USA > Missouri > A History of Northeast Missouri, Volume I > Part 25
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COAL MINING
The county began to be important in the mining of coal about 1900. Coal had been mined since 1888, but the county did not rank among the leading counties in the state until 1900. Since 1902 it has produced from five hundred thousand to seven hundred and ten thousand tons of coal a year. In 1905 it ranked second among the counties in the state in the number of tons mined. Since that year it has ranked
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third. The coal fields are for the most part in the western and north- western parts of the county. There are at least three veins of coal depos- its. The first one is found in the hills in and around Stahl and seems to be confined to that part of the county altogether. The second vein extends rather generally throughout the coal fields of the county and is found at a depth varying from fifty to seventy-five feet. The third vein underlies the second at a depth of about one hundred and fifty feet and has been found at Stahl, Connelsville, Novinger and perhaps elsewhere. The veins vary in thickness from twenty-four to forty-four inches. There are in the county now shaft, slope and drift mines in operation. The first mining machinery in the county was installed at Stahl in 1907.
The coal industry of the county has given rise to several towns, as well as increased the size of others. Stahl, Novinger and Connelsville owe their existence to the fact that under and around them lie great beds of coal which have been operated to a great extent. Novinger, espe- cially, has benefited by the coal industry. While ten or twelve years ago it was a little village of about a dozen houses, it is now a town of two thousand population and has just begun its growth.
The first coal company to do business in the county that repre- sented much capital was the Pennsylvania Coal Company. This company purchased, in 1837, the mines at Stahl and Danforth and oper- ated them both. The company's name has since been changed to the Stahl Coal Company. There are now four large mining companies at Novinger,-the Kansas City Midland Company, the Manufacturers' Coke and Coal Company, the Great Northern Fuel Company and the Rombauer Coal Company.
RAILROADS
Four railroads pass through Adair county. They are the Iowa & St. Louis, the Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City, the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe and the Wabash.
The first to be built was the Wabash, which was known at first as the North Missouri Railroad. It was built from St. Louis through Adair county and northward to the Missouri-Iowa state line by December, 1868. There was a great celebration when the road was completed as far as Kirksville on July 4th. On July 18, 1868, an excursion train was run over the new road from Macon to Kirksville. This was the first time a railroad train had ever been seen in Adair county. It stopped at each station along the route while the band played. Two hours were required to make the trip. The name of the railroad was changed, in 1872, to the St. Louis, Kansas City & Northern. It was taken over by the Wabash company in 1889.
The Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City Railroad was built through the eastern half of the county to Kirksville in 1872. The road was later built on to the westward. The Burlington has acquired this rail- road and it is now known as the "O. K." or Quincy route. It runs from Quincy to Kansas City and Omaha.
There are two railroads, the Santa Fe and the Iowa & St. Louis, that do not pass through Kirksville. The Santa Fe was built through the county in 1888. The only important station on the Santa Fe in Adair county is Gibbs. The Iowa & St. Louis Railroad was built through the county in the last ten years. It runs from Sedan, Iowa, to Elmer, Macon county, Missouri. The road is now owned by the Burlington system. It was originally built to open up rich coal mines. Yarrow, Youngstown, Novinger, Connelsville and Hiberton are all on the route of this road through Adair county.
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There are ten banks in the county. Four of the banks are in Kirks- ville. There are two at Brashear and Novinger and one at Connelsville and Gibbs. The first bank organized in the county was the Kirksville branch of the Bank of St. Louis, which was opened for business in November, 1859. The second bank, the Kirksville Savings Bank, was established in 1873. All the other banks have been founded since 1890. There has never been a bank failure in the county.
COUNTY TOWNS
The largest town in Adair county is Kirksville, the county seat. According to the 1910 census, it had a population of 6,347. It was laid out in 1841, at which time Jesse Kirk, David E. Sloan and possibly others were living in the vicinity. It was incorporated in 1857.
The city was visited by a cyclone on April 27, 1899, in which twenty- eight people were killed. Much damage was done to property. Some little damage has been done from time to time by water.
