A History of Northeast Missouri, Volume I, Part 11

Author: Williams, Walter, 1864-1935, editor
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 731

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The Indians called it "Missi Sepe," the accredited meaning of which, in their tongue, is "Great River." The distance from its source, Lake Itasca, in northern Minnesota, to the Gulf of Mexico, is about two thousand nine hundred and sixty miles. It is navigable for about one thousand nine hundred and forty-four miles, and consequently entirely across the section of country to be considered in this chapter.

As a brief matter of history attaching to it, it should be noted that its mouth was discovered in 1519 by Pineda; it was crossed near its mouth in 1528 by Cabeza de Vaca, but he supposed it was only an arm of the sea, and dismissed its further exploration under that belief.

It was not until 1541 that DeSoto discovered its true character as

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

a most wonderful and valuable inland stream; and in 1542 the sur- vivors of his party, lead by Luis de Moscoso, descended the river to its mouth, or entrance into the Gulf of Mexico.

In 1673 Pere Marquette and Louis Joliet discovered what is known as the upper Mississippi, which part most concerns this territory. In 1682 La Salle explored it from the Illinois river to the gulf, but the source was not really discovered until 1832, by Schoolcraft. The French called it the River St. Louis.

The two principal cities of Northeast Missouri along the west bank of this river are Hannibal in Marion county and Louisiana in Pike county, both prosperous and progressive towns.

Like the Missouri river on the south, it is the main sewer, so to speak, for the many drainage laterals and sub-laterals in the way of smaller rivers and creeks flowing through Northeast Missouri and seek- ing their natural outlets into this great inland stream, thence to the

AN EXCURSION BOAT ON THE MISSISSIPPI

gulf, the great basin receptacle for all our western waters, until, as it bids adieu to the fertile shores of this portion of our state, it receives the waters of its greatest and longest tributary, the Missouri river, which, flowing along the southern border of St. Charles county, empties into it about twenty miles above St. Louis.

THE MISSOURI RIVER

The Missouri river, in reality the longer of the two streams, was first seen by white men-early French explorers-about July 1, 1673, when they were descending the Mississippi river, who called it "Pekita- noui," the name which appears on some of the earliest maps. It so impressed everyone with its muddy appearance that it was later called Missouri, from the Indian word for muddy water.

The Missouri originates in southwest Montana by the uniting of the Jefferson, Madison and Gallatin rivers, known as the. "Three Forks of the Missouri," flowing northeastwardly through Montana into North

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

Dakota, between Nebraska and Iowa, and between Kansas and Missouri until it reaches Kansas City, Missouri; thence eastwardly across the state, constantly bearing to the south, however, forming the southern boundary of Northeast Missouri until it runs athwart the clear, blue current of the Mississippi, emptying its turbulent torrent of muddy waters into that of the other great world-known waterway, rushing on to the gulf.

The current of the Missouri is very swift at all times, owing to the fact that the waters have a grade, by actual measurement, of ten inches € to the mile, a very unusual fall, especially for so large a stream.

Its length above its confluence with the Mississippi, or its mouth as it is commonly called, is about twenty-five hundred and forty-seven miles, but including the Jefferson branch of the three forks, is given by the Mississippi and Missouri River Commission as twenty-nine hundred and forty-five miles, making its length to the gulf thirty-eight hundred and twenty-three miles, counting the distance by the Mississippi river from the mouth of the Missouri to the gulf. Undoubtedly, had the Missouri river been ascended first it would have been the main stream, from the Rocky Mountains to the Gulf of Mexico-the longest and grandest river in the world.

A MISSOURI RIVER STEAMER

This river was again explored in 1804 and 1805 by Lewis and Clark, and like the Mississippi, had been called by the French explorers, in honor of a ruler of France, the river St. Philip.

Owing to the steep grade and resultant swift current, this river was for years considered unnavigable, supposing that no keel boat could ascend so swift a current.

However, this question was settled by the enterprising spirit of progress and perseverance of George Sarpy, who sent Captain Labrosse to experiment on the difficult task. He was successful, and on May 15, 1819, Captain Nelson, of Louisville, Kentucky, succeeded in navi- gating the stream and safely landed the Independence at Old Franklin, Howard county, a town of Northeast Missouri, then the largest and most prosperous commercial and educational center west of St. Louis, opening even at that early day the great advantages of river traffic to Northeast Missouri, extending entirely across its southern, as well as across its eastern border, as the Independence is said to have soon thereafter proceeded as far as the Grand river, the farthest west of the Northeast Missouri rivers to be considered in this chapter.

