USA > Missouri > Jasper County > A history of Jasper County, Missouri, and its people > Part 11
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FORMER CHURCH USED AS A COURT HOUSE IN THE 'SIXTIES -
the town had been depopulated and how thoroughly the old town had been razed during the battle of Carthage and the numerous raids and skirmishes which took place in and around the county seat.
From the ruins of the old county court house enough bricks and lum- ber were collected to build a small court house on the northwestern part of the lot on which now stands the county jail, and to this building were brought the records in September, 1866, and with the holding of court there on the 24th of that month, the reestablishment of the county seat at Carthage was completed.
SUBSTANTIAL NEW-COMERS
The opportunities in Jasper county were exceptionally great. There were yet unsold 100,000 acres of the school lands, counting those which had been forfeited during the war, and these tracts were on the market at a small figure. The opportunity to get splendid farms at exceptionally
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY
low prices brought in a large number of new settlers, and it might be here remarked that the new comers, for the most part, were energetic, intelligent and enterprising citizens and that their thrift, enterprise and education built up a splendid social structure and gave the county a prestige which at once pushed her to the front.
We note among those who came to the county during the later 'sixties the following named gentlemen, each of whom has played an important part in the history of the county : O. H. and W. H. Picher, W. H. Phelps, Al Thomas, M. G. McGregor, A. H. and W. H. Caffee, A. M. Drake, J. C. Gaston, John Reynolds, Pat Murphy, C. W. Elliott, J. M. Young, G W. Crow, W. H. Cloud, Peter Myers, C. A. Cassel, E. W. Harper, T. Regan, W. H. Moore and George Raider.
REGISTRATION UNDER "TEST OATH"
The revised constitution of Missouri went into effect July 4th, 1865, and contained among other provisions that as a precedent to exercising the right of franchise, serving on juries and holding office, "a test oath" should be taken and subscribed to in which the party make affidavit that he had been loyal to the Union. The law also provided that ministers, teachers and lawyers could not follow their vocation unless they had taken the Iron-Clad oath and a copy of such was on file in the county clerk's office.
To enforce this law a register was appointed in each county to make a list of the qualified voters and to administer the oath to such as desired to be registered.
Samuel B. LaForce was the first register and held his office from 1866 to 1868. He was succeeded by Thomas Buckner.
The general assembly of 1869 passed a law providing for a board of three registrars who sat for three days and examined all who appeared.
This law, of course, disfranchised all of the citizens of the county who had been in the Confederate army, and quite a number who had taken no part in the war were not able to prove their loyalty and their names were stricken from the registration books.
There was a light vote polled in the county at the election of Novem- ber, 1866, for two reasons first, because only the loyal citizens could vote and, secondly, because most of the new-comers who might otherwise have registered had not yet gained their citizenship by the required one year's residence.
THE FALL ELECTION OF 1866
The only party in 1866 was the Republican party, and not much inter- est was manifested in the election excepting for the nomination of candi- dates, but in 1868 a new local party came into existence and, although not victorious, polling less than one-third of the vote of the county, put up a good fight and made the campaign both exciting and interesting.
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THE ISSUE
Many of the Republicans when the war was over advocated the policy of extending the hand of fellowship to the defeated party of the south, granting them the right of suffrage and restoring to them all of their civil rights. This faction was called the Liberal Republicans and those who opposed restoring the rights of citizenship were called Radicals.
The Liberal Republican party in Jasper county formed the People's Club and the few Democrats in the county who were eligible to vote affiliated with the Liberals.
The leaders of the two factions in Jasper county were for the Radi- cals, Colonel W. H. Cloud, ex-colonel of the Sixth Kansas Cavalry; W. H. Garland, editor of the Banner; J. M. Young, superintendent of the Granby Company ; J. S. Rhoades, O. H. Picher, Charles W. Elliott and E. M. Burch.
The leaders of the People's Club (Liberal Republicans) were Norris C. Hood, L. C. Cunningham and W. Baxla. S. R. H. Rose and J. F. Hop- kins were neutral, and W. H. Phelps and Franklin Davis, Democrats.
The campaign was hotly contested and was closed on October 25th by the Radicals with a rally at Carthage which was attended by three thousand people. One of the features of the rally was a horseback par- ade which contained ten marching clubs, some from out of the county. The registration of the county in 1868 was as follows: McDonald town- ship, 209; North Fork township, 90; Preston township, 167; Jasper town- ship, 91; Center Creek township, 97; Mineral township, 173; Jackson township, 143; Marion township, 499; Sarcoxie township, 228. Total, 1,697.
