A History of Northeast Missouri, Volume I, Part 69

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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James Culbertson bought two pounds of coffee for seventy-five cents a pound. He was killed July 6, 1840, by the overturning of an ox- cart, on which he was riding, between Bowling Green and Louisiana.

The name of Michael J. Noyes is found frequently in the books. He was first circuit clerk, which office he held more than twenty years. He was a very conspicuous character, a stout man with a red face and prominent eyes. He wore a broad-brimmed hat which he seldom removed from his head either at the sessions of court or in his home, even at the table. He was an efficient officer and did much to shape the destiny of the county until 1842, when he left the county and became an active citizen of Pittsfield, Illinois, where he died. It is said "he could write, whistle and converse with two or three persons at the same time without making an error or failing to put in an oath at the proper place."

There appears. too, the name of Judge Ezra Hunt, a noble man. He was graduated from Harvard in 1816, taught school in Tennessee the next year, came to St. Louis in 1818 and to Pike county in 1819. He was a hard student, a just lawyer and a much-loved man. His home was at Bowling Green. He died suddenly at Troy, Missouri, September, 1860.

The names of John Miller, who subsequently became governor of Missouri, Marshall Mann, who conducted a hotel, Dr. Allison T. Crow, who was the first physician to practice in the county, Willis Mitchell, one of the three appointed by the general assembly of Missouri in 1822 to "superintend the erection of a courthouse at Bowling Green," Capt. Obadiah Dickinson, at whose home the first circuit court of Pike county was held, and who at that time kept tavern on Georgia street where the National Hall now stands, Captain Ralls, for whom Ralls county, Mis- souri, was named, are among the others found in these old record books. These names were charged with merchandise between September 12, 1818, and July 31, 1820. The books were well kept, showing dates and details and are absolutely correct. The names are given here, hoping they may prove of value to their descendants. Space forbids taking up the other book, which carries an additional list, from 1820 to August 26, 1826. The names follow :

Vincent Kelly, Matthew Kelly, Samuel Small, John Yates, Thomas P. Ross, William Fullerton, Isaac Orr, James Orr, William Hemphill, Joseph Rodgers, John Wamsley, Nathaniel Carr, John Carr, Edward D. Emerson. Mijamin Templeton, James Findlay, James Crider, William Givens, John Vallier, Ezekiel Jenkins, Walter Conway, Fountain Con- way, Alexander Henley, W. K. Pickens, Elisha Moore, James Bruce, Harrison Booth, Carroll Moss, Hugh Gordon, Charles McGiffin. Wilson Cook, John E. Allen, Captain Benning, John Morris. John Galloway, William Campbell, William Robinson, William Johns, Samuel Kem,

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William Cunningham, Anthony Palmer, James Frier, James Boyer, John Lindsey, Travis Angle, William York, John Lewis, Nathaniel Montgomery, John Williams, Isaac Hostetter, Jacob Dennis, George Kin- ' caid, Edward Byers, Abram Ross, Alexander Allison, Wach Allison, Samuel Megary, Richard Campbell, Archibald Clayton, George Bur- bridge, Daniel Ferguson, P. A. Thacker, John Hymers, Elisha Jackson, Moses Hicklin, Joseph Yates, Samuel Watson, Lester Vashall, James Cox, Joseph Carroll, Ira Pierce, Benjamin Burbridge, Andrew Little, Robert Barnett, Samuel Shaw, William See, David James, Alexander Lord, Robert McConnell, Joseph Meacham, John Barnett, John Ander- son, Robert Muir, James Watson, Lindsay Lewis, Capt. William Brown, Ezra Hunt, Robert E. Mott, John Markley, James Burnett, Benjamin T. Dickinson, Robert Fullerton, John Turner, Timothy Lamberton, Henry Yeater, John Jordan, Leonhard Dean, Joseph Scott, Marshall Parks, James Glenn, James Baird, John Watson, John McCune, Thorp R. Estes, McGee Jordan, Enoch Matson, William Montgomery, William Gwynn, Uriah Anderson, Amible Partney, Benjamin Munn, Col. James Johnson, James Venable, Musick, James Love, William McConnell. William P. Holliday, Ephraim Pearse, Charles Scanland, John Bishop. David Watson, Samuel McCadam, Joseph Trotter, Alexander Wood- side, Hugh White and Bennett Goldsbury.