In 1819 the government sent another expedition up this river to ascertain how far it was navigable and to establish a line of military

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

posts. This expedition left St. Louis on June 1, 1819, in the Western Engineer for the mouth of the Yellowstone, with Col. Henry Adkin- son's command.

Like the Mississippi river on the east, the Missouri river has fur- nished to the several southern counties of Northeast Missouri along its entire southern boundary line all the great advantages of a river traffic and trade, and has been of untold benefit and advantage in days past, when the palatial river steamboats did the passenger and freight traffic of the entire west, before the days of railroads, trolley lines, aeroplanes and automobiles.

SMALLER STREAMS

The tributaries to these two great natural waterways all flow either eastwardly or southeastwardly into the Mississippi or into the Missouri river, thus affording this favored portion of Missouri all the natural advantages-and in a most marked degree of river irrigation, sewer- age and drainage.

While these tributaries, creeks and rivulets are not admissible under the government specifications as navigable streams, except the Grand and Chariton for very small craft, they serve a most valuable and profitable purpose in giving Northeast Missouri the reputation of being as well watered a country as any part of Missouri, which bears the distinction of being at least among the best watered states of this or any other country.

These small rivers and creeks, while not navigable, are so distributed over this section of Missouri that they naturally form rich valleys many miles wide, with uniform surfaces carpeted in nature's verdant colors, with the various feed grasses or other graminaceous herbs indigenous to such conditions, making not only a picture pleasing to the eye, but affording forests, foliage and timber that produce prosperity and plenty for man and beast, and render it ideal for homes and domestic purposes, an abiding place for rich or poor alike.

This naturally presupposes a resultant fact-that this section is well supplied with babbling brooks and bold and bubbling springs of pure waters; or perhaps, of mineral waters, such as saline, sulphur, chalybeate, for springs are generally the sources of our smaller creeks and branches, seeking their way to nature's great aqueducts, thus, year after year, eroding and corroding the wrinkles and furrows on the face of Mother Earth, until we have our beautiful vales and valleys, dales, dingles and dells, all doing their part in creating and completing nature's beautiful landscape garden such as is found between the inlets, coves and creeks in northeast Missouri, as her smaller streams seek relief by emptying their overflowing freshets into the two great waterways that pass her doors on their ever-moving march to the sea.

Of these smaller rivers the most important is Grand river, forming a part of the western boundary of Northeast Missouri and its principal branch or feeder, the Locust river, flowing south through parts of Putnam, Sullivan and Linn counties. Next in importance is the Chari- ton river, which, rising in Iowa, runs between Putnam and Schuyler and on south through Adair, Macon and Chariton counties, where it empties into the Missouri river, a few miles west of the Howard county line.

Of those emptying into the Mississippi river the Salt river and its numerous feeders, the Cuivre and the Fabius and its several branches, are the principal and deserve special mention.

However, for the purposes of this chapter it is best to mention the

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

streams by counties as they each serve their allotted end in carrying out nature's purpose.

Adair county is served by the Chariton and its feeders, Blackbird, Shuteye, Spring, Billy, Hog and Walnut creeks on the west and Hazel, Rye, Big and Sugar creeks on the east, flowing into the Missouri river. East of the divide the South Fabius, Cottonwood, Floyd, Steer, Timber, Bear and Bee creeks and Salt river empty into the Mississippi river.

Audrain's principal water-course is Salt river, whose tributaries in the county are Reese's fork, Long branch, South creek, Young's creek, Beaver Dam, Littleby and Lick creeks in the western part of the county. In the eastern part we find the west fork of Cuivre river and Hickory and Sandy creeks. There are a few flowing springs but none large enough to furnish water power for commercial purposes.

Boone county is well watered by Cedar creek, the east boundary line between that county and Callaway, emptying into the Missouri and Petite Bonne Femme, Roche Perche, Hinkson, Rocky Fork, Silver Fork, Graves' fork from the northeast and Lick and Sugar creeks and the Moniteau, forming a portion of the western border, all emptying into the Missouri river near Rocheport.

