USA > Missouri > A history of Missouri from the earliest explorations and settlements until the admission of the state into the union, Volume II > Part 13
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94
HISTORY OF MISSOURI
Lassus commandant of the Femme Osage district. When he first arrived in the country he lived with his son, Daniel Morgan Boone, for several years, afterward with another son, Nathan, and finally moved further up the Missouri to La Charette, where he died. He did not cultivate his grant of land on the Femme Osage, because advised by DeLassus that, as commandant, under the Spanish law, he did not come within the meaning of the rules and regulations requiring cultivation of land before title could be perfected. By the commis- sioners, however, for the settlement of Spanish land titles, his claim to the land was rejected, but afterward in 1814, confirmed by a special act of Congress. Near here, on the Missouri, James Stephenson, in 1799, made a settlement, but in about 1800 his house was burned and he was robbed of everything he had by the Indians. He made claim for an additional grant as compensation for his loss, and on recom- mendation of Daniel Boone, DeLassus made another grant to the son of Stephenson, named John, Junior, antedating the same so as to cor- respond to the original grant. David Darst, Senior, a native of Vir- ginia, came to upper Louisiana from Kentucky in 1797, and received a concession near this stream. His son, David, a cripple, also received a grant adjoining his father, from Zenon Trudeau, although only fourteen years old, but "intended as his support." William McHugh, in 1801, lived on Bryant or Lost creek, about twelve miles beyond this settlement, and William Ewing, who lived with him, testified that in 1803 McHugh had three sons killed by the Indians, also some cattle, and was frightened away from his place. Robert Hall lived on the Femme Osage in 1799, but left the country prior to 1800, and never returned. François Wyatt came from Montgomery county, Kentucky, in 1800, secured a land grant, and also applied for concessions for a number of other people from Kentucky.30 Isaac
30 Other early residents on the Femme Osage were, Joseph Haines (1797); James Baldridge (1797), and on this stream and the Missouri, also on the Dar- denne; Samuel Clay (1797) ; sold his property in 1800 to Alexander McCourtney ; Jeremiah and Santiago Clay (1799); John Marshall (1800), owned six slaves; Jonathan Bryan (1799), brother of David, Irish descent, native of Maryland, brought his family from Kentucky in a keel boat, and first settled near Cap au Gris, in what is now Lincoln county, but owing to the exposed position to Indian attacks, and supposed sickly location, he moved to the mouth of the Femme Osage, where in 1801 he built a water-mill; the millstones were carried from Kentucky on horse-back, and an old musket barrel formed the sluice or water- race; William Coshow, step-son of Jonathan Bryan, native of North Carolina, came with Bryan, and afterwards served in the Indian war; David Mckinney (1800), came to the country with François Wyatt; John McKinney also came in this year, and probably of this party, he was a native of Virginia and served in the war of the revolution, but moved from there to Kentucky, his son Alex- ander also came with him, married Nancy Bryan, was a surveyor and afterward
95
CUIVRE RIVER