COURT PROCEEDINGS

The legislature in session at the time of organizing the county prob- ably fixed the place of meeting of the court. This was at the home of Capt. Obadiah Dickinson. It also fixed the time "from and after the first day of February, 1819," at which time the judicial existence of Pike county was to exist. Cases then in the courts affecting the interests of the people in the new county were to be certified for settlement. David Todd, though living in what is now Boone county, was a "Piker." He was designated by the governor as judge of the Northwestern circuit, including Pike and other counties. The judge appointed Michael J. Noyes clerk pro tem. The governor appointed Samuel K. Caldwell sheriff.

Pike county at that time had not been shorn of its immense size and the court busied itself carving out townships, appointing constables. justices of the peace and judges of election, and laying out roads. The four townships were Buffalo, Calumet, Peno and Mason, the last named including Ralls county. Dabney Jones, John Bryson and Willis Mitchell were made justices.

The first article of record was the commission of Dabney Jones, Book A, page 1. Page 2 of this volume records the contract of John Cald- well of St. Louis and James Johnson of Pike county, binding the former's two sons, Alva and Reigny, until they were 21 years old. Johnson binds himself "to teach the boys to the best of his ability the blacksmith and gunsmith trades and to teach them to read and write well, and arithmetic, as far as the rule of three, to board and clothe them." Wit- nessed by James Jones, first surveyor, and by Walter Conway, first deputy sheriff.

COURT AND SCHOOL

The first grand jury was composed of James Watson, foreman, David James, Willis Mitchell. Jesse H. Lane. Samuel Small. Samuel Watson. William See, Moses Kelly, Samuel MeGary, William K. Pickens, John W. Basye, David Watson. John Turner. Hugh Gordon, James Mackey, John Venable. John M. JJordan. John Lewis, Samuel Green, Ephraim W.

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Beasley, and James Crider. It had no business to transact. This court gave Samuel K. Caldwell license to conduct a ferry, he having stipu- lated in laying out the town to reserve ferry rights. The next session of the court was held August 9, 1819, and being unable to continue at the house of Captain Dickerson, it adjourned to meet at the schoolhouse. This was the first schoolhouse. At the third session, in 1820, the com- missioners having announced the readiness of the new courthouse and jail on lot 24, the court was held there. Two years later, December 14, 1822, the general assembly appointed Willis Mitchell, William McPike and G. C. Trabue to superintend the building of a new courthouse at Bowling Green. This second courthouse was completed August 5, 1823. Na- thaniel Montgomery, a brother-in-law of John W. Basye, contracted with the court to build the house for $75 and "to take it from the stump." It was built of round logs, was very low and covered with boards four feet long, which were held in place by poles. It stood northeast of the present courthouse. Sessions of the supreme court of Missouri were held in it. The third courthouse, being the second one at Bowling Green, was built by John and Walter Crow. It was a brick house and was used until 1844. The third courthouse at Bowling Green was built in 1844 by W. W. Blain and Samuel Kem. This building was burned on the night of March 18, 1864. The present courthouse was then erected.

LIFE AND CUSTOMS

The earliest settlers came with the feeling of insecurity and that this was not their home. By 1820, however, all doubt was gone. The Upper Louisiana territory had become the Missouri territory. The settlers no longer thought of returning to their old homes except on visits and to induce others to come. They began to settle down, not only in security but in real happiness and often in prosperity. They did not look backward, but ahead and with optimism. The machinery of local government had become oiled and set in motion. Laws suited to their needs were being made. Learning, common sense and experience were happily blended. The first settlements are always an era of good neighborly feeling, feeling of dependence that brings people nearer together and makes them feel the necessity of assisting one another, in the way of raising their cabins, clearing the forests, harvesting their crops and helping each other in the rude efforts to build homes for the wives and little ones. There is no era in the history of a settlement to which the old settler could look back with more pride and pleasure than that when he commenced life in the wilds, where luxuries were unknown and human nature had to be studied in the rough, the good separated from the bad and estimates made, not from appearances but from actual tests. The clear-cut characters of the pioneers, or at least of most of them, some rough diamonds and some cut and polished, all were jewels of some kind.

"God will reward those dead heroes of ours And cover them over with beautiful flowers."

The census of 1820 showed 2,667 population, about one-sixth slaves. The cost of that census was $40. Audrain and Ralls counties were in- cluded in the census. In the census of 1910, ninety years later, Pike county alone shows a population of 22,556.

