USA > Missouri > Buchanan County > St Joseph > The Daily news' history of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, Mo. From the time of the Platte purchase to the end of the year 1898. Preceded by a short history of Missouri. Supplemented by biographical sketches of noted citizens, living and dead > Part 1
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51
Cornell University Library
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BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE JACOB H. SCHIFF ENDOWMENT FOR THE PROMOTION OF STUDIES IN HUMAN CIVILIZATION 1918
Cornell University Library F 472B9 R98 Daily news' history of Buchanan County a
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Cornell University Library
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C
ROBERT M. STEWART
.
WILLARD P.HALL
HARDMANENG ST JOSEPH, MO.
SILAS WOODSON.
THREE GOVERNORS OF MISSOURI FROM BUCHANAN COUNTY.
1
[Rutt, Christian Ludwig] THE DAILY NEWS'
HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY
-AND- -
ST. JOSEPH, MO.
FROM THE TIME OF THE PLATTE PURCHASE TO THE END OF THE YEAR 1898.
PRECEDED BY A SHORT HISTORY OF MISSOURI.
SUPPLEMENTED BY BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF NOTED CITIZENS, LIVING AND DEAD.
BY THE ST. JOSEPH PUBLISHING COMPANY.
PRESS OF LON. HARDMAN.
De
INTRODUCTION
J THIS is the second history of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, the first having been published in 1881. Since then much important local history has been made. In the compilation of this work the facts contained in the first history were used as groundwork and elaborated from data carefully collected, revised, and verified. The facts concerning subjects not treated in that volume, and the events of the period intervening between 1881 and 1899, were gathered from citizens, newspaper files, public records and other reliable sources. Accuracy has been our chief aim, and in order that this might be attained these chapters were first published in the Daily News and the public was invited to · correct and to criticize. Much interest was manifested and many valuable suggestions were received. To all who have aided in the preparation of this work, the compiler extends his sincere thanks.
THE COMPILER.
HISTORY OF MISSOURI
CHAPTER I.
HERNANDO DE SOTO .- THE NAME OF MISSOURI .- EARLY SETTLEMENTS. - FRENCH AND SPANISH RULE. - LOUISIANA £ PURCHASE. - TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT .- ADMITTED AS A STATE .- FIRST REPRESENTATIVES IN CONGRESS .- GOVERNORS McNAIR, BATES, MILLER, DUNKLIN, BOGGS, REY- NOLDS, EDWARDS, KING, PRICE, POLK, HANCOCK JACKSON, AND STEWART .- 1541 TO 1857.
The first white man to put foot on the soil of Missouri was Hernando de Soto, the Spaniard. This was in 1541. He led a small band of soldiers of fortune as far north as the region now known as New Madrid County, and then moved west across the Ozark Mount- ains and went into Arkansas. He sought gold, but finding none, returned to the Mississippi and died. He was buried at midnight in the river he had discovered, and his priests chanted over his body the first requiem ever heard in the Mississippi Valley. The Indians believed him to be the son of the sun, who could not die, and his body was consigned to the waters to conceal his death and keep the Indians in awe.
The Spanish, however, did not colonize Missouri. In 1662 Robert Cavalier de la Salle, a Frenchman from Quebec, came down the Mississippi and took possession of the whole country in the name of Louis XIV .. the reigning King of France. Within the next fifty years various settlements were projected, all in the interest of gold and silver mining. It is said that in 1705 a prospecting party of Frenchmen ascended the Missouri River as far as where Kansas City is now located.
In his school history, Perry S. Rader of Brunswick states that this river was first called Pek-i-ta-nou-i by Marquette, which is an Indian word meaning "muddy water." About 1712, says Mr. Rader,
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
it was first called Missouri, from the name of a tribe of Indians who inhabited the country at its mouth and along a considerable portion of its banks. There is no authority, according to Mr. Rader, for the often-repeated assertion that "Missouri means muddy." This definition of the word was given to it after the name of the river was changed from Pekitanoui to Missouri.