Vanbibber, a native of Virginia, who was raised by Daniel Boone, and came with him to the Spanish territory, settled in the Femme Osage Bottom, which at this time was also called "Darst's Bot- tom."31 Vanbibber was major of the militia in the Indian war, under Daniel Morgan Boone. Near the head-waters of the Femme Osage and Dardenne, James Beatty made a settlement in 1800. He came to upper Louisiana with letters from Governor Garrard of Kentucky, and presented these letters to DeLassus, who, after reading same, said to him that he would "be received with pleasure" and that he would grant him land. Beatty, however, after making his settle- ment remained in the country only a year, selling out his claim.32
The Cuivre settlement was located on Cuivre river, or Rivière aux Bœuf (Buffalo river), which drains the western part of Lincoln county. This river is formed by the junction of the north and west forks. The junction of these streams is in about the center of Lincoln county, and thence the river flows around the southern end of the main ridge of hills extending south parallel with the Missouri, and being joined by Big Creek and Eagle's Fork, runs in an easterly direction debouching into the Mississippi about 30 miles above the mouth of the Missouri. This stream was in the early days called Cuivre or Copper river, because it was supposed by the early French pioneers that copper was, or would be, found in the country tributary to it. In the wide and fertile bottoms of this stream, well wooded and shut in by bold escarpments of rock, many American settlers secured grants from the Spanish officers. Where the two forks of the Cuivre meet, Richard Taylor secured a Spanish grant. James Mackay made a claim for 13,835 arpents on the Cuivre river, as a reward for services
served in the State Legislature several sessions; Arthur Burns (1800), an Irish Catholic, in 1803 sold a tract on the Mississippi bluff on the Dardenne, seems also to have owned property on the Perruque; his son, Arthur, in 1805, had prop- erty on Sandy creek; James Montgomery (1800); Thomas Smith (1799), on this stream and Missouri, also near or at St. Charles; Peter and Thomas Smith (1800), from Kaskaskia on the hills above Prairie du Rocher; William Dunn (1802), in the Femme Osage and Cuivre districts; David Kincaid (1803), also on fork of the Charette; John Littlejohn (1803), secured permission to settle from Daniel Boone; Phillip Miller; Samuel Watkins; Joshua Dodson of Ste. Genevieve district seems to have bought property here; Samuel Meek (1803) ; in 1798, John Lindsay, Josiah Dotson, Sam Clay and Sam Watkins, all young unmarried men settled near Daniel M. Boone and for some time that settlement was known as "Bachelor's Bottom.".
31 In this bottom David Cole, a German, settled in 1798; Benjamin Gard- ner, a hunter and trapper, settled in 1801, going on hunting trips lasting from four to six months each, on his fourth trip returned home sick and died. Other settlers were John Manly (1801); Isaac Darst (1801).
32 Commissioner's Reports, vol. 4, p. 495.
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
rendered the Spanish government, in making an exploration in 1795 of the upper Missouri, under the orders of Baron de Carondelet, Governor-General, and Don Manuel Gayoso de Lemos, Intendant- General at New Orleans. James Lewis in 1799 owned a flour-mill on this stream, but in the spring of 1803 was compelled to abandon it on account of the Indians, returning in the fall.33 The settlers on Cuivre were much exposed to Indian attacks, and often obliged to leave their lands on account of Indian depredations.34
The first settlement on the Perruque, in what is now St. Charles county, was made in 1796 by French Canadians. In that year, Louis . Marchant, who subsequently moved to Belland's creek, Andrew and Jean Baptiste Blondeau, dit Duzey (or Drezy), made a settlement which they described as "at a place called La Perruque." Christo- pher Sommalt or Zumalt (or Zumwalt), Senior, a German, and a Revolutionary soldier, here in 1799, established a mill. He