Callaway is also watered by the Cedar creek and its feeders in the western slope, while the Auxvasse and its branches do a like service on the east, as they find their way to the Missouri.

Chariton's principal stream is the river of the same name. The Chariton creek, and the east and middle forks of Chariton river drain its eastern portion, while the Grand river and its tributaries, Elk, Tur- key, Yellow and Little Yellow creeks, perform a similar service on the west, forming rich and fertile bottom lands as a beneficial result. In recent years, the Chariton river, a very treacherous stream, on account of its very tortuous windings, has been straightened and shortened to but a fraction of its original length to the great benefit of those owning property along its banks.

In June, 1804, when Lewis and Clark ascended the Missouri river, the Big and Little Chariton had separate mouths, but the changing erosions and accretions of the river finally united them about a mile inland.

Clark county is drained entirely into the Mississippi by the Des Moines, Little Fox and Sinking creek, Wyaconda, Honey and other smaller creeks wending their ways through its borders.

Howard county is bounded on its entire southern and about half of its western border by the Missouri river, draining its whole area by receiving the waters of Moniteau, Bonne Femme, Salt and Sulphur creeks and their tributary branches, which flow southwardly from the northern portion of the county entirely across it. These are all small streams, but afford ample drainage, but no power supply. Besides the many fresh water springs there are a number of salt springs in this county, the most famous of which is the historic Boon's Lick Springs near Boonsboro, from which quite a salt-making industry was carried on by the sons of Daniel Boone in 1807.

Knox county is well watered and drained by the Fabius river and its tributaries. This river is supposed to be named after Fabius Maxi- mus and flows southeastwardly into the Mississippi river.

Lewis county fronts on the Mississippi river for twenty-five miles enjoying not only the benefits of its navigation but the gain of many acres of very rich and productive bottom lands. The tributaries of the North and Middle Fabius and Wyaconda that flow through and water this county are the Sugar, Grassy, Bridge and Troublesome creeks and their numerous smaller feeders, flowing northwest and southeast.

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

Lincoln county also fronts on the Mississippi river for its entire eastern border. The principal streams of this county are the North Cuivre and West Cuivre, with their numerous tributaries, Bob's, Bry- ant's, Hurricane, Sugar, Sulphur, Lead, Turkey and Big creeks, which furnish an abundant water supply and drainage for its entire area. The Cuivre is the boundary between Lincoln and St. Charles counties, and is navigable for small craft as far as Big creek, but only for a por- tion of the year.

Linn county's alternate prairie and timber slopes are well served with numerous streams, all furnishing ample drainage and some afford- ing excellent water power. The principal streams are the Yellow and East Yellow, Long Branch, Turkey, Muddy, Locust and Parson's creeks, all flowing southwardly, seeking their way to the Grand river, thence to the Missouri. Some of these creeks are said to have a fall of six feet to the mile, and by a system of dams furnish ample water power for ordinary mill purposes.

Macon county is on the summit between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, the divide running north and south across the county. West of the divide the Chariton river is the principal stream, its tributaries being East and Middle Forks, with their branches, Walnut, Turkey, Brush, Puzzle and Paint creeks, all finally reaching the Missouri river, but east of the divide the Middle Fork and its feeders, Narrows, Winn and Hooker creeks, empty into the Mississippi river. In the extreme eastern part are Bear and Ten Mile creeks, and in the extreme northern part Muscle Fork and its small branches.

Marion county fronts for its entire east side on the Mississippi river. . It is especially well provided with waterways, as well as with pure water, chalybeate and sulphur springs. The principal feeders of the Mississippi running through this county are the North and South Fabius, Troublesome, Saline and Grassy creeks, North and South rivers and many smaller streams.

Monroe county's principal stream is Salt river, its chief feeders running through this county being Middle fork, South fork, Elk fork, Lost branch, Reese's creek, Flat and Crawford's creeks, some of them affording ample water power for flouring mills, etc.

Montgomery county borders on the Missouri river for about twelve miles, but is watered and drained principally by the Loutre river and its large tributary feeders, Clear Fork, Prairie Fork and Quick and Mur- dock creeks, and Dry Fork flowing eastwardly and South Bear and Whippoorwill creeks southwardly into Loutre river. The northern portion of this county is drained by Coon creek, a branch of West Cuivre; White Oak, Elkhorn, Walker and Brush creeks and West Cuivre do a like service for the northeastern, and North, Bear and Price's creeks for the eastern part. This county has a number of salt springs in the vicinity of the Loutre river, besides other mineral springs, but has a special local reputation for the medicinal waters of Mineola Springs, a group of three mineral springs situated on the old Boon's Lick road.