The crops grown were wheat, potatoes, flax, tobacco, cotton and corn. Every family raised from fifty to one hundred and fifty pounds of cotton for its own use. As late as 1858 cotton fields of ten to fifteen

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acres were sometimes seen. The young people enjoyed very much the cotton pickings in the evening before the huge fires in the wide fire- places. Later the Rev. John Mathews, the preacher-teacher, built a cot- ton-gin on Moses Kelly's farm and received most of the cotton to be picked for the whole county and more. Corn was the principal crop raised by these pioneers. The blades were pulled off below the ear and tied in bundles for winter feed for horses. The tops were then cut off above the ear and tied in bundles for the cows. Late in the fall the ears were pulled from the stalks, hauled and put in two piles of equal size near the place where it was to be stored and then the neighbors were invited to a "husking" some night. The crowd gathered and two cap- tains were selected. They alternately chose from the huskers until all were taken. The slaves came also and were among the early ones chosen. Lanterns of the old style, tin ones perforated, were hung up for light for the shuckers. There was also a jug of whiskey furnished by the host. All drank from the same jug. The fun commenced and the side getting its pile shucked first was entitled to extra drams. No drinks were taken until the work was done. The house-raisings for homes, stables or tobacco barns were likewise enjoyed. Even the women frequently attended as spectators and it may be that some maidens were there to stimulate the young men to do their best. Horse races were fre- quent and drew crowds. The bets were small, seldom more than five dol- lars. The races, in the main, were conducted fairly, winners and losers usually going away satisfied. If not, coats were deliberately drawn, a crowd formed around two men, who fought with their bare fists to a finish. They washed away the blood, the two shook hands and went away friends. At the dances were, perhaps, the greatest joys. They were more select in their company than at other amusements. The "Swing your partners," mingled with the sweet music made by Sambo on his fiddle, no doubt started many young couples waltzing into wed- lock. Fun and pleasure in these days ran riot. Everyone enjoyed a joke and a laugh at the expense of another.

The following story is told of Robert Allison, more familiarly known as "Dandy Bob," and well known to everybody then and to hundreds of persons now living. He was by trade a tailor and his greatest delight was to show himself in fine clothes, always looking as if he "had just stepped out of a bandbox." He had sent away for the finest broad- cloth suit possible to buy and he could afford it, too. Then even the well-to-do felt that jeans coats and pants, home-grown, were good enough for any man. The women, young and old, at church or wedding or dance, wore linsey-woolsey or cotton, home-spun and hand- made. The night for the party in question was very cold, but "Dandy Bob," determined to show his new suit, decided to wear underneath it dressed buckskin, which is impervious both to heat and to cold. He had thought only of keeping out the terrible cold. The crowd assembled and dancing time came. The ladies removed their wraps and were ushered to the glowing fire in the big, open fireplaces. In the mean- time, "Dandy Bob," strutting like a lord, walked to and fro to attract the attention of the ladies. He was more than Chesterfield. As the dance was about to begin, he walked up to one of the big fires, getting nearer to it than he thought. He turned his back to the fireplace and spread his feet wide apart, brought his coat tails to the front and stood so several minutes. All eyes were fixed upon him him and he was lost in self-admiration. A little smoke was soon seen in his clothing, but no one gave the alarm. The buckskin began to burn him. The whole back of his suit was burned and brushed off by a stroke to put out the fire. "Dandy Bob" reached for his beaver hat, leaped over the gate and went to do his dancing at home.

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THE CHURCHES

Frequently the pioneers met for religious services. These services were held in the homes or in the open air, as there were no meeting houses. It was in a grove on the Fullerton farm, six miles southeast of Bowling Green, near Scott Spring, the first Cumberland Presbyterian church in Missouri was organized ninety-three years ago and there the next year, May 1, 1820, was held the first session of the Missouri Presby- tery, embracing all of Missouri, Arkansas and Western Illinois. The associations of the nearby church, Antioch, are hallowed and its founder and pastor for a half-century, the Rev. J. W. Campbell, is revered.

About the same time the Baptists were active in building at Ramsy creek. Among their great preachers of the early days were the Rever- ends William H. Vardeman, William Hurley, Davis Biggs and M. M. Modisett. The Rev. John Mathews, of the Old School Presbyterian church, was an early and active worker from 1818 for many years. Later the Rev. J. J. Basye, Methodist, preached at Louisiana in 1818 and the Rev. Phineas Killibrue preached at about the same time near Frankford. The Rev. Anthony W. Cassod, who preached the first ser- mon ever preached at Bowling Green, was active in the work of the church in 1820 to 1822.