33 American State Papers, 2 Public Lands, p. 473.
34 Among the earliest grantees and settlers in this locality are to be named Louis Boisse (1791); Isaac Hosteller (or Hostetter) (1797); Henry Mclaughlin (1797), on the Missouri and Cuivre; Adam Sommalt (Zumalt) (1797), came with Christopher Sommalt, also Jacob; William Hays (1798), and a witness in Darst Bottom in 1801; Squire Boone (1798) owned ten slaves, and says had serious difficulty in making his settlement; David or Daniel Rowland (1798); Dr. Mac- kay Wherry (1798), his grant was made for a sugar plantation, in 1802 raised corn on his lot in St. Charles, was afterwards sheriff of the county; Baptiste Champlain (1799); Paul and Cerré Chouteau (1799); Joseph Cottle (1799); Baptiste Delisle, junior, (1799); Lewis Krow (1799) near the Cuivre on Krow's or Charles' Run; François La Rivière (1799) same person was also in New Madrid it would seem; Daniel McCoy, came to Upper Louisiana in 1797 or 1799 with his brothers, John and Joseph, and father-in-law Henry Zumalt, in 1804 was lieutenant of a company of militia in St. Charles district; Zadock Woods (1799), owned five slaves, was also in St. Louis district on the Missouri; George Weiland (1799); Joseph Baptiste Billot (1800); Godfrey Crow or Kroh (1799) on Krow's Run, in 1806 was deputy surveyor ; Charles B. Thibeault (1799), also in St. Louis; William Craig (1799) adjacent Daniel McCoy; Andrew Cottle (1799); Henry Crow (1799), adjacent to Godfrey Crow; Michael Crow (1799), and in 1802 on the Perruque; Jacob Grosjean (1799), German Catholic; Louis Charboneau (1800); Andrew Chartrand (1800); Toussaint Gendron (1800); Abraham Keith- ley (or Kielty) (1800), was obliged to abandon in the spring of 1803 on account of Indians, but returned in the fall, was killed by his horse on this stream in 1813; Augustine Langlois (1800), seems also to have been in St. Louis; Fran- çois Paquette (1800) may be the same person living in the New Madrid district in 1794; Benjamin Quick (1801); Daniel Quick (1801) also lived in this district and possibly here ; Hugh Swan (1802), on Eagle Fork; Nathaniel Simonds (1801) also in St. Louis and St. Charles, a witness to claims on the Dardenne; Robert Burns (1800); William Linn (or Lynn) (1802); Jonathan, Sylvanus, and Isaac Cottle, (or Cottell) (1800); Joseph Jamison (1802); Jonathan Woods (1802), afterwards moved to St. Charles; Martin Woods; John Barnabag; David Boyd; William Farnsworth (or Farrisworth), and his son who lived with him; Jere- miah Grojean; Henry Sommalt, junior; Christopher Clark; Benjamin Jones. In 1800 Gabriel Cerré received a grant of an island in the Mississippi at the mouth of the Cuivre.
97
DARDENNE
seems to have brought a number of other settlers with him, as other petitioners said they belong to his family. His sons, Peter and Christopher, Junior, also located on this stream in 1799. Jacob Zumalt built the first hewed log-house ever erected on the north side of the Missouri; his sons, Andrew and Jacob, Junior, came with him, Andrew settling on the Brazo (Brazeau). William Tarbet came with this party and settled on the Cuivre.35
The Dardenne flows in a northeasterly direction through what is now St. Charles county, almost parallel with the Missouri, and from ten to twelve miles north of it. It empties its waters into the Missis- sippi above the mouth of the Illinois. In early documents it is variously spelled "Darden" and also "Dardonne." It has been suggested that the name is derived from Terre d'Inde i. e. Turkey Land, but is more probably derived from the Dardenne family, early pioneers of the Mississippi Valley. A Touissant Dardenne from Montreal, Canada, married Marie Françoise Lever, "veuve de feu Michal Vieu," at St. Anne de Fort de Chartres, Novbr. 21st 1747. One of these Dardennes may have first camped and hunted on this creek, and thus given it his name. The lands along the banks of the Dardenne are fertile and productive, and it is a fine mill stream. One of the first pioneers on the Dardenne was Jean Baptiste Blondeau, the same Blondeau we find on the Perruque. He made an improvement in about 1796 and raised a crop on a grant on this stream, afterward assigned by him · to John Mullanphy. François Howell, a native of North Carolina, removed to what is now Missouri, about 1797; he first settled thirty miles west of St. Louis, then moved to what has since been known as "Howell's Prairie," on the Dardenne and erected several small mills.36 James Kerr in 1798 petitioned for a grant to build
35 Other settlers were, John Ridenhour (1799); William Linx (1800); Mel- chior Amant Michau (1800); David Edwards (1801); Almond Cottle (1803); Angus Gillis, a witness in this neighborhood in 1803; Samuel Holmes (1803); Francis Woods (1800), came to the country with Hancock; David Conrad (1803); James Swift (1803) had a concession, but in the winter of the same year moved away; Samuel Lewis; Elizabeth Due; Daniel Johnson and Ira Cottle seem to have had a concession in partnership on this stream; François Kissler (1804), but on account of sickness was compelled to move to St. Charles; Henry Stephenson (1804); Matrom Lewis; Andrew Edwards; David Kichelie. James Wealthy settled on this stream in 1799 and after living here a year sold out to one Kielty. Andre and Jean Baptiste Blondeau also had a grant adjacent to the grant of Louis Marchand on this stream.
