USA > Missouri > A History of Northeast Missouri, Volume I > Part 42
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was a surveyor in Augusta county, Virginia. He located a New Madrid claim of several hundred acres, five miles northwest of "Old Chariton," where the road through the bottom strikes the upland or hills on the road to Keytesville. He was appointed by the legislature in 1820, one of the commissioners to locate the county seat and they selected Old Chariton, making their report January 25, 1821. He was a man of fine education, of heroic build and his advice was sought by his neigh- bors in every enterprise for the upbuilding and good of the county. He was a man of great force of character, of strong likes and dislikes and was always loyal to his friends and for the man who had little mean traits of character he had the most supreme contempt and did not hesitate to express his sentiments when occasion required. His wife was a no less distinguished personage, a descendant of prominent Scotch- Irish ancestry, the Campbell clan of Argyleshire, Scotland. She was a Presbyterian of the strictest sect, deeply pious and with an unfaltering trust in the one true and living God. Her home was the hospitable resting place of every pioneer preacher, irrespective of the sect to which he might belong, and her house was the regular preaching place for that neighborhood for many years. She was the daughter of Thomas and Jane (Campbell) Tate, of Augusta county, Virginia, and her mother was a sister of General William Campbell, the "Hero of King's Moun- tain," who married Elizabeth Henry, sister of Patrick Henry, governor of Virginia. In the year 1817, Abraham Locke and his family and his sons, Thomas, John D., Nelson P. and William M. Locke, came from Vir- ginia and settled in the same neighborhood of Colonel Craig. In 1818, others from Virginia and Kentucky settled in the same neighborhood, among them Nathaniel Butler, Joseph Vance, James Fowler, Thomas Watson, Peterson Parks, Robert Hayes, Daniel Hays, Samuel and Jonathan T. Burch, Samuel Dinsmore, Capt. James Heryford and Abner Finnell.
Near the town of Chariton and west of the Grand Chariton, James Earickson settled and afterwards was elected state senator and state treasurer. His son-in-law, Talton Turner, Archibald Hix, Samuel Wil- liams, Col. John M. Bell, John Morse, Henry Lewis, Richard Woodson, John Doxey, Thomas Doxey, and others occupied the county as far north as the Bowling Green prairie. Col. Martin Palmer lived in the western edge of the Bowling Green prairie on a creek to which he gave his name. Colonel Palmer went to Texas and tried to start a revolution, but returned to Arkansas, where he was quite prosperous. On the east fork of the Chariton lived the celebrated Dr. Sappington, who after- wards moved to Saline county and was the originator of the "Sapping- ton pill"-composed of quinine, blue mass and piperin and extensively used by the pioneers in the treatment of malarial fevers. It was often stated that one could go from the Missouri river to any point in Texas without money and get accommodation for man or beast at any house or tavern if he had plenty of Doctor Sappington's pills in his saddle- bags.
In the eastern part of the county lived John Doxey, who gave name to "Doxey's Fork," that empties into the east fork of the Chariton just above the town of Chariton. In the same neighborhood lived Samuel Forrest, John Tooley, Joseph Maddox, Thomas Anderson, and others.
In October, 1818, Maj. Daniel Ashby and family, accompanied by Abraham. Sportsman, James Leeper, Thomas Shumate, Pleasant Brow- der, and their families, came from near Harrodsburg, Mercer county, Kentucky, and settled on the bluffs west of the present town of Keytes- ville. Major Ashby drove 375 head of stock hogs from Kentucky to where he finally settled in the western part of what was then Howard
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county. In his autobiography, "Reminiscences of a Missouri Pioneer," he says: "I was the northwest pivot man of the pioneer settlements of the United States. There was no white man between me and the Rocky mountains on the west, nor was there anyone between me and the Lake of the Woods on the north." He learned to speak the language of the Iowa Indians and Gen. Duff Green furnished him with goods and he trafficked with the Indians for five years and they divided the profits equally. He was a member of the first county court of the county, was a member of the lower house of the Missouri general assembly for several sessions, was twice elected a member of the state senate (1834- 36), was appointed by President Van Buren a receiver of public moneys in the land office at Lexington, Missouri, and was reappointed by President Tyler. He was a great hunter and in his autobiography he relates many thrilling incidents of the chase, while hunting bear, wolves, elk, deer, and wild turkeys in this county. He owned a celebrated pack of deer hounds and it was the great delight of his children and those of his neighbors to gather around his fireside and listen to the recital of the exploits of old "Sounder" and "Trailer" on the chase or to his thrilling accounts of fights with Indians and hunting bear and wolves. The recital of the stirring events of the life of this single pioneer would fill a large volume and the experiences of many of his neighbors were equally as thrilling. In his unpublished autobiography he has related many of the stirring events in the lives of the pioneers of this county and has given a vivid pen-picture of the trials and hardships as well as the pleasures they enjoyed and the staunch friendships engendered among those sharing a common danger in the winning of the West.
