USA > Missouri > Vernon County > History of Vernon County, Missouri : past and present, including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county Vol. II > Part 1
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Gc 977.801 V59j v.2 1151553
M. L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01094 9375
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018
https://archive.org/details/historyofvernonc02john
POST OFFICE, NEVADA.
HISTORY OF
VERNON COUNTY, MISSOURI
PAST AND PRESENT
Including an Account of the Cities, Towns and Villages of the County
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF J. B. JOHNSON
VOL. II
ILLUSTRATED
1911 C. F. COOPER & CO. CHICAGO
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
VOL. II.
PAGE
Creel, Hon. W. S. 738
Dean, Robert S 676
Falor, Charles 788
Falor, Elias
604
Foster, J. B. 798
Foster, W. Y.
658
Hildebrant, Henry F 834
Jarvis, Dr. H. C.
854
Jarvis, Coat of Arms
862
Johnson, Hon. J. B. 864
Melick, Dr. Wesley. 914
Melick, Mrs. Wesley.
9.14
Melick, Dr. Wesley's Home.
702
Melick, Dr. Wesley's Evergreen Farm
636
Moore, Harry C. . 922
Post Office, Nevada. Frontispiece
Rockwood, Dr. Charles E 980
Schell City Public School 560
Tillotson, Mildred J. 1016
Tillotson, Hiram L. 1016
Weltmer, S. A. 1040
Wright, J. W. 1070
Wright, Mrs. J. W 1070
Wright, Joseph H 1070
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TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS
known family of school teachers and a minister of the Christian Church.
IN WAR TIMES. 1151553
Blue Mound township passed through a severe experience dur- ing the Civil War. So harrowed were the people and so full of danger was their situation that all those who lived in the lower congressional township, except Joshua Hightower, left the coun- try, and some of them never returned.
The first tragedy in the township occurred in the fall of 1862. Two men who had been in the rebel service, either as bushwhack- ers or regular soldiers, and whose homes were in St. Clair county, were pursued by a company of St. Clair militia who knew them and were overtaken and killed on Lady's branch, west or southwest of Connely's Springs. The militia then went to the residence of Mr. A. B. Howard, told him they had killed two rebels "up there on the branch," and added that he had better "go up and bury them." Mr. Howard did so. Assisted by a few of his neighbors he dug a hole, wrapped a blanket around the bodies and gave them as decent a burial as possible. After the war friends came from St. Clair county, gathered up the remains and removed them to their home cemeteries.
But the most serious raid into the township was made by a squad of six or seven of the St. Clair county militia in January, 1863. About 10 o'clock at night this band of miscreants-for such they proved to be-made their appearance at the residence of Mr. A. B. Howard. Two of them dismounted and entered the house, and began seizing such articles as they fancied. Mrs. Howard endeavored to save their property, when one of the rob- bers pushed her aside and handled her rather roughly. Mr. Howard caught up a poker and struck the ruffian several severe blows, when the fellow's comrades opened fire with their re- volvers. At the first fire Mr. Howard was shot through the body and fell. The brigands then robbed and pillaged the house, barn, and stables, taking property of all kinds, and then set fire to the house, which was totally consumed with all its contents; what the robbers left the fire burned. Mr. Howard was rendered an invalid from his wounds and never recovered from them; he lingered, however, till December 12, 1864, when he died from their effects.
The brigands moved off into the northeastern part of the
Sender
$47.50 (2rols)
534
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
township, near Belvoir, and stopped at the residence of Mr. Eddy, a former merchant and hotel proprietor at Papinsville, and a gentleman universally respected. It was now 1 o'clock in the morning. Mr. Eddy was called out of doors, and then told to run for his life. He ran but a short distance when he was shot through the mouth; he fell, got upon his feet again and again started to run. He did not proceed far, however, when he was overtaken and killed.