Kirksville has been without open saloons for the last five years. At an election held in June, 1912, the city voted against the sale of liquor for four years more.
Brashear, in the eastern part of the county, on the Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City Railroad, was laid out in 1872. It had a population of 458 in 1910.
Nineveh was founded by German communists who came from Bethel, Shelby county, Missouri. Their leader was Dr. William Keil. The colony was dissolved soon after the death of Dr. Keil in 1877. The com- munity still exists, however. Most of its members have joined other churches.
Connelsville, incorporated in 1904, has a population of 652. Coal mining is the chief industry in this vicinity.
Novinger, founded by and named for John C. Novinger, who lived in the neighborhood, is the junction point of the Iowa & St. Louis and Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City Railroads. It has a population of about two thousand and is a coal mining center.
Gibbs, in the southeastern part of the county, on the Santa Fe Railroad, has a population of about 250. It is a grain and stock ship- ping center for farmers in three counties.
Stahl, a coal mining town on the Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City Rail- road; Shibley's Point, three miles northeast of Stahl; Adair, a Catholic community; Wilmathsville, in the northeast part of the county; Sub- lett, a shipping point on the Wabash; and Millard, also a shipping point on the Wabash, are unincorporated villages.
Other communities in the county are Danforth, Youngstown, Nind, Yarrow and Wilsontown. Danforth is on the Quincy, Omaha & Kansas City and Youngstown and Yarrow on the Iowa & St. Louis Railroad.
CHAPTER X AUDRAIN COUNTY By George Robertson, Mexico ** ORGANIZATION
Audrain county was the forty-seventh county organized in the state of Missouri. It was originally a portion of St Charles county. Its area consists of about 440,000 acres. It is bounded on the north by Monroe and Ralls, on the east by Pike and Montgomery, on the south by Montgomery, Callaway and Boone and on the west by Boone and Randolph. counties. It lies on the divide between the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Some of the streams heading in the county flow into one river and some into the other.
As the territory of St. Charles county was sub-divided into other counties by the territorial legislature, and the general assembly of the state after the adoption of the constitution of 1820, an unorganized piece of territory surrounded by other counties was left within the boundaries of no organized county. When Montgomery county was organized December 14, 1818, the unorganized territory west of it was attached to that county for military and civil purposes. Callaway, Boone and Ralls counties were created, however, in 1820, and for civil and military purposes, parts of what is now Audrain county were attached to them, and when Monroe county was organized January 6, 1831, a portion of the unorganized territory south was attached. This accounts for the fact that some of the early conveyances and records of Audrain county are found in the counties adjoining.
The legislature of 1830 discovering the fact of the unorganized ter- ritory, since composing Audrain county, two bills were introduced into the house constructing that territory into a county. One proposed to name it Union county, the other "Ioway" county. The bill giving it the name of Union county passed the house and, on being taken up in the senate, was so amended as to give it the name of Audrain county, in honor of the senator from the Eighth district, composed of Lincoln and St. Charles counties, James H. Audrain, who had died during the session .*.
* Senate Journal, 1830.
** It is not claimed that this sketch of Audrain county is in all things accurate, neither that it is sufficiently complete to arise to the dignity of a history of the county. There are many matters within the scope of the real history of the people of the county not even touched upon. So far as it goes, the writer has sought the most reliable sources extant. On questions of conflict, he has attempted to reconcile former statements as far as possible, and in making a choice has adopted the one which seems most reliable.
The authorities of Audrain county and the city of Mexico have not been at all particular in preserving the public records, and when it comes to the early records of
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The bill was signed by the governor, John Miller, and became a law, January 12, 1831. The bill provided that "So soon as there shall be inhabitants in said territory sufficient to entitle said designated county to a representative, by the then existing law of the land, the same shall be organized and entitled to all the rights and privileges of other coun- ties in the state." The bill further provided that parts of the county should remain attached to Callaway, Monroe and Ralls counties, for civil and military purposes as theretofore until such organization should take place.