The first place settled in Missouri was Ste. Genevieve, in about 1735, and the next settlement of consequence was St. Louis. The latter place owes its existence to Pierre Laclede Ligueste, more generally known in history as Pierre Laclede.
The first settlement north of the Missouri River was at St. Charles, called Village des Cotes (Village of the Hills) then, and most of the Indian wars and adventures which figure in the early history of the state occurred in this vicinity.
When France lost Canada she gave up all her possessions in America. Canada and the country east of the Mississippi, except New Orleans, went to England in 1763, and Spain was indemnified for losses in the war with the territory west of the river, which in- cluded Missouri. Spanish governors ruled until 1800, when Louisi- ana was transferred to France, through the efforts of the first Na- poleon, who had planned a monarchy in the new world. Both the people of the United States and the government of England objected to this. Negotiations were opened by President Jefferson for the Louisiana purchase. Napoleon, who was getting into close quarters, accepted an offer of $15,000,000, and the country was ceded to the United States. The French had not yet taken possession. On March 9, 1804, the American troops crossed the Mississippi and entered St. Louis, where Don Carlos Delassus, the Spanish com- mandant, delivered Upper Louisiana to Captain Amos Stoddard of the United States army, who received it as the agent of France and transferred it to himself as the aent of the United States. By this transaction Missouri was under the flags of three nations in as many consecutive days.
Congress divided Louisiana into two parts soon after the trans- fer. All that is now within the State of Louisiana was called the Territory of New Orleans, the rest was called the District of Louisi- ana. The district was attached, for administrative purposes, to the then Territory of Indiana, whose governor was General William Henry Harrison. This was unsatisfactory, and upon a petition from the people the territory was separated from Indiana and given a governor and three judges.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
The first governor appointed under the new order of things was General James Wilkinson, who was succeeded by General Merri- wether Lewis, of the famous Lewis-and-Clark expedition. General Lewis committed suicide in Tennessee in 1809, while on his way to Washington, and President Madison appointed General Benjamin Howard of Lexington, Ky., to succeed him.
In 1812 Congress passed a law by which Louisiana was raised from a second-grade to a first-grade territory, with a governor and general assembly, and its name was changed to Missouri.
Governor Howard resigned in 1812, and was succeeded by Cap- tain William Clark, the companion of General Lewis in their explo- ration, and who was known as "Redhead" by the Indians, over whom he exercised great influence. Captain Clark was the first and only governor of the Territory of Missouri. Edward Hempstead of St. Louis was elected the first delegate to Congress from the new terri- tory, and was the first delegate to that body from west of the Mississ- ippi River. He was succeeded in 1815 by Rufus Easton, and he, in 1817, by John Scott, who served until Missouri became a state.
The first general assembly of the new territory met on December 7, 1812, at St. Louis, in the house of Joseph Robidoux, the father of the founder of St. Joseph.
In 1818 Missouri applied for admission to the Union as a state. Two years of bitter controversy ensued, which convulsed the country and threatened the dissolution of the Union. This controversy fol- lowed a resolution introduced into Congress which intended to prohibit slavery in Missouri. The momentous question was finally settled by the adoption of the "Missouri Compromise," which forbade slavery in all that portion of the Louisiana purchase lying north of 36 degrees 30 minutes, except in Missouri, and on July 19, 1820, the law passed admitting Missouri to the Union.
A convention to frame a constitution had already been called, and the constitution then adopted remained without material change until 1865. The population of Missouri in 1820 was 66,000, of which number 10,000 were slaves.
Captain Clark and Alexander McNair were rival candidates for the first gubernatorial honors of the new state. McNair was elected, with William H. Ashley of St. Louis as lieutenant-governor. Gov- ernor McNair served four years. He was a Pennsylvanian by birth and had been United States commissary at St. Louis for a number of years before he was elected governor. He died in 1826.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
' The first general assembly of the state, composed of fourteen senators and forty-three representatives, met at St. Louis in Septent- ber of 1820, and elected David Barton and Thomas H. Benton United States senators. John Scott was the first congressman, the state being entitled to but one member of the lower house at that time. Scott had been the territorial delegate, and was an able man.
