Liberty was organized to go out on the Santa Fe trail, along which Chavez was known to be coming, and intercept him and his party and murder and rob them, This was done at a point near the crossing of the Arkansas river. Chavez was murdered and his money, or a large portion of it, was found secreted in one of the axles of a wagon. Developments led to the arrest of several parties in Liberty and their trial in the United States court at St. Louis. John McDaniel, « young clerk of Liberty, was convicted and hung. Further par- ticulars are not well enough remembered to be stated with exactness. NEGRO KILLING. In August, 1848, two negro slaves had an affray at Liberty Land- ing, which resulted in the death of one of them. The particulars are thus briefly given in the current number of the Tribune: — On Saturday evening last a dispute arose between two negro men, at Liberty, the property of Robert Thompson and John D. Ewing, which resulted in the death of the negro belonging to Mr. T. On Monday morning the negro man of Mr. Ewing was tried before Justice Tillery and committed for further trial. How the case was disposed of is thus stated in the same paper in October : — The black man of Mr. J. D. Ewing, of this county, charged with murder of Mr. Robert Thompson’s black man, had his trial on Mon- day last and was sentenced to receive 39 lashes and transported out of the State. HAGGERTY’S CASE. In the summer of 1848 one Thomas Haggerty was arrested and imprisoned in the Liberty jail on a charge of horse-stealing. He sent for Col. Alex. W. Doniphan to defend him. It is related that Col. Doniphan said to the prisoner: ‘It is very hard to clear a horse thief. It is far easier to acquit him of murder. There is more of bias and prejudice against men who steal horses than against men who take human life.” HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 141 Though this was not meant for a hint that he should commit mur- der, Haggerty acted upon it as such, and the same night fell upon an- other inmate of the jail, a negro, and wantonly murdered him, out- right, in cold blood, and without any sort of provocation whatever. The negro was named ‘*Tom’’ Lincoln, and was temporarily placed in the jail for safe keeping, preparatory to being sent South and sold to the cotton planters. Haggerty was indicted for murder, but in March, 1849, escaped from jail, went to California, and was never recaptured. He wrote one letter to Col. Doniphan, however, and de- tailed the manner of his escape. CLAY COUNTY IN THE MEXICAN WAR. The annexation of Texas is the alleged cause of the declaration of war by Mexico against the United States in April, 1846, but the more immediate cause was the occupation by the American army of the dispited territory lying between the rivers Nueces and Rio Grande. May 13, 1846, a counter-declaration by the American Con- gress was made, that ‘‘a state of war exist between the United States and Mexico.’’ President Polk called on Gov. Edwards of this State for a regi- ment of volunteers to join Gen. Kearney’s ‘‘ Army of the West.’’ There was a hearty response from all quarters of Missouri, and, as in all other wars through which the country has passed, Clay county bore her full part. : May 30, 1846, a war meeting was held at Liberty. J. T. V. Thompson was chairman. Speeches were made, it was resolved to raise a company for the war, and a number of volunteers put down their names at once. As the company was to be mounted and a num- ber of volunteers had no horses and were unable to buy them, a com- mittee, composed of J. M. Hughes, M. M. Samuels, Alvin Lightburn. and J. T. V. Thompson, were appointed to raise means to mount such volunteers as were unable to mount themselves. : As reported in the Tribune there was a generous and hearty sub- scription. James M. Hughes gave $100 in cash. A. Lightburn, W. H. Wymer, S. McGauhey, J. C. Christy, Garlichs & Hale each gave $20; Clark & Wilson, $25, and other parties smaller sums. Col. J. T. V. Thompson gave four horses, E. M. Samuel, two, and A. Light- burn, John R. Keller, Robt. Walker, Joseph Courtney, Garrard Long, Samuel Hadley, E. D. Murray, R. Neally and Robt. Atkins each sub- scribed one horse. A company was soon raised. Volunteers poured in not only from 142 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. all parts of this county, but from other counties. More men offered themselves than could be accepted. By the 6th of June the roll