It is but justice to say that while the victims of this raid were "Southern men," they were not shot because of their politics solely. The raiders, too, while they were in the Federal militia service were so more for purposes of robbery and plunder than because of devotion to the Union cause. It is claimed that the leader of the party was afterward hung for the murder of a Union man, a citizen of this county. It was soon after this raid that all the citizens left except Joshua Hightower.
The natural features of the country here forbade its being a favorite locality for bushwhackers and bushwhacking. Whatever fighting was done, therefore, must be in fair open field; and so both bushwhackers and jayhawkers kept out of it, save when on predatory incursions. A number of the men of the township of Confederate sympathies left for Price's army from first to last, and it is reported that nine of them were encountered by the Federals and killed before reaching their destination.
EARLY CHURCHES OF BLUE MOUND TOWNSHIP.
Presbyterian. Bethany Presbyterian Church, located on the northeast quarter of section 33, in township 37, was built in 1884, and cost about $1,500. The quarter share of the expense of the building was borne by Messrs. George W. Poage, John Kincaid, Wm. A. Terrill, Dr. Nelson, W. S. Fewick, M. J. Moss and Rev. Milster. The organization was constituted about the year 1870, with only a few members, among whom were H. B. Cresap, Mr. and Mrs. Poage, Mrs. Moss and Mr. and Mrs. Hyatt. The first pastor was Rev. Montgomery, of Clinton; he was succeeded by Rev. Baker, who in turn was succeeded by Rev. A. W. Milster.
Baptist. The Blue Mound Baptist Church organization dates from the year 1871. The original membership numbered about twenty-five persons. The church building stands on the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 35, in township 38,
535
TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS
in the northern part of the township, a mile south of the Osage. It was built in 1880, and cost $1,000, in round numbers. The first pastor was Rev. Wolf, of Clear Creek township. He was followed by Revs. Smith, Ingram, Owens, and Smith again.
Christian-Berea Church. The church was organized by Brother W. H. Bryan, at the Smith school house in Osage town- ship, about 1876. In 1880 the organization was moved to the Howard school house in Blue Mound township, where it remained until the Berea Church was built in 1883. This building was 32x54, 16-foot ceiling, a good building and in good shape at the present time. Its first elders were J. Q. Thompson, O. P. Comp- ton, and E. T. Letton. It was dedicated by Brother M. M. Davis in August, 1883. Among the preachers who have served the church are Brother W. H. Bryan, Brother Birge Greenstreet, W. W. Warren, Brother Claypool, Brother King, Phil Stark, Brother Adcock, W. W. Blalock, Alva Blalock, Brother Pontious, and C. B. Wait, its present pastor.
M. E. South. A class of the Methodist Episcopal Church South was organized in this township before the Civil War. Some of the members were Avery B. Howard, Daniel Dale, Joshua Hightower, and their families.
BELVOIR.
The village of Belvoir stood on the northeast quarter of section 25, in the northeast corner of Blue Mound township. The site was originally entered by John F. Son, December 2, 1839. Mr. Son, as elsewhere noted, established a ferry here at an early day, and operated it for many years. The site was long known as Son's ferry.
For a time after the war Belvoir was a fairly thriving village. Col. Tom Austin, of Nevada, was its principal citizen, and he worked zealously for its advancement. It was hoped that a rail- road would cross the Osage at this point, but that hope was dis- pelled, and there was a stampede from the place from 1871, upon the location of Schell City. Sometime afterward Colonel Austin went back to Nevada and the town went to decay.
The only remaining town in the township of Blue Mound is Ketterman, a hamlet of about fifty souls. It is located in the southeastern part of the township, and gets mail by rural route from Walker.
536
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
BADGER TOWNSHIP.
Badger township comprises township 35, range 30. In the aggregate the general surface is fairly divided between timber and prairie. The latter embraces the central and southern por- tions of the township, while the timbered lands lie generally in the northern part, along the west fork of Clear creek, and its tributaries, Sturgis and Camp branch. There is some rough land in the township. In general the farming lands are of superior quality, and there are many fine farms.