THE LAYING OUT OF TOWNS

We have learned to accept as correct the dates of the "laying out" of towns as shown in the published atlases. These are really the dates of the filing of the plats, while we are interested in the actual laying out of the towns.

Louisiana was laid out in 1818 and the plat filed December 10, 1819. Clarksville was laid out in 1819 and the plat filed in 1826. Deeds made in 1819 from John Miller, who laid out the town and who was afterwards governor of Missouri from 1828 to 1832, are recorded in Book A of the county records. Many of these deeds from both places antedate the usually accepted time of the laying out of the towns.

The same authorities give the date of the laying out of Bowling Green as in November, 1826. As early as October 14, 1822, the general assem-December bly of Missouri appointed Willis Mitchell, G. C. T. Trabue and Will- iam McPike to "superintend the erection of a courthouse at Bowling Green." On August 5, 1823, the building was completed and approved and the November, 1823, term of court was held in it. Not a person in the town now, probably, but feels that its centennial anniversary is due in 1926, while the real centennial will be earlier.

The entry of land where Bowling Green now stands was made December 23, 1818, or nine days after the county was organized. John W. Basye moved to it May 1, 1820. The main consideration in location was the big spring, which is near the quarter section line. He regretted that he had to take so much prairie land in order to get the spring. He killed a bear at a big elm tree in the southeast part of the town between the home of Mrs. Albert Sutton and the brick church across the street. In St. Louis his home was the secret preaching place for the Rev. Mr. Clark and others from Illinois. Protestants were forbidden to congre- gate. At Bowling Green and at Louisiana, during his two years resi- dence there, his home was again a preaching place and he organized a Sunday school in his home at Bowling Green. Anthony W. Cassod preached the first sermon there and was on the work two years.

* The sessions of the supreme court of Missouri, when it was an itinerant body, were held in this building, which stood where the marble yard

Com .1. 611.00 at *

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now is, northeast of the square. The grand jury room was a loom house standing where Folk's house now is. Charles B. Rouse was the first lawyer. He was assassinated at New London. The centenarian, Levi Pettibone, married his widow.

Edmond Basye taught the first school on a rocky, now abandoned, point one hundred yards north of Champ Clark's house.

Miss Stoddask was the first person buried in the city cemetery. Mrs. E. G. McQuie, whose body lies under the quaint marble slab, was the second person buried in the cemetery. "Under this stone," they say, "lies old Grandmother McQuie." Her husband was the first saloon keeper in the town.

Oliver Sherman was the first drygoods merchant.

Dr. Michael Reynolds was the first druggist.

Major William Pigg, in 1828, made brick for the second courthouse. The first courthouse was ordered plastered with mud and also the roof repaired in 1827.

Certain people from near Bowling Green, Kentucky,-the Thorntons, Culbertsons, Pikes, Readings and others, known as the Bowling Green crowd-gave the town its name. The two places are laid out alike.

At Bowling Green some of the best lawyers of the state commenced practice, among them Ezra Hunt, Foster P. Wright, T. J. C. Fagg, A. B. Chambers, James O. Broadhead, A. H. Buckner, Gilchrist Porter, D. P. Dyer, Samuel T. Glover, Elijah Robinson and John B. Henderson.

Shattuck

CHAPTER XXV PUTNAM COUNTY By B. H. Bonfoey, I'nionville PHYSICAL FEATURES

Putnam is in the most northern tier of Missouri counties, its northern boundary being the Missouri-Iowa state line. It is bounded on the east by Schuyler county, on the south by Sullivan and Adair and on the west by Mercer. It is thirty-six miles from east to west and fourteen from north to south, except in the southeast corner, where the boundary ex- tends three miles further to the southward. It contains 523 square miles.

The land is generally rolling and some of it hilly and broken, although there is much level land. There are few springs and water is gotten from cisterns, and wells 15 to 30 feet deep, or artificial ponds. There are no rivers in the county, except Chariton on the eastern bound- ary line, but numerous small creeks drain most of the land well.

The county is crossed by three railroads, the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, and the Iowa & St. Louis. All run from north to south.

Although practically all the good farming land is now being tilled, the resources of the county are still both numerous and diversified. There is some good timber land left in the eastern part of the county. In the western part it is found only along the streams. Coal is found in abundance. Layers underlie the entire county, but it is readily accessible only in the eastern part. Here it can be reached either by shafting or drifting. Numerous coal mines are worked on a small scale and there is one large company, the Mendota Coal and Mining Company, which owns twelve thousand acres of coal land in Putnam county. Limestone and sandstone are both found in the county, the latter excel- lent for building purposes. Paint clay, fire clay and gravel are also found.