was full and the company left for Ft. Leavenworth, the place of rendez- vous. They arrived the same evening, were mustered into service the next day, and immediately went into camp. Upon the organization of the regiment, the following was the mus- ter roll of the Clay county company, which became COMPANY C, 1ST MISSOURI MOUNTED VOLUNTEERS. O. P. Moss, Captain. L. B. Sublette, First Lieutenant. James H. Moss, Second Lieutenant. Thomas Odgen, Third Lieutenant. Thomas McCarty, First Sergeant. James Long, Second Sergeant. Abraham Estes, Bugler. Henry B. Ammons. John Brisco. ‘Wm. Beal. Park Benthal. Wash Bell. James T. Barnes, Blks’ith. James Burns. Sherrod Burton. James Cooper. - Smith Cumins. Wash Crowley. Ed. Crabster. John G. Christy. James Chorn. Rufus Cox. Allen Cox. Wm. Campbell. Hiram Chaney. N. Paley Carpenter. Hudson Clayton. Wash W. Drew. Harvey Darneal. Matt. Duncan. Wm. Duncan. Theo. Duncan. Riley Everett. Henry Ellis. Harvy W. English. Spencer Faubion. Matt. Franklin. Riley Franklin. John M. Findley. Thos. Fielding. Wm. Wallis, Third Sergeant. PRIVATES. Robert Fleming, Geo. Fleming. Wm. C. Gunter. Hiram Green. Carroll Hughes. John T. Hughes. Willard P. Hall. Doce. Hall. James Hall. John D. Holt. Chas. Human. Bailor Jacobs. Newton Jacobs. And. Job. John Leard. Wm.T. Leard. James Lamar. Matt. Letchworth. Richardson Long (Suthey). Dick Long. — McNeice. Wesley Martin. Eli Murray. Dewilton Mosby. James McGee. John J. Moore. Abraham Miller. Benj. W. Marsh. Albert McQuidely. Richard A. Neeley. John Nash. John Neal. Edward Owens. Jesse Price. A. K. McClintock, Fourth Sergeant. George H. Wallis, 1st Corporal. Carroll Scaggs, Second Corporal. John S. Groom, Third Corporal. Martin Cloud, Fourth Corporal. Wm. Pence. Josiah Pence. Peter C. Pixlee. Ben. Pendleton. — Pendegrass. Martin Ringo. Alonzo Rudd. Robt. Sherer. John Shouse. John Story. James Sites. Cunningham Scott. James Saunders. Thos. Stephenson. Obadiad Sullivan. Addison Smith. Shelton Samuels. Jos. Sanderson. Wm. P. Snowden. Riley Stoutt. Joshua Tillery. Henry Tillery. — Thompson. And. Tracy. Thos. Waller. Wm. Wells. James Wills. Hardin Warren. John Warren. Gideon Wood. James York. John York. Jack Laidlow. (Col’d.) Capt. Serv’t. For some time it had been understood that one of Clay county’s honored and most honorable citizens, Gen. Alex. W. Doniphan, would in all probability be the colonel of the regiment making up at Leaven- worth. He was pushed forward for the position by the people of Clay of all parties and shades of opinion, and nothing was left undone by HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY. 143 them to attain for him this distinction. The colonel of the regiment was to be designated by election, every member having a vote. All the electioneering therefore had to be among the volunteers. One specimen of how this was done may here be given. Capt. John W. Reid’s company, of Saline county, marched through to Leavenworth, via Liberty. When they reached Liberty the citizens received them and took excellent care of them. In a journal of M. B. Edwards, a member of the company, published a year or two since,’ and detailing the experiences of his company, appears the following : — Sunday, June 7, Liberty, Clay county, was reached. Here the company was well entertained, given suppers, beds, and breakfast at the hotels, excellent pasture and forage for the horses, and shown every attention. But although it may be wrong to impugn the good actions of the people of Liberty, I was rather disposed to attribute their conduct more to policy than to patriotism, for Hon. A. W. Doniphan, a prominent and popular citizen of the place, has declared himself a candidate for colonel of the regiment to which we are to be attached ! The election of field officers came off at Leavenworth, July 19; Gen. Doniphan was elected colonel, C. F. Ruff, lieutenant-colonel, and Wm. Gilpin, major. Doniphan and Ruff were both of Clay county ; Gilpin was from Jackson. Col. Ruff resigned September 17, following his election, and was appointed captain in the regular army. He was a rigid disciplinarian, too strict for the volunteers, and on that account very unpopular with them. Col. Congreve Jackson, of Howard county, succeeded Ruff as lieutenant-colonel. At the time of his election as commander of the First Missouri Col. Doniphan was 38 years of age. He had, however, commanded a bri- gade of militia during the Mormon War, and unlike many another ‘“