The Rev. John M. Peck visited the town of Chariton in January, 1819, and while there was a guest of Gen. Duff Green. In his memoirs he speaks of organizing a "female mite society" to aid "the United So- ciety for the Spread of the Gospel" in sustaining ministers in traveling and preaching in destitute settlements.
The first Sunday school west of St. Louis was commenced in Chari- ton in the spring of 1819, and it became auxiliary to the Philadelphia Sunday School Union. The Rev. James Keyte, who afterwards founded the towns of Keytesville and Brunswick, was among the early residents of the town and ministered to the spiritual wants of the people as a Methodist preacher. The Baptists started the erection of a church but never finished it.
Among the pioneer physicians were Dr. Willis Green, brother of Gen. Duff Green, Dr. John Bull, afterwards a member of congress who deserves much credit for securing the "Platte Purchase," and Dr. Ben Edwards, brother of Gov. Ninian Edwards of Illinois, Doctors Wood, Holman and Folger were physicians of great skill and ministered to the sick and afflicted.
The Rev. Ebenezer Rogers, a Baptist minister, and. a Mr. Pierce were the first school teachers of the town and nearly all the children in that vicinity received their early education under the training of these two men. Another teacher by the name of John Brownjohn also had a school in the town and there was considerable rivalry between the two schools. The pupils of Brownjohn's school concluded they would go over and "clean out" the boys of the Rogers school and at noon they went over in a body. One of the largest and bravest boys chal- lenged the champion of the Rogers school to a fight. William H. Davis, brother of Judge John M. Davis and H. H. Davis, of this county, was one of the big boys of the Rogers school and accepted the challenge and literally "wiped the earth up" with his boastful rival. Mr. Rogers, who was a strict disciplinarian, heard of the fight and called young
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Davis up to his desk, as he had done several times before for the same offense, and was about to inflict corporal punishment upon him when he informed the teacher that the Brownjohn boys had jeered them and said the teacher of the Rogers boys was nothing but an "Old Tory" and he whipped the bully for saying it. Rogers, when he heard that he had been accused of being a Tory, having come from England, felt keenly the sting of the epithet and told his pupil that under the circum- stances he would not punish him that time, but he must cease his fighting.
THE FIRST CIRCUIT COURT
The first circuit court that convened in the county of Chariton met on February 22, 1821, in the town of Chariton. Judge David Todd, the presiding judge of the first judicial court, being present, produced the following commission :
Alexander McNair, governor of the state of Missouri: To all who shall see these presents greeting: Know you that reposing special trust and confidence in the integrity, learning and ability of David Todd, esquire, I have nominated and by and with the advice and consent of the senate do appoint him circuit judge of the First Judicial Circuit in the state of Missouri and do authorize and empower him to hold said office with all the rights, privileges and emoluments therewith appertain- ing unto him the said David Todd, during good behavior unless sooner removed accord- ing to law. In testimony whereof I have affixed my private seal. (There being no seal of state yet provided.) Given under my hand at St. Louis the 5th day of December, A. D., 1820, and of the Independence of the United States the forty-fifth.
By the governor, A. McNAIR.
JOSHUA BARTON, Secretary of State.
The capital of the state was then in St. Louis and the state of Mis- souri had not been fully admitted into the Union, that event being con- firmed August 10, 1821.
Edward B. Cabell was appointed the first clerk of the court. John Moore was appointed the first sheriff. Hamilton R. Gamble was ap- pointed the first circuit attorney. In 1824, he was appointed secretary of state by Governor Bates; in 1857, he was presiding justice of the su- preme court ; and in July, 1861, was made governor of Missouri. The at- torneys present upon the first day of the court were Cyrus Edwards, John C. Mitchell, William J. Redd, Joseph J. Monroe, John Payne, An- drew S. McGirk, and Hamilton R. Gamble. The following commission- ers, appointed by the general assembly in 1820, to locate the county seat, Col. Hiram Craig, William Pearce, Baylor Banks, Richard Woodson, and Lawson Dennington, appeared and took the required oath.