36 A son of John Howell of Pennsylvania. Four of François Howell's sons, John, Thomas, François, junior, and Benjamin, served as rangers in Captain Callaway's company, François, junior, was also Colonel of militia, and Benja-
98
HISTORY OF MISSOURI
a mill, which likely never was built. In 1799 Arend Rutgers secured 7,056 arpens on the Dardenne, from Trudeau, to induce him to build a mill there. Rutgers at this time lived at Red . Banks, or Lexington, Kentucky, and on his request by letter, Soulard had a survey made of this land by Mackay, his deputy, in 1800. After this survey it seems Rutgers actively began work on his mill, and Pierre Provenchére, his son-in-law, says that in 1803 a large dwelling had been erected on the premises and a large field cleared, timber hewed and hauled for a mill and mill-dam. Rutgers brought a number of workmen from the United States to work on his mill and grant. Several times the mill-dam was carried away by water before it was completed, and altogether Rutgers seemed to have had some difficulty in getting his water-mill started, but in 1803 he had erected a store-house on the Dardenne and kept a store there. Thomas Howell, who resided at this time with his father Fran- çois, was in the employ of Rutgers. Afterward Rutgers lived in St. Louis where he was a large land owner, and also acquired property on the Femme Osage and Cuivre. Alexander Andrews lived on this creek in 1797, but sold his property in 1800, and moved to the St. Louis district. Isaac Wilder, a blacksmith, located here in 1799, and John Draper, a well-digger, had a concession in 1802. A number of claims to land were made by persons along the Dardenne not actual settlers. Among others Pelagie Chouteau (veuve Pelagie L' Abadie), as assignee of Etienne Bernard; Antoine Janis; James Morrison, as assignee of Joseph Beauchamp.37
min, captain of a company of rangers. Another son, Lewis, taught school a number of years, was deputy sheriff, and afterwards adjutant of the St. Charles militia; another son James F. was colonel of a regiment.
37 Among other early settlers on the Dardenne we may enumerate, Joseph Genereux (1796), who seems to have been in partnership with Joseph Langlois on the Missouri and Dardenne; Etienne Bernard, (1796) also a resident of St. Charles; John Parquette (or Parkett); Joseph Beauchamp dit Bochant (1796) also a resident of St. Charles and Marais Croche, where he sold in 1798 to An- toine Janis, junior. The following named persons who evidently were from the United States also made claims to land on this stream John Lewis (1797), on the Dardenne and Missouri; Perry Brown (1798), on the Missouri and this stream ; Warren Cottle (1799), "ancien habitan des E. U.," a native of Vermont, served in the war of 1812; his son, Warren, junior, was a physician and came with his fatherin 1799. Other sons of Warren, senior, Ira, Stephen and Marshall, also on this stream. His son Lorenzo founded the town of Cottleville in 1840; George Hoffman (1799), native of Pennsylvania, but lived in Virginia where he married, and came from there to Missouri; his sons Peter and George, junior, came with him and lived on this stream, Peter was a soldier in the war of 1812; Louis Jannetot (or Jeannette) (1799); Thomas Johnson (1799) Irish Catholic, in 1800 on the Maramec; Conrad dit Leonard Price (1799), one of those who came with Christopher Sommalt (Zumwalt); John Adam Smith (1799) sol- dier of the Revolution; Milton Lewis (1800); one Harrington settled on the
99
SALT RIVER
The largest and most notable claim, on account of its vast extent, was the claim of Clamogran to five hundred thousand arpens of land, which was located between the Dardenne, Cuivre, and Mississippi. This claim was based on services in exploring a pathway across the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific ocean, but never was allowed or confirmed.38 For many years the confirmation of this claim was and is still urged with great vigor, in and out of Congress. To some extent, for a time, it retarded the settlement of the country, but finally the land claimed was surveyed by the government and made sub- ject to entry.
