USA > Missouri > Howard County > Fayette > Picturesque Fayette and its people : a review of Fayette, Howard County, Missouri : giving something of the history and progress, present advantages, business interests, churches, colleges, schools, residences, near-by country homes, and country life > Part 1
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Picturesque Fayette
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Picturesque Fayette and Its People
A Review of
Fayette, Howard County, Missouri
Giving Something of the
History and Progress, Present Advantages, Business Interests, Churches, Colleges, Schools, Residences, Near-by Country Homes and Country Life
HIGHLY ILLUSTRATED
Published With the Aid and Encouragement of a Liberal and Progressive Citizenship
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1. AVITIE, MISSOURI 1005
THE ADVERTISER L. B. White, Pub
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Foreword
F AYETTE is a town of historic interest and of pie- turesque beauty. The life of the town is many- sided. To the citizens of the State it is known as a College town ; to the Church it stands as the center of Missouri Methodism : to the people of Howard county it is the seat of justice; to the farmers of the surrounding country it is a market for profitable exchange ; and to us it is all of this and much more, for to us Favette is home. The varied life and activity of the town make possible a volume of this kind. We have found much to relate and many things to picture. In our little city there is combined, in the most pleasing manner, the quaintness of an old College town and the progressive thrift of a modern business center.
"It is doubtful whether any Missouri county has produced so many men of such ability and prominence as has Howard county." Walter Willums
MAR.
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V.IRT
Gonard County, Missouri
HE FRENCH explored portions of Howard county contiguous to the Missouri river and established trading posts a few years prior to 1500. Such names as Bonne Femme and Moniteau attest the fact that these streams were first seen and named by French explorers. Joseph Marie, a Frenchman, was the first settler. He made his home at "Eagle's Nest" in Franklin township. In the year 1800 he deeded a traet of land to Asa Morgan: this is the first authentic record of settlement. The first Americans to set foot within the present limits of the county were fra P. Nash and his company of men, who came in 1804. Part of the land which they surveyed near Old Franklin was afterwards occupied by the celebrated "Hardeman's Garden." Lewis and Clark. on their famous expedition. arrived at the mouth of the Bonne Femme in Howard county on the seventh day of June. 1504, and camped for the night. Nathan and Daniel M. Boone, sons of the noted hunter, came to Photo by Grigsby the county, in 1807. with their kettles and manufactured sah at the place now known throughout the State as "Boone's Lick." They shipped salt down the river in canoes made of bollow sycamore logs. In 1SOS Colonel Benjamin Cooper, with his wife and five sturdy sons, settled two miles from Boone's Lick. Kit Carson was a babe, one year old, when his father came to the county in 1810. Carson went West in 1826, where he made his reputation as a seont. About 1812 trouble with the Indians began and the settlers were compelled to erect fort-, in which they lived for several years. The county was organized in 1816 and was the ninth in what was then the territory of Missouri. At this time Howard county was almost an empire in extent. embracing 22,000 square miles. almost one- third the present area of the state. The "Missouri Intelligencer" was the name of the first county newspaper. It appeared in Old Franklin in April. 1819. In this same year the first steamboat arrived at Old Franklin from St. Louis. The act which organized the county. in 1816. located the seat of justice at Cole's Fort. One year later the county seat was removed to Old Franklin where it remained until 1823, when it was transferred to Fayette. In 1925 the legislature redneed Howard county to its present limits. Thus, the area was changed from 22.000 to 463 square miles. The county has been divided into the following eight townships: Boone'- Lick. Richmond, Chariton. Prairie. Franklin. Burton. Moniteau, and Bonne Femme. Richmond township, in which Fayette is located. remains, with slight alterations, as it was first formed in 1821. The township took its name from the town of Richmond. an old trading point. located a few miles south of the present site of Fayette. It now lives only in the memory of the old settler.
AH
A HOME OF THE EARLY DAYS
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history of the City of Fayette
STORY of the good work- and achievements of the early pioneer settlers of Fayette and vicinity is always full of interest and occupies no unimportant page in the history of the Middle West. The historian finds the town rich in material which would make a well- filled volume. With this abundance at hand and the limited space allotted. the writer is at a loss what to leave unsaid. We are proud of the history of the town but with all her past Fayette has never known a time like the present Reckoning with the past and the present it is not strange that we should be hopeful for the future. In the prepara- tion of this volume we have discovered many interesting facts and unearthed many half- forgotten stories, In these we have been dealing with by-gone years but may the book not be taken entirely as a souvenir of the past. We love yesterday for its memories but we have not forgotten tomorrow, because of its opportunities.
Photo by tingsby Fayette was founded in 1823. In that year the glad news was received that General Lafayette would visit the United States. In naming the town after this hero the pioneers revealed the patriotism which they brought with them into this wild and unsettled country. After the land had been donated it was surveyed by AAlfred W. Morrison who later became sheriff. and presiding judge of the county.