So far as the legislature is concerned, the territory thus constructed into Audrain county, was left to itself until it had acquired a sufficient number of inhabitants to entitle it to a representative. Then the legis- lature of 1836 passed an act authorizing the organization of the county. An act was approved December 17, 1836, appointing Cornelius Edwards of Monroe county, William Martin of Callaway county and Robert Schooling of Boone county, commissioners, for the purpose of selecting the seat of justice for the county, and vesting in them all necessary power for the organization of the county, and providing that they should meet on the first Monday of June, 1837, at the house of Edward Jennings, in "New Mexico," for the purpose of selecting and locating the permanent seat of justice of the county. The act further provided that the courts, both county and circuit, should be held at the house of the said Edward Jennings in "New Mexico."" Subsequently the act was amended changing the date of the meeting to the first Monday of March, 1837.
The boundaries of the county as originally laid off by the legislature, so remained until 1842, when the legislature passed an act further defin- ing the boundaries of Monroe and Audrain counties, and a strip of territory one mile wide, in all thirty-one square miles was taken from the
the county, there is almost an inextricable confusion, besides much omission, as well as a failure to preserve records of many matters of importance.
Neither the county nor the city of Mexico has ever had the offices of a historical society, the services of which are absolutely essential to the preservation of the deeds of the people. A society of this kind would find in this county abundant work to perform, and before it is too late succeed in reducing to a permanent record, many things which now appear to be in a mistful state.
Recourse has been had to a short sketch of Audrain county written by the late Saml. M. Edwards in 1877, to Bryan and Roses's "Pioneer Families of Missouri," about the same date, and to a history of Audrain county published in 1884 by National Historical Company of St. Louis. The latter is quite voluminous and in many things inaccurate and incomplete, with much confusion, but nevertheless exceed- ingly valuable to the writer of a sketch of this kind.
In referring to pioneer times, great reliance has been placed upon statements made by Messrs. R. A. Calhoun, A. G. Turner, Rufus S. Pearson and John W. Beatty. In matters relating to the Civil war, in addition to the letter from Col. Brace, pub- lished in this sketch, consultations from time to time have been had with James H. Sallee, E. D. Graham and as well John W. Beatty, all of whom lived in Mexico throughout that period, also Dr. Wm. W. Macfarlane, one of the active participants therein, in affairs around Mexico. In matters of doubt reference as far as pos- sible has been had to the "Official Records, War of the Rebellion," besides other, historical matter including a letter from Capt. Geo. W. Bryson.
Acknowledgment is made to John B. Graham, county clerk; Eppa F. Elliott, circuit clerk ; A. H. Whitney, recorder of deeds, for many courtesies, and Mr. J. F. Llewellyn, for access to his valuable library, besides many other persons, too numerous to mention, who have shown their interest in a history of the county, by aiding the writer in many ways.
It is hoped that before a great while some person with sufficient time and patience, together with the suitable qualifications, will prepare as nearly as possible, an accurate and complete history of the people of Audrain county. The material is abundant and the people owe it to themselves to have a permanent record made of their participation in the affairs of the great state of Missouri.
* Laws of Missouri, 1836, page 45.
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southern part of Monroe and added to Audrain county. As at that time defined, the boundaries of Audrain county have ever since remained.
There is no stream in the county rising to the dignity of a river. Loutre creek, rising in the southeastern part of the county forms one of the sources of Loutre river, running into the Missouri river. Cedar creek, forming the boundary between Callaway and Boone counties, and running into the Missouri river, rises in the western part of the county. Cuivre creek, rising in the eastern part of the county is one of the sources of Cuivre river, running into the Mississippi. Salt river is formed by Beaver Dam and Davis or North Fork of Salt river, both heading in the county. Also Long Branch and Young's creek, branches of Salt river, head in the county. Littleby creek, another stream which is a branch of Salt river, heads in the county.