Pike county is another county blest with a Mississippi river frontage for its entire eastern border. Salt river also runs through the northern part of it, doing ample and extensive drainage and water service. with its tributaries, Spencer, Peno, Sugar, Haw and Grassy creeks; Big, Gwinn, Little Ramsay, Calumet, Noix and Buffalo creeks flow east into the Mississippi ; while Sulphur Fork, North Fork, Indian Fork and West Fork drain the southwest part and empty into the Cuivre river. Numer- ous salt and mineral springs are also found in this county, principal among which are Buffalo Springs near Louisiana and Elk Lick near Spencersburgh.

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

Putnam county is drained by the North and South Blackbird, Shoal, Brush, Wildcat and Kinney creeks and smaller streams, all being tribu- taries and sub-tributaries to the Chariton river. In the western part are Medicine creek and East and West Locust creeks. Some of these streams are capable of affording good water power by a systematic plan of dams, though they are but little utilized at present.

Ralls county has but a few miles of Mississippi river frontage, only about twelve or fifteen miles, but is especially well served by the Salt river and its branches, running from west to east, principal among which are Lick and Spencer creeks. Besides many springs of pure water, there are numerous and valuable salt springs in this county, the prin- cipal being Freemore, Burnett, Ely, Briggs, Fikes and Trabue licks and the Saverton springs.

Randolph county is a part of the grand divide between the two great rivers that are the east and west boundary lines of this quarter- section of our state and is consequently drained to both the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The east fork of the Chariton and its branches drain the eastern and northeastern portions into the Missouri, while about one fourth of the county on the east side is drained by the feeders to the Mississippi and its tributaries. The principal creeks in the county are the Moniteau and Perche, Dark, Muncas, Silver, Sweet Springs, Middle Fork of Chariton, Walnut and Sugar creeks.

St. Charles county is doubly water-blessed in being the only county in Northeast Missouri whose shores are washed on two sides by the waters of the two greatest rivers of America, the Mississippi and Mis- souri. The county is intersected in the northwest by the Big, Indian, Camp and McCoy creeks. which flow into the Cuivre river, thence to the Mississippi. These are the only streams worthy of mention empty- ing into the Mississippi, the others all finding their final outlets into the Missouri river to the southward. The Femme Osage creek, while rising in Warren county, traverses this county, running nearly due east and emptying into the Missouri near Hamburg. The other creeks that tend to draining and watering this county are the Dardenne and Peruque. St. Charles county. besides these creeks above mentioned, possesses another water feature worthy of mention, in the Marias Croche lake, whose appearance has been likened to an "immense mirror set in emerald." It is located near the two mounds, Les Mamelles, which are parts of the bluffs of the Missouri river, which project a mile into the prairie at a point six miles from the Mississippi and about two and a half miles from St. Charles. Of the scene presented by this lake and the two mounds a clergyman is quoted as saying, "I have never before seen anything that gave me a proper conception of the Promised Land," and Rev. Timothy Flint, in his "Ten years' residence in the Mississippi Valley" says, "Here is presented an imposing view of the courses of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, with the bluffs and towering cliffs. their ancient meandering banks, the Marias Croche lake, the mouth of the Illinois river and the vast prairie dotted here and there with farm houses."

Schuyler county has as its principal waterway the Chariton river, which is its western boundary line, and the "Grand Divide" cuts through the western part of the county. The Chariton drains its west- ern part into the Missouri river, its principal feeders being Lick, Elm and Lost creeks. In the south and center of this county are the head- waters of Salt river, and in the east and northeast the same may be said of the North Fabius. Bridge creek, Fabius and South Fork of Middle Fabius. forming very rich and fertile divides or plateaus between them, in addition to the resultant productive valleys.

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

Scotland county is well drained by the Little Fox, North and South Wyaconda, Bear, Baker, Foreman, North Fabius, Indian, Tobin and Middle Fabius creeks and the South Fork of Middle Fabius, all draining southeast as the entire county slopes that way, towards the Mississippi river.