The first house in Fayette was erected by Elisha Witt. It stood on a lot which is now included in the camp- us of Howard-Payne College. The second log house was built by General Ignatius P. Owen. Both of these houses were intended for hotels and were conducted as such for many years. The first store was opened by John Nanson, an Englishman. His clerk was Lane Pearson, Sr., who afterwards became one of the leading merchants. The store stond where the postoffice is now located. Mr. Pearson helped grub the stump- out of the street in front of the store. The earliest physician was Dr. William T. McClain. The original village blacksmith was Matthew Simonds. The first school was taught by Lawrence J. Daly, in a log cabin of rudest structure. Mr. Oscar White, now well-known in Fay- ette, was one of Lawrence Daly's pupils. Between the years 1825 and 1834 several schools were taught in Fayette by different individuals. At the latter date an educational institution wasestablished by one. Archibald Patterson. of Ohio. He was a man possessed of classical learning and natural ability for teaching. His school continued until 1842, when William MeNair was made principal. In 1844 William T. Lucky opened the school with seven pupils enrolled. The next year the institution was given the name of the "Howard High School." At this time Mr. Lucky taught the girls and
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Rev. Nathan Scaritt, the boys, Prof. Carr W. Pritchett began teaching in the school in I51. The school building was destroyed by fire in 1854. After the fire new buildings were erected and the school was divided into male and female departments, which finally became known, respectively. as Central and Howard-Payne Colleges.
The Rev. Augustus Pomeroy was the first resident minister. He belonged to the Old School Presbyterian -. The religious services were conducted in Archibald Patterson's two-room brick school house. About this same time services were occasionally held by Rev. Ebenezer Rogers, a missionary Baptist The first Methodist circuit rider was Rev. Williams Redmond, who became presiding eller in 1526.
At the outbreak of the Civil War the population of Fayette was about one thousand. The town experienced the usual excitement of those tronblous days but was not harassed to any great extent. Much excitement prevailed dur- ing the battles at Boonville. Centralia. Glasgow and other neighboring points. The most startling events in Fayette veeurred toward the close of the war at the time of the Anderson and Price raids, which occurred in the fall of '64, about a month apart. At the time of the Anderson raid three hundred Union soldiers were being quartered in the town. They had heard of the enemy's approach and were scouring the country when Anderson and his men suddenly swept into town. At the time of the attack the town was garrisoned with only fifty soldier- but these were strongly fortified in the court house and in the college building and the guerillas were repulsed with considerable loss. There was no blood- shed at the time of the Price raid and the chief feature of interest was the bank robbery, in which the county lost $28.000. The bank stood on the ground now occupied by Mr. Victor Grigsby's photograph gallery. At the time of the robbery the family of Mr. John E. Ewing lived in the residence portion of the building On the day of the robbery Mr. Ewing was away with the soldiers and Mr -. Ewing, together with her mother-in law and Mrs. Carr W. Pritchett, was in the building when the soldiers appeared. When the men were told that the doors leading to the vault were open they procured crowbars and worked from eight o'clock in the evening until midnight, opening the safe. The boots consisted of $28,000 belonging to the county, some silverware owned by Mr. James R. Estill, and a goldl goblet, the property of Major M. Johnson. After the robbery the soldiers went to Roanoke where they gambled away much of the money.
The cholera appeared in Fayette in a very virulent form in 1873, brought to town by a Swede who was working on the excavations for the roadbed of the "M .. K. & T." railroad. The Swede, with other workmen, was lodging at a temporary boarding house when taken siek. It was only a few days until other laborers took sick in like manner and died. In all there were fifty-three deaths out of fifty-six cases. These deaths immediately caused a panic among the citizens and about three-fourths of the population fled from town and remained away until the plague abated. The ex- act cause of the epidemie has never been known. However, many pools of stagnant water were standing along the railroad where excavation- bad been made and a large number of workmen, both white and black. were gathered in camps and boarding shanties in the vicinity. These conditions, no doubt, were favorable to the disease.
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The present courthouse is the fourth built in Fayette. The first was a log house constructed in 123, at the time the county seat was moved from Old Franklin. Two years later the log structure was replaced with one of brick. This building was found to be inadequate and was torn down in 1859 and a larger brick building erected. This edifice was destroyed by fire in 1886 and the courthouse, as it stands today, was built in 1887.
Fayette, at present. isp prosperous and enterprising town. During the last few years there has been a very favorable increase along all lines of business activity. We have a modern electric light plant in full operation. The telephone system is efficient and highly satisfactory in its service, having long distance connections with all parts of the state. Within late year- the public improvements have been extensive. Granitoid sidewalks are rapidly taking the place of brick and board walks. both in the business and in the residence portions of town. Several handsome new homes have lately been completed: also two important business blocks-the Opera House block and the New Century building. The store rooms and offices in these building's are city-like in the conveniences which they offer. The supply of cottages and larger dwellings is constantly insufficient to supply the demand. At this date the spring building has already begun. In the summer there is a great demand for rented houses by families desiring the school advantages.