Until 1851 the judges of the supreme court were appointed by the governor. The first members of the supreme court were Mathias McGirk of Montgomery County, John D. Cook of Cape Girardeau, and John Rice Jones of Pike.
At its first session the legislature organized the following ten counties : Boone, Callaway, Chariton, Cole, Gasconade, Lafayette, Perry, Ralls, Ray, and Saline.
The second governor was Frederick Bates, who died before completing his first year of service. Benjamin Reeves, the lieuten- ant-governor, having resigned shortly after his election, the execu- tive office fell to the president pro tem. of the senate, Abraham J. Williams of Columbia, who at once called a special election, which brought John Miller of Howard County to the head of the adminis- tration. Governor Miller was elected in 1828, with Daniel Dunklin of Potosi as lieutenant-governor.
Spencer Pettis was the second congressman. He was killed in a duel on Bloody Island by Major Biddle. In his canvass he had sharply criticized Major Biddle's brother, president of the United States Bank, for which Major Biddle severely chastised him. Mr. Pettis issued a challenge, and both combatants were killed. This was in 1831. William H. Ashley was elected to succeed Mr. Pettis.
Daniel Dunklin was elected governor in 1832. He resigned one month before the expiration of his term to become surveyor- general of Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois. He was an ardent advo- cate of the public school and did much toward the erection of the system in this state.
Lilburn W. Boggs of Jackson County, the Democratic candi- date, was elected to succeed Governor Dunklin, with Franklin Can- non of Cape Girardeau as lieutenant-governor. William H. Ashley of St. Louis, a Whig, who had been his opponent, was elected to Congress in the same year.
It was during the administration of Governor Boggs that the Mormon troubles occurred. The part taken by the governor caused an attempt upon his life. He was shot at Independence in 1841. Three bullets lodged in the victim's neck and head; another passed
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
through and came out at the mouth. Nevertheless, Governor Boggs recovered, and died in California in 1861. Peter Rockwell, a Mor- mon, was charged with the crime, but was acquitted, the evidence being insufficient.
Thomas Reynolds of Howard County, a Democrat, was elected governor in 1840, with Meredith M. Marmaduke of Saline County as lieutenant-governor. The presidential campaign of this year was attended with deep interest in Missouri, as in other states. The Whig candidate was General William Henry Harrison of Indiana, and the Democratic candidate was Martin Van Buren. Harrison was called the "log cabin candidate." The contest was called the "log cabin, coon skin and hard cider campaign," and the emblems were displayed in reality at the public meetings.
At this election the Whigs for the first time assumed a distinct organization in Missouri. Before that some Whigs had been promi- nent in politics, and had been elected to important offices, but they were chosen often on account of their personal popularity and worth, rather than because of their politics. But for the next twelve years the party made bold and aggressive campaigns at every election, although at no time did they gain control of the state.
Governor Reynolds committed suicide at the executive mansion on February 9, 1844, whereupon Lieutenant-Governor Marmaduke took charge and served until the 20th of November.
John C. Edwards of Cole County was elected governor in 1844, with James Young, of Lafayette County, as lieutenant-governor. There were then, as now, two factions in the Democratic party of Missouri, and they were divided then, as now, upon the money ques- tion. One faction, which favored silver and gold money, headed by Senator Benton, had nominated and elected Governor Edwards. The other faction favored a liberal use of paper money and opposed the re-election of Senator Benton.
In 1848 Austin A. King, of Ray County, Democrat, was elected governor over James S. Rollins, of Boone, a Whig. Thomas L. Price, of Cole County, was elected lieutenant-governor. Mr. King. who, prior to his nomination for governor, had been judge of the Fifth judicial circuit, held the first term of court in Buchanan County. When the war broke out he denounced the secession move- ment and was elected to Congress by the Union party in 1862. He died in 1870 at Richmond.