INCREASE IN POPULATION

The population of Putnam county since its organization has been as follows: 1850, 1,657; 1860, 9,208; 1870, 11,217; 1880, 13,555; 1890, 15,365; 1900, 16,688; 1910, 14,308.

FIRST SETTLERS

The first settlers in what is now Putnam county came in the decade beginning with 1830. Who was the first to come is a matter of dispute. John Corneilison and his daughter, Hannah Vincent, settled in the county in March. 1836. Brightwell Martin is said by some to have come earlier than this. Settlers who preceded these were Spencer Gro-

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gan, William Minnix, Thomas Kelly, James Cochran, Thomas Wright and Jack Martin. The dates of their coming are unknown. Of the early settlers the largest number came either from some other part of Mis- souri or from Kentucky. Virginia, Tennessee, Ohio and Illinois were also represented in the population of the county during its early history. Later, immigration from the northern part of the United States came in larger numbers.

Besides the nine persons mentioned above, the following were among the early settlers in Putnam county. Lilburn Smith, Joshua Shaddon, Joseph Shaddon and John Shaddon, the latter two brothers, William Loe, Col. James Wells, G. W. R. Ledford, Elias Ledford and Jesse Trewhitt, all of whom arrived before 1840; S. P. Kirby, James G. Humphreys, Hamilton W. Berry, Mary M. Johnson, John J. Brasfield, Martha J. Ful- lerton, Joshua Guffey, W. R. Berry, Charles T. Berry, John Bragg, W. A. Smith and Bennett West, who came in 1840; Elias Morgan, Peter Nich- . olas, Richard West, Daniel Sparks, James Ryals, Wilson Lee, James M. Brasfield, R. M. Shaddon, Hiram Perkins, F. K. McCollom, John A. McCollom, A. G. McCollom, Lucy Smith, William Kirby and John Ryals,

A PUTNAM COUNTY COAL MINE

all coming in 1841; and Samuel Marshall; John Williams, J. M. Gil- strap, William P. Shanklin and Branch Morris, who settled in the county in 1842. Samuel West, Thomas Holman and his brother, Robert Smith, Joseph Guffey, John F. Crabtree, Wesley Crabtree, William J. Cook and James Shaw, all came in before 1843, but the exact date of their arrival has not been ascertained. Immigrants in large numbers continued to come up to the time of the Civil war.

The early settlers made their homes in different parts of the county. St. John, in the northwestern part; Medicine Creek, in the southwestern part; Putnamville, which was the county seat for a time; and the Mulli- nex settlement in the southeastern part of the county-these were early settlements within the borders of what is now Putnam county.

The early settlers did not, as a rule, enter their land. The office of entry was at Fayette, in Howard county, about 100 miles away, and journeys there had to be made overland. There were few entries made before 1849, in which year a land office was opened at Milan, now the county seat of Sullivan county, which adjoins Putnam on the south. Entries from that time on were numerous. Entries for land in Putnam county were first made in 1836. Brightwell Martin made the first entry -on April 24th. Several residents of adjoining counties entered land in Putnam county during the next few years.

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The early settlers found the valleys partly or entirely covered with timber. Fences were rare and the settlers held their lands almost in common. Their cattle, sheep, hogs and horses ranged at will.

PIONEER LIFE

Poor but honest, the early settlers had the proverbial hospitality of the South. Strangers were cordially entertained and the people were kindly toward each other. The market was far distant, so they produced little that they did not consume themselves. Then too, the "good roads movement" had not begun to be agitated and the roads and bridges were very bad. Deer and wild turkeys were common and fish were found in the streams. These could be gotten with little effort and helped to sup- ply the wants of the settlers. The women spun, wove and made cloth- ing for the family. Tobacco was raised at home and whisky was plenti- ful at only fifteen cents a gallon. On election days, this intoxicant was often given away free to influence the voters.

The nearest markets were Brunswick, on the Missouri river, seventy- five miles distant, almost due south; and Alexandria, on the Mississippi, eighty miles to the eastward. Bad roads made it impossible, usually, to make the trip in less than eight or ten days. The early settlers did not commonly travel for pleasure. The trips were tedious and it was hard to get the "ready money" which was necessary on the journey. Little that the pioneer had could be converted into cash except with great difficulty. Even the most prosperous financially had trouble getting funds.

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A History of Northeast Missouri, Volume I, Part 69

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