So hotly contested was the campaign that 1,643 votes out of the above registration cast their ballots.
. The principal interest centered in the election of representative, the Radical candidate being Colonel J. Morris Young of Minersville and the People's Club candidate, Norris C. Hood of Carthage.
The presidential vote in the county was as follows: U. S. Grant, Re- publican, 1,199; H. Seymour, Democrat, 444.
On account of the activities of the People's Club Mr. Hood, the candi- date of the Liberal Republican party, polled a good vote, but he was de- feated by Colonel Young by a considerable majority running slightly be- hind General Grant, the presidential candidate.
COUNTY OFFICERS (1865-70)
During the later 'sixties the following officers served the county from the reorganization until 1870 which was designated the reconstruction period.
Sheriffs -S. H. Caldwell, 1865-8; C. E. Spencer, 1869-72.
County Court-W. B. Hamilton, 1865-7; F. B. Nichols, 1865-7; Thomas Caldwell, 1865-7; John Hornback, 1867-8; John Percell, 1867-72; W. J. Cameron, 1867-8; William B. Hamilton, 1868; Isaac E. Koring, 1868-73; J. T. Willoughby, 1868-71.
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County clerks-William J. Bulgian, 1865-7; Samuel B. LaForce, 1867-71.
County Treasurers Jess H. Fullerton (three months), 1865; James F. Spencer, 1866; George Rader, 1867; Norris C. Hood, 1868; Josiah Lane, 1869-70.
Judges of Common Pleas Court-Hon. O. H. Picher, 1867-73.
Prosecuting Attorneys-Joseph Estus, 1865; Jas. Allison, 1866; G. W. Randolph, 1868-9; John Q. Page, 1867-70.
Judges of Circuit Court-Hon. John C. Price, 1865-8; Hon. B. L. Hendrick, 1868-74.
Representatives-Edmund Burch, 1866-8; J. Morris Young, 1869-70. County School Commissioners J. T. Willoughby, 1867-9; W. J. Sieber, 1869-71.
Registers of Votes S. B. LaForce, 1866-8, 1869-70.
THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
On March 4, 1869, the legislature passed an act creating the court of common pleas for Jasper county. The court exercised probate jurisdic- tion; appellate jurisdiction in appeal cases from the mayor of Carthage and from justices of the peace, and original and concurrent jurisdiction in cases where the amount involved did not exceed one thousand dollars. Hon. O. H. Picher, of Carthage, was appointed the first judge and re- elected in 1870.
BUSINESS ENTERPRISES AT COUNTY SEAT
In 1866 A. M. Drake established in Carthage a hardware store, and for years his was the largest hardware and implement store in the county.
The same year A. H. & W. H. Caffee, with J. C. Young, established the drug business which before the death of the senior member of the firm had grown to be the largest store of the kind in the county.
T. Regan established a saw-mill at Carthage and advertised to saw lumber on shares. In the 'sixties and early 'seventies, this was a great mill and did a thriving business. One dollar and a half per one hundred feet was paid for logs and the mill turned out laths, dimension lumber and plain oak boards.
Gaston and Reynolds were the principal architects and builders of Carthage.
Louis Gerkey was the boot and shoe man.
Ruffin & McDonald were general merchants and carried a large line of all kinds of wares; Grey & O'Keif and S. B. Corn were the leading dry-goods firms and Mars & Cahn were clothiers.
At the close of 1869 Carthage had fully two thousand inhabitants and twenty good stores of various kinds.
CARTHAGE BANKS
Two banks were established in Carthage in 1867-the Bank of Car- thage and the private bank of Peter Myers & Company.
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CANO OFETTE
L.P.CUNETEGRAW LAW LANO OFFICE.
BANK CY CARTHAGE
LAW LINE OFFICE
JASPER COUNTY'S FIRST BANK AND ITS FOUNDER 1
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C. A. Cassell was the president and E. W. Harper cashier of the Bank of Carthage. Both banks did a good business, enjoyed an extensive pa- tronage and lent a financial dignity to the county.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE "CARTHAGE BANNER"
A good newspaper has much to do in shaping the destinies of any community. Before the war the Southwest News had exerted a great in- fluence in creating a secession sentiment in Jasper county and so, in 1866 when W. H. Garland founded the Carthage Banner, he brought into the community a great force for the Republican party. It was for years an exponent of Republicanism and a paper of the fighting kind. Mr. Gar- land was a fluent writer and forceful in argument.