The court met again June 25, 1821, and John T. Ryland, Dabney Carr, and George Tompkins were admitted as practicing attorneys. The commissioners appointed to locate the county seat made the follow- ing report :
That the permanent seat of justice for the said county of Chariton be fixed in the town of Chariton and that courts in the future are to be held in the brick house in the public square. That the deed made to the commissioners for the benefit of Chariton county is herewith submitted for your approval. We are with due respect,
HIRAM CRAIG, WM. PEARCE, BAYLOR BANKS.
June 25, 1821.
The third term of the court was held October, 1821, at which time Abiel Leonard, P. R. Hayden, and Henry T. Williams were admitted
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as practicing attorneys. Samuel Williams, father of the late John P. Williams, was the representative in the legislature and had been one of the delegates to the constitutional convention. He died before his time expired and Gen. Duff Green was elected to fill the vacancy. James Earickson, Daniel Ashby, and John N. Bell composed the first county court. Edward Cabell was clerk of both county and circuit courts; also county treasurer, notary public, and postmaster. The first deed book was made by Mrs. Cabell, by sewing quires of foolscap paper together.
There was much confusion in regard to titles of land in Chariton county, as it was in the center of the military land grant set aside by congress as bounties for the soldiers of the War of 1812. Grants were also made in the county to those whose land had been destroyed in the New Madrid earthquake of 1811, and the "vacant land," as it was termed, was scattered about among the New Madrid claims and the bounty claims. A great deal more land was "located" than was ever destroyed and because of their conflict with other entries there was much litigation. The military district contained but few inhabitants. The titles to the land could not be had and the land subject to entry was in detached pieces so as to prevent the formation of neighborhoods. The first sale of land for taxes took place in 1825, and was called "Trent's Sale," because Alex Trent, the sheriff, conducted the sale. A large number of the military tracts were sold and the law required that the land should be surveyed by the county surveyor before the state would make a deed. In the spring of 1825, the county surveyor, Col. Henry T. Williams, while out on one of these surveying expeditions up the Grand Chariton river, in company with Maj. Daniel Ashby, Thomas Williams, John P. Williams and Henry C. Sevier, were visited by a party of Indians and one of them who had imbibed too much "fire- water" showed a disposition to fight. He brandished his scalping knife in a threatening manner and with a hideous war whoop made a rush for Major Ashby, who stood with an axe in his hand. When the Indian got near enough, Ashby struck him in the face with the axe with all his might. It was with the back or pole of the axe or his head would have been severed. Strange as it may seem, the Indian recovered, but for years the relatives of this Indian were skulking about Ashby's home to kill him, but were afraid to attack him openly and could never surprise him.
PIONEER LIFE AND CUSTOMS
It will be observed that the early pioneer located his home in the heavily timbered sections of the county, as there were no prairie farms. The reason for this was obvious, for the logs could be cut and hewed close by where the cabin was to be erected. The land was cleared of the timber and rails made to enclose that portion which was to be used for cultivation of crops. These were the days of log-rolling for the men, quilting for the women by day, and corn huskings and dances by night. The primitive log-cabin was the scene of jollity and good nature and true western hospitality was extended to all. The latch-string always hung on the outside of the door. Wild game, such as bear, elk, deer, wild turkeys, squirrels, quail and prairie chickens were plentiful and the rifle furnished all the meat the family required. Luxuriant grass grew in the forest and on the prairies and furnished pasturage for the stock in summer and hay for the winter. The hogs fattened on the acorns, hickory nuts and walnuts and wild plums and wild grapes . furnished luxuries for the table. Many families used honey in the place of sugar. This article was very abundant, as bee-hives were
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found wherever there were hollow trees. Hunting bee-trees was & business much followed in the fall of the year, as beeswax was always a cash article at twenty-five cents a pound. Money was scarce and trading was done by barter, exchanging one article for another. The Spanish dollar was the circulating medium and these were often halved or quartered for small change and called "four bits" and "two bits."