Sterling Price was elected governor in 1852. He was from Chariton County, and his name figures prominently in the history
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
of the nation, both as a soldier in the war with Mexico and as a brilliant leader of Confederate forces during the rebellion. After the war he embarked in business in St. Louis, and died there in 1867.
Trusten Polk, a St. Louis lawyer of great ability, was elected governor in 1856, as the Democratic candidate, over Robert C. Ewing, the "American," or "Know-Nothing," candidate. He served less than a month, however, having been elected by the legislature to the United States senate, from which body he and his colleague were expelled by the Republican members early in the war, for dis- loyal utterances. He died in St. Louis in 1876.
Hancock Jackson, the lieutenant-governor, served until August of 1857, when Robert M. Stewart, of St. Joseph, was elected.
CHAPTER II.
MISSOURI IN VARIOUS WARS .- TROOPS FOR THE BLACK HAWK WAR .- THE MORMON DIFFICUL- TIES .- COLONEL GENTRY'S TROOPS IN THE SEMI- NOLE WAR .- THE WAR WITH MEXICO.
Six wars figure in the history of Missouri-the Black Hawk war, the Mormon difficulties, the Seminole war, the war with Mexico, the civil war, and the war with Spain which has just closed.
On the 14th 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 thou- sand volunteers for the defense of the frontier. Five companies were at once raised in Boone, Callaway, Montgomery, St. Charles. Lin- coln, Pike, Marion, Ralls, Clay, and Monroe counties. These com- panies went to Fort Pike, but finding that Black Hawk had not crossed the Mississippi River, returned home and disbanded.
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 Evening Star and made themselves gener- ally obnoxious to the Gentiles, who were then in the minority, by their denunciatory articles through their paper, their clannishness, and their religious intolerance. Dreading the demoralizing influ- ence 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 other- wise gave the Mormons and their leaders to understand that they must conduct themselves in an entirely different manner if they wished for peace. After the destruction of their paper and press, they became furiously incensed, and sought many opportunities for retalliation. Matters continued in an uncertain condition until the
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
3Ist day of October, 1833, when a deadly conflict occurred near Westport, in which two Gentiles and one Mormon were killed. On the 2d of November following the Mormons were overpowered and compelled to lay down their arms and agree to leave the country with their families by January I, on the condition that the owner would be paid for his printing press. Leaving Jackson County, they crossed the Missouri and located in Clay, Carroll, and other counties.
In 1837 they selected in Caldwell County a town site. which they called "Far West," and where they entered more land for their future homes. The printing press mentioned above was taken from the river, brought to St. Joseph, and used in producing the first issue of the Gazette.
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 General A. W. Doniphan, who pro- ceeded to the seat of war. 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 remainder captured, some of them being killed after they had surrendered. Only one militiaman was wounded. In the month of October, 1838, Joseph Smith, the leader of the Mormons, and the chosen prophet and apostle of the church, surrendered the town of Far West to General Doniphan, agreeing to his conditions, viz: That they should deliver up their arms, surrender their promi- nent leaders for trial, and the remainder of the Mormons should, with their families, leave the state. Indictments were found against a number of these leaders, including Smith, who, while being taken to Boone County for trial, made his escape, and was afterward, in 1844, killed at Carthage, Ill. The others were acquitted.
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. Arriving at Jackson Barracks, New Orleans, they were from there trans-
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
ported in brigs across the gulf to Tampa Bay, Florida. General Zachary Taylor, who then commanded in Florida, ordered Colonel Gentry to march to Okee-cho-bee Lake, one hundred and thirty-five miles inland by the route traveled. Having reached the Kissimee River, seventy miles distant, a bloody battle ensued, in which Colonel Gentry was killed, on Christmas day of 1837. The Missourians then fought without a leader until they had completely routed the Indians. They returned home in 1838.