The coal stratum underlying the township has not been opened very extensively. In about 1874 a mine was established in the southeastern portion of the township, on the farm of A. Miller, and it is claimed that this was the first regular coal bank in the township. There is an abundance of coal, timber, stone, water, and clay in Badger township.
The peculiar rock formation, called the Clear creek sandstone, exists in this township to a considerable extent. On section 16 and elsewhere in the vicinity it abounds as a fine, valuable grit- stone, suitable for grindstones, whetstones, and oilstones. Forty years ago the settlers here made their own grindstones, and on one occasion Dr. A. Badger took a load of them to the Gasconade country and sold them very readily to the settlers.
FIRST SETTLERS.
Perhaps the first actual settlers in Badger township were Esq. Isaac D. Smith and his son-in-law, John Hanson, who came in 1842 to the northern part of the township on the north side of Clear creek. Smith located in the timber on section 4, and Hanson east of him. on section 3. But the same year Judge James Overstreet settled in the northeast corner of the township on the southwest quarter of section 1, half a mile northeast of Westminster church.
In 1843 a man named Johnson came in and bought out Judge Overstreet, who moved over into the eastern border of Cedar County, where he lived a short time. With Johnson came his son-in-law, a man named Scruggs, who settled on section 9, on the south side of Clear creek, south of Esq. Smith, and two miles west of Westminster. Johnson in a few years sold out to Dr.
537
TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS
Badger, and he and his son-in-law, Scruggs, removed to Van Buren, Ark.
In the spring of 1843 the Tippitt family-Singleton, James, and their father-came in, and with them a Mr. Woods, a son- in-law of the old gentleman. All located in the western part of the township on Clear creek. James Tippitt settled on the north side of the creek (se. 14 sec. 7) ; Singleton Tippitt was a mile north (se. 14 sec. 6) in the edge of the timber.
mile north (se. 14 sec. 6) in the edge of the timber.
In June, 1844, Dr. Albert Badger, for whom the township was named, settled on the northeast quarter of section 11. in the northeastern part of the township.
In the summer of 1846 Dr. Harding and family settled in Badger township, and in the spring of 1847 Thomas Shivers and Mr. Wooliver came in. The latter bought out Esq. Isaac Smith, who moved over on the southwest quarter of section 1. He sold his farm to Stapp and went to Texas in 1855. Thomas Shivers. who settled on section 20, was a soldier of the War of 1812. and served under Andrew Jackson.
Of some of the first settlers of Badger township it may be stated that Isaac D. Smith was born in Lee county, Virginia, March 22. 1800: emigrated to Williamsburg, Ky .. in 1817. and married there in 1820; came to Osage county, Missouri. in 1833, and settled on the site of Linn. afterward the county seat. He raised eleven children. nine of whom, in their turn. had large families. He died in 1852 at Old Montevallo.
John Hanson, Smith's son-in-law, was an eccentric character, rough, uncouth, and semi-civilized. It is said that he never, or very rarely. wore a hat or any sort of head covering. but went bareheaded in all sorts of weather. his long. matted. shaggy hair furnishing sufficient protection for his cranium. He lived in the woods in a little pole cabin. which he removed three times in order to be near firewood. He said it was easier to move his cabin to the wood than to move the wood to the cabin. The cabin could be moved in one day. but the wood required several days to move. His house was always set in the thick timber. and when this was cut down and burned for a considerable radius around. it was time to move again. Hanson died in this township and was buried in the Stapp graveyard.
In August, 1846. when this territory formed a part of Bates
538
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
county, there was an election in what is now Clear Creek town- ship, then about the center of what was designated as Clear Creek precinct, a district twelve by twenty-four miles in extent ; the voting place was at Overstreet's Sulphur Springs, in Virgil township. Isaac Smith, of the Badger settlement, was chosen justice of the peace.