Keel-boats were used for bringing in supplies and as New Orleans was the nearest market, flatboats were built and this market reached once a year. Colonel Craig would build a flatboat every year on the Grand Chariton and with a cargo of bacon, corn, tobacco, furs, tanned deerskins, beeswax and honey would make a trip to New Orleans with Andrew Thrash as pilot. When a boy I have listened to this aged pilot relate the many thrilling experiences on the Missouri and Missis- sippi rivers while acting as pilot on my grandfather's flatboats. They would return from New Orleans to St. Louis on a steamboat and Mr. Thrash would foot it from St. Louis to his home at "The Point," just
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below Old Chariton, and Colonel Craig and other members of the crew would travel by stage or on a keel-boat up the Missouri.
MUSTER DAYS
In 1825, the legislature passed a militia law and it was in force until about 1840. Its purpose was to prepare the state for Indian wars or any other emergency that might arise. Those exempt from service were civil officers, preachers, teachers, millers and students in school. Under the militia law all able-bodied men between the ages of eighteen and forty-five were required to organize into companies, choose officers, meet at stated times and places for drill and exercise in military evolu- tions. Company commissioned officers were a captain and lieutenants. Companies were organized into battalions; battalions into regiments with colonels and lieutenant-colonels, majors and other file officers; regiments into brigades with a brigadier-general in command; brigades into divisions with a major-general. The whole was under the governor as the commander-in-chief of the military forces of the state. Com- missioned officers from colonel down were elected by the rank and file and the titles gave rank and standing and were eagerly sought and
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there was much electioneering and log-rolling to secure them. On the first Saturday of April, every year, the citizens of each township or, in thinly populated sections, the citizens of each county came together to be formed into companies and drilled for soldiers.
In May companies met for battalion drill, which lasted for several days. In October, drills were had by regiments and brigades. There was no evading the militia law and militiamen had to attend musters or they were assessed a fine. They had to provide and bring arms with them and have them in good condition. General muster day was the greatest event of the year and was looked forward to by every one in the county. The wealthy officers made display of magnificent uniforms and popular heroes were cheered and hurrahed. On that day all the people from the surrounding country came in, looked at the drill and, as a result of getting together, friendships were cemented, debts were paid and new loans were negotiated. It was effective in cultivat- ing a fine feeling of pride in the state and her institutions. The old darkey was there with his stand loaded with ginger cakes, cider and spruce beer. There was horse-racing, foot-racing, wrestling and fist- fights, rough and tumble, to settle some family feud. Then at night there was the dance when they cut the pigeon wing, the double shuffle and winding up with the ranking colonel leading out the grandest dame. The theory underlying the old militia law was a good one-In time of peace prepare for war. But in practice it was cumbersome and failed in its main purpose of creating an efficient militia and was repealed by the legislature some time before the Mexican war.
Among the commissioned officers in Chariton county were Col. Hiram Craig, Major Daniel Ashby, Capt. John S. Wallace, Capt. Abner Fin- . nell, Capt. William Herriford, and Lieut. Jerry Wilson.
MONTICELLO
In the summer of 1825 there was quite a flood in the Missouri river and the Chariton rivers overflowed the bottom lands and the town of "Old Chariton" was surrounded by the high water. After the water subsided there came sickness and death to many of the inhabitants of the town and surrounding country and the dreaded disease malaria decimated the ranks of these pioneers. There was a camp-meeting in progress in the Missouri bottom where the water overflowed the land and the people had to be rescued in boats. The first attempt to locate another town near Chariton was in 1831, when Dr. John Graves founded the town of Monticello, one mile east of Chariton on the high bluffs where it was thought the location would be more healthful. The town of Monticello was beautifully located and many men moved there with their families and it was quite an aristocratic and social center. Among those who built residences in this place were Judge John M. Feazle, who also erected a large tobacco factory, Walker Lewis, Stephen W. Lewis, William A. McLure, Judge John B. Clark, John P. Morris, Joshua A. Belden, John A. Haldeman, and Judge James Clark.