The Missourians also distinguished themselves in the war with Mexico in 1846-48. 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 called for volunteers to join the "Army of the West," an expedition to the Santa Fe-under con- mand of General Stephen W. Kearny. 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, Saline, Franklin, Cole, How- ard, and Callaway Counties. Of this regiment A. W. Doniphan was made colonel, C. F. Ruff lieutenant-colonel, and William Gilpin major. The battery 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, re- spectively, 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 Con- gress and raised a mounted regiment to reinforce the "Army of the West." He was made colonel, and D. D. Mitchell lieutenant-colonel. Shortly afterwards an independent battalion went under Lieutenant- Colonel Willock from Hannibal. In August, 1847, Governor Ed- wards 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, commanded by Captain Wil- liam T. Lalfland. Conspicuous among the engagements in which the Missouri volunteers participated in Mexico were the battles of Brazito, Sacramento, Canada, El Embudo, Taos, and Santa Cruz de Rosales. The forces from Missouri were mustered out in 1848.
CHAPTER III.
THE CIVIL WAR .- AGITATION OF THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY. - GOVERNOR STEWART'S AIM. - GOV- ERNOR JACKSON'S UTTERANCES .- THE CONVEN- TION OF 1861 .- LYON AND BLAIR AT ST. LOUIS .- LIBERTY ARSENAL AND CAMP JACKSON .- THE GOVERNOR ABANDONS THE CAPITAL .- STERLING PRICE .- THE FIRST BATTLE .- SKIRMISH AT CAR- - THAGE .- WILSON'S CREEK.
Governor Stewart was succeeded by Claiborne F. Jackson of Saline County, who was elected as a Douglas Democrat in 1860. He received 77,446 votes. Opposed to him were Sample Orr, a "Know- Nothing," who received 64,583 votes, and Hancock Jackson, a Breck- enridge Democrat, who received 6,135 votes.
Public feeling was at unrest, for the agitation of the abolition of negro slavery had stirred the people as nothing before had ever done. The North and South were divided, and secession from the Union was urged in slave states, that the people therein might hold their property in peace, for slaves were valuable chattels. Others advised arbitration and the perpetuation of the Union.
The fugitive slave law did much to aggravate the troubles. This law gave the owner of a fugitive slave the right to pursue the fugitive into any state and take him out without any verdict of court. In the celebrated Dred Scott decision the supreme court said this law was constitutional.
As a result of this decision, the legislatures of a number of North- ern states passed laws nullifying the fugitive slav. e law, and the United States authorities found themselves powerless. At this asser- tion of state's rights on the part of the Northern states, the Southern states argued that if the Northern states could nullify one law of the Union, the Southern states could, by application of the same prin- ciple, nullify all of the laws of the Union and withdraw from the Union entirely.
In the presidential campaign of 1860 the Breckenridge party declared if the Republican party (which had come into existence in 1856, after the passing of the Whig party) were successful at the polls,
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
the Southern states would withdraw from the Union. Abraham Lincoln was elected, and subsequent events show how the South- ern states made good their threat. Missouri was the only state that gave Stephen A. Douglas its electoral vote.
When the Southern states seceded, in 1860, Missouri was con- fronted with a grave problem, being at the time the most populous oi the slave-holding states. Governor Stewart, who was then retiring from office, sincerely desired to keep Missouri in the Union, but he was opposed to forcing the seceded states back into the Union, and was opposed to Missouri's taking part in such a project; so, also, was he opposed to the introduction of troops, either to force Missouri out of the Union or to keep her in.
Governor Jackson, though he had been elected as a Douglas Democrat, now expressed different views. "The destiny of the slave- holding states is one and inseparable," he declard in his inaugural, "and Missouri," he concluded, "will, in my opinion, best consult her own interests, and the interests of the whole country, by a timely determination to stand by her sister states." Lieutenant-Governor Reynolds, who presided over the senate, favored secession, because he believed it impossible for Missouri to preserve an "armed neu- trality."
A bill providing for a state convention to consider what position Missouri should take with regard to secession was passed by the legislature soon after it convened. This convention met at St. Louis on the last day of February, 1861.
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