There are many conditions which combine to make Fayette a desirable place for a home. An abundance of coal is mined within easy hauling distance of the town. The wood supply in the vicinity is far from being exhausted. The long-needed water plant is at last assured: Well- have been sunk within the corporation and an abundance of water found. Since this, the greatest problem, has been solved there now remains only the actual construction of the plant and this is soon to be accomplished. At the present time the city council is composed of aggressive young business men who will encourage public improvements. With the abundance of coal and water at hand, light manufacturing couk very easily be carried on. Our own floor mill not only supplies the town but also does an extensive shipping business. In summer the town is adequately supplied with the purest lake ice. Since Fayette is located in the center of the county and is easily accessible it is the natural distributing center for the produce of a rich and extensive agricultural listrict. Fruit and vegetables are grown in abundance in the surrounding country. Asa result of these conditions the citizens of the town have a splendid market in which to buy and living is, consequently. cheap. During the last year there has been much said and written concerning the proposed electric road which is to pass through Fayette. At this time the most conservative are forced to admit that the prospects are encouraging. Charters For two bridges across the Missouri River, one at St. Charles and one at Glasgow, have already been granted to the new company and. from what we can learn. the work is progressing. In dealing with the business and economic conditions of the town I have not dwelt upon the excellent public school system, the two colleges of established reputation, and the influential churches. These are treated in separate departments.
VERNE DYSON.
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Photo by Grigsby
FAYETTE'S MAYOR - R. L. CREWS
M AYOR . REW'S was born on a farm in JJohnson coun- ty, Missouri, July 24. 1867. He received his educa- tion in the country schools of his native county. At the age of twenty-one he was marriedl to Miss Anna Jarvis and came to Howard county and located on a farm near Fayette. He left the farm in 1$90 and moved to town. In 1599 Mr Cress went into the grocery business with his brother. J. G. ( News, add established a firm known as "J. G. Crews and Brother Grocery Co." Soon after locating in Fayette Mr. Crow- in- terested himself in the public affairs of the city and became a leading citizen. He was a member of the school board for six years. In 1902 he was elected Mayor of Fayette. Hisad- ministration was highly successful and he was re-elected in 190 and continues in office at the present time. From the first. Mayor Crews has encouraged public improvement and given his aid to all good works. In addition to the Mayor- Ship Mr. Crew- holds an office in which his honor is shared with the citizens of his town. At a meeting of the Mayor- of the fourth class cities of Missouri, held in Sedalia in July. 1904. he was elected president of the Association, much to the pleasure of his constituency in Fayette. There are two hundred and five fourth class towns in Missouri with an ap- gregate population of four hundred and fifty thousand. The Association has recommended that all of these town- adopt uniform systems of government. Mayor Crews is at the head of this movement.
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ALNUT LOGS SHIPPED FROM FAYETTE
ED BROWN, the American representative of a German furniture manufacturing company, has he last year in Howard county buying walnut ., which is hauled to Fayette where it is graded spected and then shipped to Hamburg, Germany. t is manufactured into high grade furniture and ped to America. Mr. Brown has bought a num- fine walnut groves which have for years been ed as landmarks and almost a distinct Howard feature. Mr. Brown has paid high prices for og timber, in one instance giving as mich as ra single tree in Howard county.
Photo by Đơn ith A SNOWY MORNING
THE PAST winter has been remarkable for its frequent and heavy how's. As a result, the young people of Fayette enjoyed an unusually long and delightful season of sleighing. "Toboggan" cap- became the fashion and never did sleigh bells ring more merrily. The sleighing wa- confined mostly to town on account of the deep drifts in the country lane ..
tirigsby
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THE SITE OF STAPLETON'S OLD MILL A Picturesque Spot Near Fayette
"S TAPLETON'S MILL" was built in 1825 by George W. Stapleton who died in 183. From this time outil 1855 it was managed by Theodore C. Stapleton. The mill was finally abandoned about the time of the war. The stones which form the base of the iron fence around the court house were taken from the ledge of rock shown in the right of the picture. This has been a favorite pienie grounds for many generations.
Photo by T- Weight THE WILDWOOD
SCENE in the dell north of Central College. For half a century this has been the favorite rendezvous of college students. Here they have found rest from books and a blessed companionship with the nature of Wordsworth. Mong this stream they gathered the first violets of spring and in these woods they said farewell to summer.