The first case before Esq. Smith was a notable one. It was an action for debt, based on a running account. The parties lived some miles away. The plaintiff, Peter Welch, could read and write, but the defendant, Thomas Massey, could not, and therefore engaged a lawyer, Hon. Kindred Pearson, to conduct" his defense. The cause was tried before a jury, with Esq. Smith to decide the law points. The defendant's counsel examined the account sued on and demanded a non-suit, because he said the aforesaid account was not "intelligible." The magistrate was surprised but silent. Repeated demands for a non-suit at last brought the summary inquiry: "Mr. Pearson, what the devil does 'intelligible' mean ?" After a few seconds of cogitation, head-scratching, and palaver, the attorney answered: "Your Honor, in this case, the word 'intelligible' means alphabetical." "Well, that's worse than the other," rejoined the dignitary ; "what the devil does alfybetikle mean ?" The lawyer, with a perverseness peculiar to his profession refused to serve as a dic- tionary, and thereupon the 'Squire overruled his motion for a non-suit, to the great delight of the spectators, who were eager to see the first lawsuit in Clear Creek precinct carried to a conclusion.
The trial was before a jury, and lasted from noon of one day until after breakfast of the next, the court remaining in session and the cause progressing through the entire night. Smith's "women folks" cooked for and fed the entire crowd, litigants, counsel, witnesses, jury, and spectators, providing a bountiful dinner and supper, and a "snack" at midnight, wind- ing up with a substantial breakfast the next morning.
Both the plaintiff and defendant had presented accounts and sworn to them, and each had provided a number of witnesses who had testified in support of his claim. The case became in- volved and so mixed up that Esq. Smith and a majority of the spectators declared they couldn't "make head or tail of it." But the gentlemen of the jury were equal to the occasion. After a
539
TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS
short season of deliberation in a brush patch near the house, they returned and solemnly announced their verdict: "We decide that both accounts shall be squared."
The decision was entirely satisfactory to everybody but the constable. That officer had ridden over the county for miles and miles, through brush thickets and over rough country, swim- ming streams and climbing hills, in the discharge of his duty, summoning witnesses, jurymen, and the parties litigant, and now he was ignored entirely-no provision having been made for the costs of the suit. He at once stepped forward and de- manded his fees, and swore that somebody had to pay them. Esq. Smith asked the jury to reassemble and redeliberate and assess the expenses of the trial properly and equitably ; but Kindred Pearson objected, unless the case should be tried over, de novo, as the lawyers say.
Appalled at the consequences of a new trial, involving, as he knew it would, the feeding of another hungry crowd, Esq. Smith threw up his hands and expostulated: "For the Lord's sake, boys," said he, "fix it up some other way without a new trial. By gonny, I'm clean out of meat and my wife had to borry meal for breakfast. Please don't have a new trial, boys!"
The matter was finally referred to the constable as the party most interested, and he decided that as Welch, the plaintiff, had brought the suit, or, as he expressed it, had "commenced the fuss," it was but fair that he should pay the costs. The justice affirmed the decision. Then Welch arose and said, "I am satis- fied, gentlemen; and now if that constable, and all the other constables in Missouri, can find any property belonging to me that is exempt, they are welcome to it; as far as I know I haven't got half the property the law allows me. Good-day, gents !"
So ended the case. The litigants shook hands and were once more friendly. The spectators were awed and imbued with due reverence for the majesty and the workings of "the law," and it somehow seemed as if a great and beneficial event had occurred. But somehow it seemed rough on the constable, who had for his only recompense the consciousness of duty well performed.
In the summer of 1844, the first school south of the Osage and east of Upper Drywood, was taught at the residence of Isaac Smith, in this township, by James Hays. The teacher had a dozen scholars, the children of the few settlers in the country, their
540
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
age varying from five years to twenty-one. The branches taught were rudimentary, and the course of instruction was simple and not at all thorough. Dr. John Smith, afterward a well-known citizen of this township, was one of the pupils at this school. It is claimed that this was the first school taught in Vernon county.