In 1839 a seminary for male and female students was conducted at Monticello and the catalogue of the opening session of Monticello Sem- inary, which began the last Monday in July, 1839, shows that the school had a four years course and a splendid curriculum. It continued to prosper for eight years and finally reached an enrollment of nearly four hundred pupils. It was a noted institution of learning through- out the state. The school was conducted by the Rev. William Henry Lewis, as principal, an active minister of the Methodist church South for more than a half century. Alfred Mann, for many years a resident of
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Keytesville and a noted educator in this county, and James W. Lewis, brother of the Rev. William Henry Lewis, were assistant teachers, while Miss Martha W. Lewis, who afterward married Dr. J. J. Watts, of Fay- ette, and is the mother of Mrs. J. C. Wallace, of Keytesville, presided over the women's department. Among the pupils enrolled at the first term were Alfonso Moore, of Keytesville, Miss Frances Lockridge, who after- wards married Alfred Mann-their son, Horace L. Mann, now resides in Brunswick-Miss Susan M. Fristoe, daughter of the Rev. Thomas Fris- toe, a pioneer Baptist minister. Miss Fristoe married Jordan Bentley and now lives near Forest Green. Among the pupils we recognize many former citizens of Chariton county, among whom were: Sarah A. Keyte, James O'Fallen Keyte, John M. Spencer, Benjamin D. Spencer, Marie E. Spencer, Julia E. Spencer, of Brunswick, Jonathan T. Burch, William V. Hall, James W. Lewis, Jr., William J. Lewis, James Moore, Adelia and Amanda Campbell, Richard C., Robert E. and William T. Cabeen, of Chariton.
THE POINT
An attempt was made in 1835 to start another town at what was called "The Point," just east of the mouth of the Chariton river where a ferry was operated on the Missouri river. The ferry was owned by R. B. Thornton and Andrew Thrash and the town was called Thornton- burg, in honor of one of the proprietors of the ferry. Capt. Thomas Joyce, of Louisville, Kentucky, made claim to the land and after several years litigation, gained title to the land and christened the town Louis- ville-on-the-Missouri. The proprietors of the new town were Thomas Joyce, Tilly Emerson and R. B. Thornton. Carson and Hays and John Mulligan operated stores there and Irving Hays operated a grist mill at the place for many years. Like Monticello and Old Chariton, this town has become a thing of the past, as the business from these places finally went to Glasgow after it was laid out.
There were no mail facilities west of Chariton for ten or twelve years after it was founded and no mail route on the north side of the Missouri river until 1833. James Wilson was the first mail contractor for carry- ing mail westward from Chariton and his son was the first mail-boy to carry mail from Chariton to Liberty, Clay county. The next boy to carry mail was Charles Mann and he in turn was succeeded by John M. Davis, who when fifteen years of age, carried the mail for several months. It took six days to make the round trip from Chariton to Keytesville, then to Grand river, then to Cary's postoffice in Carroll county, then to Richmond and Liberty in Clay county. The mail west- ward could be carried in a small mail sack and the mail eastward, being mostly letters, could be easily carried in a pair of old-style saddle-bags, as there were no newspapers printed west of Old Franklin, in Howard county. This boy, who received the munificent sum of $9 a month, his board and expenses paid, the carrier providing his own horse for carry- ing the mail 120 miles, afterwards became sheriff and county judge and one of the wealthy men of the county. He often spoke of the changes that had taken place within his recollection in the facilities and quan- tities of mail distributed over this route. In 1833, he could carry the accumulation of a week's mail in his saddle-bags, while today more than a ton of mail passes daily over the same route.
KEYTESVILLE
In 1830 James Keyte, a pioneer Methodist preacher from England, purchased the land upon which the town of Keytesville was located,
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of Caleb Woods, and in 1832 he donated fifty acres to the county, upon which the court house and other public buildings were erected in 1833 and 1834. The county seat was moved from Chariton in 1833 and the first term of circuit court was held July 16, 1833. The first house was erected by the Rev. James Keyte in 1831 near the present residence of Hugo Bartz and about the same time he built a small storeroom near his house and put his sister, Miss Sarah Keyte, in charge of the store and postoffice. He also built a water mill near the site of the present old mill on the Mussel Fork. The first hotel was conducted by Isaac W. Redding and was a double log house, built in 1832. Among the pioneer merchants, tradesmen and professional men were Thomas Givens and Hackley Brothers, Peter Lassin, a Dane, blacksmith, Squire McDonald, tailor. The first physician was Dr. David Pettigrew, who died in 1847. The first lawyer was William H. Davis, brother of Judge John M. Davis and H. H. Davis. His bright career was cut short at the age of thirty- four years. But in that brief space of time he proved himself to be a gifted lawyer of rare eloquence and wonderfully magnetic influence.
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