Shelby county is especially well watered and for that feature of nature's bestowal is dependent upon the South Fabius, Tiger Fork, and North river in the northeast portion; Black creek and North Fork of Salt river, in the central, and Ten Mile, Crawford and other creeks in the southeast. These streams all flow southeast into the tributaries of the Mississippi river.

Sullivan county is traversed from north to south by East Medicine creek, the West Fork, East Fork, Little East Fork and Main Fork of Locust creek, which empties into the Missouri river in the edge of Chari- ton county. It is also traversed southwestwardly by Muddy, Yellow and Spring creeks, which are said to afford ample water power, if properly treated for that commercial purpose. Most of the creeks of this county find their outlets by way of the Locust, but a few smaller creeks drain the northeast portion into the Chariton, all 'finally feeding the great Mis- souri river.

Warren county sheds about one fourth of its waters into the Missis- sippi and the other three fourths into the Missouri, being on the main dividing ridge between the two rivers. The Missouri river washes its entire south border, which accounts for three fourths of its territory draining into that river. The principal streams of the southern slope are Bear, Lost, Little Lost, Charrette and Tuque creeks. Those serving the eastern watershed to the Mississippi are Peruque, Big, Indian and Camp creeks. There are numerous mineral springs of more than ordi- nary capacity in the county.

ROADWAYS

A road is the means of internal communication between points in any coun- try; a place where one may ride or drive; it is an open way appropriated for public passage and travel for wagons or other vehicles, and is necessary to the good of every community .- Ravenel's Road Primer.

We will begin with the old roads-the roads of the pioneers and their early descendants-with the "trails," "post roads," "state roads," as they were termed in those early days-and develop them as well as is possible to the cross-state highways of today.

It is self evident that the government recognized roads of whatever material, as essentials, and that Northeast Missouri was of as national importance as any other part of Missouri in the very earliest periods of the nineteenth century from the recognition given it by the United States postoffice department, as evidenced by the partial list of post and stage roads enumerated below. .

THE BOON'S LICK ROAD

The Boon's Lick road is one of the oldest roads in Missouri and the unquestioned oldest in Northeast Missouri. It rung from St. Charles to the Boon's Lick Springs in Howard county, about nine miles west- wardly beyond the present town of New Franklin and was first used by Nathaniel and Daniel M., the sons of Daniel Boone, the old pioneer hunter and trapper, and Messrs. Goforth, Baldridge and Manly, for the purpose of reaching the Boon's Lick Springs, where they manufactured salt and shipped to St. Louis, in 1806-7. This road was made a post

HISTORY OF NORTHEAST MISSOURI

road by the United States government in 1821 and soon after was legal- ized as a state road by the Missouri legislature, its eastern end being known as the St. Charles road. This road has now become a part of the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, being the connecting link between the "Cum- berland Road" or "National Pike" from St. Louis, via St. Charles, te New Franklin, in Howard county, thence by the Missouri avenue to the Missouri river, at the site of the extinct town of Old Franklin, opposite Boonville, thus connecting this old road with the other old trails por- tion of the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, the Santa Fe trail through Missouri.

The Boon's Lick road is an important feature of the roadways of Northeast Missouri from the fact that it traverses the following counties, passing through some of its principal commercial and educational cen- ters : St. Charles, Warren, Montgomery, Callaway, Boone and Howard.

The Boon's Lick road was regularly surveyed and established by Nathan Boone, as a commissioner, in 1815 and is undoubtedly the most historic and widely known road to be treated in this work.

THE SALT RIVER ROAD

The Salt River road, however, follows closely in its chronological record, being ordered laid out in 1823, from St. Charles to the mouth of the Des Moines river. It traverses Northeast Missouri in a direction

ON A MISSOURI COUNTRY ROAD

practically at right angles to the Boon's Lick road, which follows the Missouri river, for it seems to have followed the direction of the Missis- sippi, leaving it at St. Charles and passing through St. Peters, Troy, Eolia, Louisiana, Hannibal and Palmyra and on to the northward, cross- ing the counties of St. Charles, Lincoln, Pike, Ralls, Marion, Lewis and part of Clark.

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A History of Northeast Missouri, Volume I, Part 11

Author: Williams, Walter, 1864-1935, editor Publication date: 1913 Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis Publishing Company Number of Pages: 731

Author: Williams, Walter, 1864-1935, editor
Publication date: 1913
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The Lewis Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 731