Although the first school in the township was taught in the summer of 1844, the first public school house was not built until 1860, when the Badger school house, a little south of the residence of Dr. Badger (near the center of section 11), was erected. The first school in this building was taught in the winter of 1861, by Hon. Alfred Cummins. Mr. Cummins taught his first school in Virgil township in the summer of 1859.
The first preachers in Badger were Methodists. Rev. Mr. Crow came in 1844, and preached occasionally until 1855. Rev. Ash- craft held services here from 1849 to 1856. Rev. T. J. Wallace, of the Christian Church, came to the township prior to the Civil War. Rev. Ashcraft lived at the "Seven Mounds," in Cedar county, while Rev. Crow resided in what is now the northern part of Dover township.
In the early settlement roving bands of Indians frequently camped in the bottoms, while they hunted in various parts of the country. The women made baskets and all of them traded and trafficked more or less with the settlers. The savages were repre- sentatives of various tribes, the Osages, Pottawattamies, Miamis, Sacs and Foxes, and perhaps others. All were friendly.
Game was abundant. Packs of wolves and herds of deer were to be found on the prairies, and flocks of turkeys lived in the timber. The Indians preferred this ground for hunting to the territory out in Kansas, even as far west or southwest as the Arkansas river.
During the Civil War Badger township was the scene of a tragedy or two, and the few citizens that were left were preyed upon rather disastrously. Many wagon loads of corn, hay, and oats were hauled off and fed out by the Federal cavalry.
In the spring of 1862, two Confederates were hung in the edge of the Clear Creek timber, in the northeast corner of the township (northeast section 1), north and east of Richard Butler's. Their names were Thomas Ryan and James Johnson, and their execu- tioners were Kansas men under the command of Captain Moore probably. Ryan lived in Clear Creek township; he was a young
541
TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS
married man and a son of Wm. Ryan; he had been in Price's army and was a prisoner at Clintonville. Captain Moore had gotten hold of him and was carrying him through the country. Johnson lived near Nevada ; he too had served under General Price, but was at home when captured.
Valentine Mashaney, of this township, was killed by a detach- ment of Company A, third Wisconsin cavalry, on a charge of feed- ing, harboring and otherwise aiding and abetting Confederate bushwhackers.
The prairie portion of the township was not settled until after the war. A few fields had been opened by parties living in the timber, but no houses were built out upon the prairie until after 1865.
Some of the hard characters that infested the Clear creek coun- try after the war located in this township. A man named John Wilson was hung on Clear creek by the "Regulators;" he was accused of horse stealing and other crimes. An old German named Wonsettler located here afterwards. He and his wife were noted pilferers and thieves. The "Regulators" visited them and gave them both a sound whipping and ordered them from the country.
The land in this township was surveyed by the government and placed in market in the year 1843. No entries were made prior to that year, although a few claims had been taken.
Badger township was organized in January, 1873, and named in honor of Dr. Albert Badger, one of its oldest, prominent and most worthy citizens. It is now well improved and settled and contains good farms and comfortable homes, the abodes of a very respectable class of citizens.
Greene Springs located in the northeastern part of the town- ship have been noted for many years for the medicinal virtues of the waters. A few people make their homes here, and if they had railroad facilities no doubt they would rival the famous springs of Eldorado.
A village or town adjoining this spring was regularly laid out and platted on the land of John C. Shaffer (south half northwest quarter southeast quarter section 12-35-30) by Mr. Greene, on the 25th of September, 1886, and named Greene Springs.
542
HISTORY OF VERNON COUNTY
EARLY CHURCHES OF BADGER TOWNSHIP.