On the Auhaha or Salt river, Maturin Bouvet, a resident of St. Charles in 1792, had a saline, at a place called "Le Bastile," but the Saukee Indians took away all his effects, kettles, etc., and three valuable mares. He remained on his place alone one winter, and while absent the Indians again destroyed his furnace, dwelling-house and ware-house, which latter was about thirty-five feet in length ; he himself sometime later on his return was burned to death by the Indians.39 He also had a grant at Bay de Charles, on the Mississippi, for depositing his salt for shipment.40 This Bouvet came from the
Dardenne in 18or on a grant made to Don Carlos Tayon, and which included a salt spring; John McConnell (1801); Andrew Walker (1801); Michael Reybott (or Rybolt) (1802), on this stream and the Missouri; John Rouke (or Rooks) (1802) also spelled Rouke; Warner Gilbert (1803); Noel Herbert (1803) ; Dame Louise Langevin dit Baillette (1803), wife of Etienne Bernard, formerly widow of Joseph Violette; John Alexander Michau (1803); George Price (1803), a witness and probably a resident; Christian Dennis; Charles Denney (or Dennys) a German, and herb doctor, lived on this creek and had a water-mill, afterward had a distillery ; Micajah Baldridge; Peter Tisne; Christian dit Christopher Wolf; Laurent Derocher; Etienne Pepin (1800) had a grant at a pond called "à Bequet" four or five miles northwest of Portage des Sioux; he was a Canadian and an old resident. On this stream St. Vrain, brother of DeLassus received a grant of 10,000 arpents ; St. Vrain died insolvent, sold his grant at twelve and one half cents an acre payable in goods, and goods were sold at such a high price that accord- ing to Tesson, John Mullanphy got the land for about two cents an acre.
38 American State Papers, 2 Public Lands, p. 629.
39 Others who were on this stream were, Louis Bouré (1799); Charles Main- ville (1799); John Baptiste Jeffre (1800) ; Jean Baptiste Bourette or Bouré (1801) Dr. Antoine Saugrain had a claim for land here on which to erect a distillery and mill and establish a stock-farm.
40 Amable Roy made an early settlement here in 1785, but abandoned it on account of the Indians being troublesome; Jean Baptiste Tesson (1799); Albert Tesson (1793) had a claim of 7,056 arpents, but was driven off his claim by Indi- ans, he was a surveyor, and attached to the administration of DeLassus from its beginning to the end, and lived with him; he testified that Trudeau wrote his own grants. but that DeLassus' were written by Soulard or others and that it was customary to date the concession the day the petition was dated or a day or su afterward, although the petition may have been made two years prior. He also had a claim at Rich Woods settlement but never lived there. John Guion (1801); George Ayrl (1801); Edmond Chandler (1803).