The Banner was also a newspaper and in its columns were chron- icled all of the important happenings. It was later edited by A. F. Lewis and continued to be a power in the county until 1888, when it was sold.
In compiling this history of Carthage we have had the use of a file of the Carthage Banner kept by John Nilson, of Carl Junction, who be- came a subscriber to the paper in 1868 and was one of its readers until it passed to the Carthage Press.
TOWNS FOUNDED IN THE 'SIXTIES.
Franklin Sides laid out an addition to Fidelity (a village which had been founded in 1856 by William Cloe) and erected a large store build- ing. S. H. Caldwell, on closing his term of office as sheriff, began the erection at Fidelity of a large mill and for a time this little village gave promise of being a town of importance. Fellowship Lodge No. 345, A. F. & A. M., now of Joplin, was founded here in 1869.
There is nothing now left of the town save the memory of its great promise and speculation as to what it might have been.
The same year (New) Medoc was laid off, about a quarter of a mile west of the old trading point, by William A. Allison, and at once grew to be a town of importance. 1868 saw the town with approximately two hundred people and the following industries: One saw-mill, two dry- goods stores, one general store, two hotels, one meat market, one grocery store, one cooper shop and two blacksmith and wagon shops.
Medoc Lodge No. 335, A. F. & A. M. (now Joplin Lodge No. 335), was organized at Medoc on June 18, 1869. During that year also four churches carried on the work of evangelization.
Among the leading merchants at Medoc were Williams & Green, Holen & Son and Allison & Bell.
The leading spirit of the town was Dr. Thomas Donehoo.
Georgia City was laid out January 18, 1868, by John C. Guinn and named after his native state. William A. Fugit, John C. Cox & Son started stores there, and Georgia City for a time was a flourishing town. Some years ago the town plat was vacated and is now farm land, there remaining of the original town only a store and a blacksmith shop. John
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C. Guinn, the founder of the town, is rated the largest real estate owner in the county, possessing 17,000 broad acres of Jasper county land.
In 1868 Franklin Side laid off the town of Diamond, in northern portion of Diamond Grove, and erected there a large store building, haul- ing the lumber overland from Sedalia. Like Fidelity the business of this town did not flourish after the founding of the mining town of Scotland and is now only a memory.
Galesburg was platted 1869 by John R. Cabbanis on the site of the old Talbott mill, which was burned in 1861. Mr. Cabannis rebuilt the property, making it larger and placing therein better and more improved milling machinery. He also added to this a carding plant and his mill at once became famous. A postoffice was established at the town and Mr. Cabannis was appointed postmaster. The Galesburg dam across Spring river is one of the best in the county. The water has a free fall of some nine feet and furnishes a water power sufficient to run a much larger plant.
During the 'sixties Sarcoxie was incorporated as a village, the date being August 29, 1868. After a short period the government was discon- tinued for a time, the people feeling that the additional advantages to be gained did not compensate the extra cost of government. It was not reincorporated, therefore, until the 'eighties.
Sarcoxie was rebuilt during the reconstruction period, but did not at once attain to its former importance.
TOWN POPULATION IN 1869
In March, 1869, the Carthage Banner published a statement giving the estimated population of the several towns of Jasper county, based upon an actual count in Carthage (a special census) and an estimate of the other towns based on the number of families residing in the same. The Banner's figures on the population were as follows: Carthage, 1,782; Minersville, 350; Sarcoxie, 300; Medoc, 225; Georgia City, 200; Avilla, 160; Galesburg, 100; Fidelity, 50; New Sherwood, 30.
Sarcoxie and Carthage both had a regular stage-line making connec- tions with Springfield, and there was also a considerable overland travel from Carthage to Neosho, Baxter Spring, Fort Scott and Sedalia, the latter point being the principal base of supplies. Most of the mer- chandise and other freight came to Jasper county overland, via Sedalia.
It will be readily seen how anxious the people were for a railroad and how eagerly they took up with any proposition looking to a better means of transportation.
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CHAPTER IX OF GENERAL COUNTY MOMENT
JASPER COUNTY VOTES RAILWAY BONDS RAILROAD MEETINGS-WHY RAILROAD BONDS WERE DESTROYED-REOPENING OF THE MINES-HOW THE NAME WAS CHANGED TO ORONOGO THE FIRST JASPER COUNTY FAIR-CHURCHES DURING REORGANIZATION PERIOD-TOWNSHIP SUN- DAY SCHOOL CONVENTIONS-COLONY OF SWEDES.