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Photo by T. S. Weight
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HOME OF WILLET HOWARD-BUILT IN 1823
0 NE OF the old landmarks of Fayette which will ever be remembered by the people is the house now occupied by Mr. Willet Howard, son-in-law of the late S. J. Preston. a life-long resident of Fayette, who held office for almost half a century with much credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituency. This house was, for many years, the home of the sheriff's of Howard county. It now stands out in bold relief, an interesting monument to the passer-by, by reason of its intimate connection with so many of the civil proceed- ings of our country and owing to the fact that it was the home of so many grand old citizens. long passed away but not forgotten. This style of architecture is typical of the early days of Fayette: only a few examples are now in existence.
Mr. Willet Howard, the present owner. is one of the most successful bee misers in this part of the country. He has made a thorough study of bee culture and is well known for his knowledge and -kill in handling Photo by Grigsby ben. He supplies a large trade with honey and has many regular customers who have been buying from him con- finnonly for years. We recommend Mr. Howard to anyone who wishes to bo; good honey or who desires scientific information concerning bee culture. Address. Mr. Willet Howard. Fayette, Missouri.
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Photo by T. S Weight
SATURDAY AFTERNOON-A WEEKLY SCENE IN FAYEITE
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FOUR OF HOWARD COUNTY'S OFFICIALS
A. J. FURR, Collector of the Revenue
R. P. COOPER, Sheriff
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JOHN R. HAIRSTON, Probate Judge
W. M. PRYOR, County Clerk
LA CROSSE LUMBER COMPANY, FAYETTE, MISSOURI
W. P. DAVIS, Manager
W. C. SMITH, Assistant Manager
G. W. JOHNSTON, Yard Man
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Photo by Wright YARDS OF THE LA CROSSE LUMBER COMPANY
T' WIE branch yard of the well-known La Crosse Lumber Company, located in Fayette. has built up a large business and given satisfaction to its patrons. The firm carries a full line of lumber, building material, builders supplies. hardware, and paints. It has always been the aim of the company to keep on hand a stock which is complete in every branch. It is estimated that the La Crosse Company has furnished as much as eighty percent of the Number and building materials for the contracting done in Fayette the last few years. The yards are located two blocks south of the square. Mr. W. J. Davis, the present manager, has been with the La Crosse people several years.
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FAYETTE MACHINE WORKS AND FOUNDRY-J. W. FISCHER, Proprietor
R. FISCHER established his machine shop in 1895, on a very small scale. At first he did only repair work but as business grew he slowly and steadily in- "ased the capacity of his shop until he was abled to do manufacturing. The cast iron stern covers which he manufactures have tracted attention by reason of their practi- convenience. Many have been sold and ny will increase in popularity as they be- mne better known. The shop also turns out al trucks and sash weights, which have und a ready sale. In the spring of 1904 Mr. scher built an addition to his shop and this ar he has added a new granitoid foundry om. Mr. Fischer employs, at times, as many tive workmen. All kinds of machinery are paired in the shop with engine work as a ecialty. Engine supplies are handled The companying picture shows the interior of e machine room with Mr. Fischer on the ght and Mr. John Gum on the left. The rge machine in the foreground i- a drill annfactured in the shop by Mr. Fischer for INTERIOR OF MACHINE ROOM Photo by Wright - can use. Two cast iron cistern covers are shown, lying on the floor in the center of the room. Altogether. this is of the most promising busme> concerns in Fayette. Its growth has been steady and substantial and there is a set rater future for the business. It means much to a town to have a practical manufacturing plant of this kind which rns out gasoline engines and such practical machines as are used in ordinary business. besides doing repair work.
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J. D. BLACKWELL
T. B. CHENOWETH
BLACKWELL & CHENOWETH Clothing, Gentlemen's Furnishing Goods, and Shoes
T THE NEW firm of Blackwell & Chenoweth is successor to the old established firm of "Freeman & Blackwell." which did business in Fayette for sixteen years. Mr. Blackwell is a well known breeder of Aberdeen-Angu- cattle. Mr. Chenoweth, the junior partner of the firm, clerked for "Freeman & Blackwell" for twelve years. During that time he became thoroughly acquainted with the business and built up a large acquaintanceship. Mr. Chenoweth is one of the city officials, holding the office of Treasurer. Mr. Charles Eubank. Jr., the head salesman in this establishment is well known among the young people of the town as well as to all parts of the county. He is now serving his second term as president of the "Paladin Club." Mr. William Lockridge is a popular young clerk in the store. He attended C'entral College for several years and has many friends among the students.
The firm handles the hand-tailored clothes made by "Hart. Shaffner & Marx. " clothier- of national reputa- tion, who turn out the most stylish and up-to-date garments in the market. The methods employed by this great company appeal to the average man who wishes to be a good dresser and at the same time avoid being called a "fop" or a "dude." In the style book issued by "Hart. Shaffner & Marx." and to be seen in every important city where well-dressed men are found, we read the following sane statement which is of interest to all young men:
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