Loutre, Cuivre and Salt creeks derive their names from the rivers which they help to form. Beaver Dam, which is the south fork of Salt river, gets its name from the fact that in the early days, it had a dam across it generally believed to have been made by beavers. Young's creek derives its name from an early settler, Benjamin Young, who located on it in 1821. Young was a native of North Carolina, living for a time in Kentucky and Howard county, Missouri, before coming to the territory afterwards within Audrain. Fish Branch gets its name from the many fish that were found in it in the early days." In time of high water of Salt river, into which it runs, and owing to the slight fall of the bed of Fish Branch, the fish coming up the stream would be retained for a longer time in that branch than any other stream, and made it a bountiful fishing place for the early settlers.
THE COUNTY SEAT
On April 23, 1836, Robert C. Mansfield and James H. Smith, having entered the land upon which the original town of Mexico was located, filed a plat of the town at Paris, the county seat of Monroe county, and gave the town the name of Mexico, in recognition of the excitement at that time in this state over the growing controversy between Mexico and the United States concerning the independence of Texas. These pro- prietors thought that the note of the name would bring popularity to the town.t There is no warrant for ever having called the town New Mexico except through the mistake of the legislature in naming the commissioners, yet in the records of both the county and circuit courts for two terms, the place is designated as New Mexico. These records further state that the commissioners to locate the county seat met, and the first courts were held at the house of Edward Jennings. The com- missioners met as directed by the legislature and located the county seat of the county at Mexico, in consideration of the donation of certain lots and blocks to the county, and they further required an additional donation which has ever since been known as the donated or county addition to the town. These donations were accepted by the county and block twenty-five of the original town was set aside for the court house square. The author of this sketch has made as thorough investi- gation as it is possible to make, of where the house of Edward Jennings was located. The fact is that Edward Jennings never owned a house in or near Mexico, but after the laying off of the town and prior to the act of the legislature above referred to, James E. Fenton had purchased from the proprietors of the town, lots six and seven of block twelve and
* Probably named by Merideth Meyers who settled on the creek in 1841.
t William Mansfield, son of Robert C., living near Mexico.
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had located on lot six where the book store of James E. Sallee is now located, a grocery and general store and this business was conducted by the firm of Jennings & Fenton. This was the Edward Jennings named in the act of the legislature. From Rufus S. Pearson now living in Mexico, and at that time a boy ten years of age, living with his father on a farm adjoining the northern limits of the town, it is learned that the house where this store was maintained is the first house ever built within the original limits of the town plat, and from a suit begun by Gross & Robbins at the July term, 1837, at Mexico, against Jen- nings & Fenton, it is learned that as early as June 22, 1837, Jennings had ceased to be a resident of Audrain county. From the conduct of Jennings as disclosed in a bill of exceptions now on file in that case, it is not surprising that Jennings had claimed the ownership of the house where he and Fenton were doing business, and had succeeded in getting the legislature to designate the house as his, when as a matter of fact, it belonged to Fenton. After the troubles out of which this law suit arose, there is no further account of Jennings in and around Mexico.
Owing to the fact that people generally cherish the places where beginnings take place, the author of this sketch has taken special pains to locate the place where the commissioners met and where the first courts of Audrain county were held, and after accepting the statements of Mr. Pearson as above stated and examination of the early records so far as they go, the conclusion is irresistible that this place was on lot six of block twelve of the original town of Mexico and the further conclusion is that the house designated as that of Edward Jennings was the house of James E. Fenton on that lot. This particularity has been gone into for the reason that a former historical sketch of Audrain county has stated that the house of Edward Jennings was at a different place in the town.
JUDGE EDWARDS' SKETCH
A part of the history of Audrain county by the late Judge S. M. Edwards, written in 1877, for an atlas of the county, is adopted as being correct in the main with the exception of the location of the house of Edward Jennings, and the account of Robert Littleby, from whose name Littleby creek takes its name. Bryan and Rose in their account of Audrain county in "Pioneer Families of Missouri," 1876, give Littleby's settlement there as early as 1816, and say that he removed west in 1822, instead of his death there as stated by Edwards. Littleby was a trapper and hunter and sold his furs and pelts in St. Charles.