Jasper county's natural resources, its mineral wealth, its broad acres of splendid timber and the richness of its soil, early attracted the atten- tion of capital from St. Louis and the older communities of the east and on September 20, 1868, a party of fifteen men interested in the building of a railway from St. Louis to the south and west visited Carthage with a view of interesting the citizens of Jasper county in the project.
After the matter had been explained to a number of the leading citi- zens a mass meeting was called to discuss the project. C. A. Cassel pre- sided at the meeting and M. C. McGregor acted as secretary.
Speeches favoring financial aid to the road were made by R. T. Blow of the Granby Company, O. H. Picher and Norris C. Hood and a com- mittee was appointed to discuss the matter with the county court and citizens.
JASPER COUNTY VOTES RAILWAY BONDS.
In the spring of 1869 the Tebo & Neosho Railway Company proposed to build from Sedalia to Fort Scott, Kansas-also to Carthage and Neosho-provided, the people of the counties through which the road was to pass would vote bonds to assist in the construction of the same. A mass meeting was called at Carthage and a committee of twenty-four appointed to secure the road for Jasper county. The Carthage Banner supported the proposition and in its issue of March 25th had the follow- ing editorial relative thereto.
WHAT THE TEBO & NEOSHO RAILWAY WOULD DO FOR JASPER COUNTY.
At the present the people of our county are paying $60 per ton for freight from the railroad 143 miles, by wagon. A railroad, charging the highest rates, would not ask more than $12 for the same freighting. Thus we are paying five times as much for our freights under the present rule, as we would with a rail- road.
Then let us remember that a railroad is ever ready to take freights and passengers, and will not put off their delivery for an indefinite time, or until the roads get better, as has been the case this winter, and we find the real worth of railroad transportation much enhanced.
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Now why is the Tebo and Neosho a more desirable route than the South- west? Because it will be an opposition line to the Kansas City and Galveston road, and we have a most effectual check on exorbitant rates, to the St. Louis market, in the Pacific road and the Missouri river, both of which will be crossed by the Tebo and Neosho railroad. Thus, this line will give an outlet to St. Louis and Chicago, and have parallel freighting lines all the way as wholesome checks, while the Southwest Pacific has no opposition, and gives us an entreport to only one market. The Tebo and Neosho railroad, extended to the pineries in Ar- kansas, would be worth a million dollars to this county alone, since the amount saved in the price of lumber, would amount to that in ten years.
The Banner also printed the following April 22, 1869: .
RAILROAD MEETING.
Pursuant to motion a Railroad Meeting was held at the Court-house in Carthage, on Tuesday evening, April 20th, Capt. Josiah Lane was chosen Chair- man of the meeting and A. B. Parkell Secretary.
Col. Cloud was called upon to state the object of the meeting, which he did by stating that the meeting was called to consider the best means for carry- ing on the campaign preparatory to voting on the railroad question in Jasper county.
Col. Picher was called and made a few practical remarks upon the railroad interests of Jasper county and the means necessary to be employed in carrying forward the coming election.
Mr. Garrison moved that a Finance Committee, consisting of three persons, be appointed to raise funds for carrying on the railroad campaign. Chair ap- pointed D. S. Thomas, I. N. Lamb and W. S. Tower as said Committee.
Col. Cloud moved that a committee of ten be appointed from different town- ships in the county, to assist in conducting the canvass. After remarks by several gentlemen Mr. Lamb moved to amend motion, increasing the number of said com- mittee to seven in Carthage and two in each township in the county. Some re- marks followed, after which a vote was taken and resulted in carrying motion as amended by Mr. Lamb.
On motion a committee consisting of Col. Cloud, Col. Picher, and M. G. Mc- Gregor, to select suitable men in the several townships to act as committee in conducting the canvass through the county, in addition to the original railroad committee of three. After consultation the nominating committee reported as follows :
Members of the committee appointed, residing in Carthage: Messrs. Caldwell. List, Phelps, Cassil, Davis, Ray, J. W. Young.
Marion Township-I. E. Koontz and S. B. Ormsby.
Mineral Township .- J. M. Young and John Elliott.
Preston Township .- N. M. Smith and Williamson Price.
Jasper Township .- W. O. Callison and J. C. Cox.
North Fork Township .- Abraham Fleet and Geo. Chapman.
McDonald Township .- E. M. Burch and J. C. Willoughby.
Sarcoxie Township .- Harrison Hubbart and Amos Hoag.
Jackson Township .- Lazarus Spence and David F. Moss.
Centre Creek Township .- Jonathan Rusk and Richard S. Stuckey.