Presbyterian Church South. In 1868 this church was organ- ized with the following members: Charles N. Logan, Sarah Lo- gan, Mrs. Elizabeth Butler, Miss Sarah Logan, Miss Nancy Lo- gan, Miss Emma Badger, Dr. A. Badger, Mrs. Sarah E. Badger, Mrs. Cochran, Mrs. E. D. Harding, Mrs. Joseph E. Harding, Jo- sephine Arrington, Henry L. Badger, William A. Gose and Bar- bary Gose. A frame church building was erected in 1882 on the northeast corner of section 11, which cost $1,200.
Christian Church. The organization of this church was ef- fected April 23, 1881. The original members were John G. Haley, J. R. Sumner, wife and daughter, John F. Barrey, wife and son, D. S. Mosley, wife and daughter, G. W. Sullivan and wife, R. T. Mountjoy and wife, T. J. Haley and wife, J. D. Cline, J. H. More and wife, William A. More and wife, I. C. Bole and wife, Francis Lynd, Mrs. M. J. Ewell, Mollie Ewell and M. S. More. In 1882, on section 29, a frame house of worship was erected at a cost of $750.
West Fork Christian Church was organized in 1874. Some of the first members were M. P. Stroud, Priscilla Stroud, Charles Boland and wife, George Sullivan and wife, David Morresly and wife, Sophia McGavney and George Mountjoy and wife.
MARVIN CHAPEL-BADGER TOWNSHIP.
By LEE KIBLER.
M. E. Church South. Marvin chapel is located on section 20 and was erected in 1884 at a cost of $800. In 1908 the church was remodeled and enlarged at a cost of $1,200. The original members were Elizabeth Sullivan, Henry Purnell and wife, An- drew Kibler and wife, I. T. Kibler and wife, M. M. Haverstick and wife, J. M. Anderson and wife, W. McGary and wife, T. Y. Brannock and wife, L. A. Swaney and wife, Mrs. J. B. Moon, E. C. Hedrick and Cora Haverstick. Those still holding mem- bership of the original members are L. A. Swaney and wife, Mrs. Sarah Kibler, W. McGary and M. M. Haverstick.
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TOWNS AND TOWNSHIPS
The organization of this church occurred in 1882 by Swift and Dowdy, while pastors of the Nevada circuit in the fall of 1883 the Nevada circuit was divided, forming what is known as the Sheldon circuit of which Marvin chapel is a part and was served one year by H. L. Anderson as pastor, at which time he was succeeded by E. H. Morrison (1884), who was followed in 1885 by D. B. Price. After serving one year, C. A. Emmons came on the work and was pastor two years, being succeeded in 1888 by B. H. Gragg. In the fall of 1889 came J. T. Loyal as pastor and served the church one year, being followed in the fall of 1890 by T. C. Puckett, who remained on the work two years, and was succeeded by J. F. Robb in 1892, who was followed in 1893 by W. P. Barrett, who was pastor one year, being succeeded by L. M. Phillips in 1894, who remained two years. In the fall of 1896 S. G. Welborn came as pastor and served the church two years, being succeeded by J. J. Reed in 1898, who remained till 1901, when Marvin chapel was cut off from the Sheldon circuit and put with Austin chapel of Nevada, and Jacob Shook made their pastor. After serving one year, Marvin and Austin was separated and Marvin put back on the Sheldon circuit and served one year each by the following pastors: F. E. Gordon (1902), L. F. Shook (1903), R. J. Kyle (1904). J. Y. Busby came on the work in the fall of 1905. After serving the people about six months, he was very suddenly called to his reward, dying in the home of J. F. Hill. His funeral was preached at Marvin chapel by W. G. Beasley, after which he was laid to rest in Deepwood cemetery, Nevada, and Joseph King was pastor during the bal- ance of the year and was succeeded in the fall of 1906 by C. L. Stofer, who remained one year, followed by E. S. Ailor in 1907. In 1908 J. D. Randolph was appointed to the work, but was soon transferred to another conference and Joseph King was pastor for one year and was followed in 1909 by T. C. Puckett, who is the present pastor.
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