The excerpt from Judge Edwards' sketch follows: "Very little is known of this section prior to 1828. Of the thrilling events in her past but a single one comes down to us through the memory of the old settler ; and this occurred as late as 1822. It is related that the Indians, who then held possession of all the country from the Boonslick settlement, north, had made a raid on the whites at Loutre Island, and robbed them of stock which they could not well afford to lose, and a force of some thirty men was at once sent in pursuit. They followed the trail for several days, until they found they were getting too far in the enemy's country when they gave up the chase and started to return and when night came on they pitched camp on the head-waters of a small stream and in the open prairie at a point near the present residence of Mrs. Margaret Potts." After partaking of their rude repast, weary and worn from travel they lay down in the tall grass to sleep, a sleep few ever
* Now owned by James A. Surber.
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awoke from. The savages, having spied their movements, fell upon them in the night, and killed many as they lay asleep in their blankets. Two only escaped from the camp, and one of these was the late John Gibson, of Callaway county, from whom my informant got the story. These were closely pursued by the Indians, and the last Gibson saw of his companion was when they were nearing the timber on the head- waters of Loutre creek, probably somewhere in the neighborhood of the site of the village of Martinsburg.
"Gibson was three days getting back to the settlement, and during this time his only food was a hawk which had had a wing broken. Gibson alone returned to tell the sad story to the wives and mothers on the island. The whites got together a sufficient force and came back and buried the dead, but the coyotes and the wolves no doubt unearthed the bodies, for afterward when the county came to be settled, a large pile of human skulls and other bones were found here," and from this the stream is called Skull Lick.
"Many human teeth, in a fine state of preservation, recently taken from the spot, are now in the possession of Dr. J. W. Luckie, dentist, in the city of Mexico.
"The territory which forms Audrain county up to 1837 was known as "Salt River Region," and not even Hades with all its horrors was more uninviting to the timid female than a home within its borders.
"Up to 1828 there was not a human habitation within its limits. Its primeval stillness was broken only by the hideous howl of the wolf, or the hair-raising whoop of the Sac or the Pottowattomie.
"In the fall of that year a large hunting party of these genteel thieves came in and camped on Beaver Dam, near the place afterward improved by Roland McIntyre, and as far as we can learn, this was the last of 'Poor Lo' in this vicinity; at least in force sufficient to arouse any feeling of fear. The smoke from the settlers' cabins from this time began to go up, and scenting danger, as the war horse does the battle, ye savage bent his tall form toward the setting sun, which remote point it is much regretted he did not reach.
"The first settlement attempted on the borders of the county was about 1829, by one Littleby, a misanthropic old Englishman. He built a cabin on the stream that now bears his name at a point where Colonel R. W. Sinclair now lives. He had nothing but his horse, dog and gun- and his horse and dog shared his cabin with him. Here afterward he was found dead, torn and mutilated, and the presumption was that the wolves killed him.
"In 1830, Joseph McDonald moved in and settled on the farm now owned by Garland Sims, and about the same time one Wainscot came and settled what is now known as the Clem Smith place, but soon after sold to John Martin:
"In that same year came William Levaugh, John Barnett, Caleb Williams, Black Isam, Fiddler Isam and John Kilgore and Richard Willingham. Levaugh settled what is now known as the Powell place- owned at present by M. Y. Duncan.1 Willingham took a claim on the place known as the Kirtley farm.2 This he sold in 1831 to Reuben Pulis.
"John Kilgore settled on the north side of Davis' Fork, on the farm known as the McIlhany farm. It was on this place early in the year 1831, that the first white child was born in the county. This was our
* In a deer lick.
1 North end of Jefferson street, Mexico, Missouri.
2 Western part of Mexico, Missouri.
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fellow-citizen, Frank Kilgore,3 who, perhaps, has the best claim to that much-coveted title, "The oldest inhabitant."
"Next after these came Roland McIntire, Thomas Barnett, Richard Pierson, Charles McIntire, Roland and Joseph Watts, William and Richard Byrns-a Mrs. Throgmoten, Judge James Jackson, John A. Pearson, Judge James Harrison, Joel Haynes and James E. Fenton. Later came Judge J. B. Morris, William and Jerry West, Wm. White, Robert C. Mansfield and the ubiquitous Smith-this one was Jas. H.
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