A vote was taken on the railroad question which resulted in a unanimous vote of all present in favor of the railroad.
Moved that these minutes be published in the BANNER
On motion the meeting adjourned to meet again on Friday evening next at the Courthouse.
A: B. PARKELL, Sec'y.
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WHY RAILROAD BONDS WERE DESTROYED
A special election was held on May 18, 1869, which voted $250,000 to the road, providing the line was completed to Carthage by July 4, 1872.
In August, 1871, the road withdrew its proposition to build to Jasper county because the county would not deliver the bonds in aid of con- struction before the road was built. The bonds were destroyed, and thus Jasper county was saved the trouble and litigation which vexed the citi- zens of St. Clair and other counties who delivered the bonds prior to the building of the road.
REOPENING OF THE MINES
In 1867 the Granby Lead and Zinc Company, realizing the richness of the mines at Minersville and along Center Creek valley, acquired the title to a large tract of land near the old French and Livingston mines on Center creek and began the development of the ground on a large scale. Colonel J. Morris Young was sent out as the superintendent of the company and soon a red-hot mining camp was thriving on the north bank of peaceful Center creek. Colonel Young was, of course, the lead- ing spirit among the miners. Chas. W. Elliott and R. M. Stults, the veteran merchants of Oronogo, were among the live-wires of the camp. A large quantity of lead was mined and a smelter erected.
HOW THE NAME WAS CHANGED TO ORONOGO
In 1869 a postoffice was established at Minersville and Charles W. Elliott appointed postmaster. It was now discovered that there was a town in Christian county called Minersville and as it was necessary to give the place another name, the postoffice was called Center Creek. The name Minersville, however, still clung to the camp and letters were fre- quently addressed to Minersville, Center Creek postoffice, and were al- most always sent to the Minersville, Christian county. In order to avoid this confusion the postoffice department asked Mr. Elliott to select a new name for the postoffice and a public meeting was called at the Granby office to discuss the subject and agree upon a suitable name.
A number of names were proposed-among them Leadville, Galena and Mineral Point-it being the universal desire to have a name that in a way indicated the business of the town. After a considerable discus- sion without agreement, some one suggested that they name the place after some great historic person and drop the idea of associating the town with the mining industry. Thereupon a man in the back of the room (who, by the way, had imbibed quite freely of the grape that makes joy- ful) arose and said "Boys, by -, its Ore or no go." This was a happy thought and Colonel Young who was well educated, and spoke fluently several languages, offered this compromise: Oro was the Spanish word for ore and to drop the or from this sentence would make a euphonious word, meaning Ore-or-no-go. So the name was agreed to and the town of Minersville became Oronogo.
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THE FIRST JASPER COUNTY FAIR
During the summer of 1869 the matter of holding a county fair was discussed and the most enterprising citizens of the county decided that an enterprise of this kind would not only advertise the county and its many natural resources, but would bring the citizens together and make them better acquainted. After several meetings were held to talk over the time and place it was decided to organize a Fair Association at once and hold the first fair during the fall of 1869.
The Association was formed by twenty-five of the leading citizens and the following gentlemen were elected to the first board : I. N. Lamb, president; W. S. Tower, A. J. Balsney and M. J. Skinner, vice presi- dents; E. P. Searl, secretary ; W. P. Davis, N. P. Smith, George Wolf, G. A. Cassell, H. S. Hanks, William Hays, N. C. Hood and F. M. Daniels.
The first fair was held October 26, 27 and 28, 1869, on a twenty-acre tract of ground south of the city and was, taking into consideration the shortness of time in organizing and advertising, a splendid success. Agricultural and stock displays of all kinds were had and a goodly sum distributed in prizes.
The fair was well attended and served the purpose for which it was organized. Nearly every one went away feeling in a happy frame of mind and feeling a little prouder of his grand county after having seen her splendid displays of farm products and other natural resources. The fair was attended by quite a number of people from out of the county, and no doubt did much to impress the visitors with the richness of Jasper county's soil and her prospects for future greatness.
CHURCHES DURING REORGANIZATION PERIOD
In the fall of 1865 the Rev. L. M. Vernon, D. D., presiding elder of the Springfield District M. E. Church North, entered Jasper county for the purpose of reorganizing the work of that church. In 1866 Rev. J. C. Willoughby was called to the Carthage field and at once reorganized the Carthage church. He assisted in the reorganization of the old charges that had flourished before the war, as well as in the organization of new churches. In 1868 the Carthage district was organized, at which time the Methodist denomination had eighteen churches in the county and 270 members.
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