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HISTORY OF MISSOURI
East side of the river to upper Louisiana. In 1786 he was civil and criminal Judge of St. Philippe. From there it seems he moved to Cahokia. Finally no doubt owing to the lawless condition prevailing in the American Illinois settlements at that time he came to the Spanish country. Other settlers in that locality secured land donations on Sandy or Romain creek,41 and on the Mississippi and Missouri bluffs.42 A small settlement was made sixty five miles north of St. Louis43 and still another on Bryant or Lost creek, a stream also known as Ramsay creek, because in 1799 Captain William Ramsay made a settlement here called Ramsay's Lick, and where he made a hunting camp. This Ramsay was a sol- dier of the Revolution, was at the battle of Yorktown, and during the Indian war commanded a company of rangers. John Ramsay who lived on this stream was his son, and another son, Robert, lived near Marthasville, where his wife and three children were murdered by the Indians.44 At the time of the cession a number of settlers lived
41 On the Mississippi and bluffs we find, Etienne Guitard (1799); Jean Bap- tiste Challefoux (1799); William Ewings (1800), and in 1803 lived with William McHugh on Bryant creek; William Jamison (1800); François Louis; Baptiste and Joseph Roy (1799) brothers; François Shaver (1803) at the forks of the Mississippi and Missouri; François Bouthellier (1803); Andrew Blondeau; Henry Langhorn, senior and junior; John François Misheau (Michau) (1802).
42 These were, Louis Charleville (1799); Baptiste Domine (1799); Louis Grimard dit Charpentier (1799); Dominick Uge (or Huge) (1799); Marie Philip Leduc (1799) received a grant but did not settle on it; Louis Lamalice (1799); Baptiste Marley (1799); Francois Motier (1800); William Clark (1800) and may be the blacksmith in St. Louis in 1802; St. James Beauvais (1800); Antoine Bizet (Bisette) (1800); Jean Baptiste De Quarry (1802); John Godino; Louis Varre; Jean Baptiste Bravier (1800), probably Bravier dit Ciril.
43 On this stream Aristides Auguste Chouteau had a grant in 1798; Thomas Caulk (1800), had lived here prior to this time cultivating land for Richard Caulk; a Thomas W. Caulk was in New Madrid district in 1792; Frederick Dickson (1802); Ralph H. Flaugherty (1801); Moses Kinney.
44 Robert T. (or J.) Friend, arrived in this district "with his family, mer- chandise, slaves and cattle" in 1798, and settled on the Missouri and cultivated Indian wheat, seems also to have lived on the St. François; Isaac Fallis (1798); George Buchanan (1798) came to the country with Daniel Boone, was on the Dardenne in 1801; Samuel Griffith of New York, seems to have settled on the Mississippi and Missouri in 1795, owned two slaves; Forest Hancock (1798) came with Daniel Boone; James Hoff (1798), and afterwards sixty-five miles north of St. Louis; Antoine Janis (1795) on the Missouri and Dardenne, in 1798 at St. Charles; Ira Nash (1798), employed at the Spanish fort, received a grant of land on the Missouri in what is now Howard county, a man by the name of H. Nash (or Mark) was appointed deputy surveyor between 1799 and 1803; William VanBurkelo (1798), settled near the junction of the Mississippi and Missouri in 1798, he was a ranger in Captain Musick's company, and killed by the Indians about the close of the war, was married three times; John Wat- kins (1797), probably Dr. John Watkins who was a land speculator on the Ma- ramec, a Catholic, sold in 1802, to Leonard Farrow; William Stewart (1798) on this river at Green's Bottom, one of his sons Elias C. was sheriff of the county several times, and his brother Jackey was a ranger in Callaway's com-
IOI
LARGE GRANTS
scattered near or along the Missouri and Mississippi at various points. Many large grants for land,45 as a reward for services,
pany; François Smith (1799); Daniel Kiseler or Kieseler (1799); Anthony Keller (1799) German, Catholic; John Journey (1799) also James; Joseph Leduc (1800) ; Robert Mckinney (1800), returned to Kentucky prior to 1803; William Nash (1800); Laurence Sydener (1802); Hypolite Bolon (may be the Indian interpre- ter of the Ste. Genevieve District) (1800) and at Carondelet; James Clay (1799) and on Charette in 1802; Joseph Deputy (1800); Baptiste Duchouquette (1800) on the Missouri, opposite the Osage; James Flaugherty (1799) on the Missouri at Green's Bottom, was one of the first justices of the peace appointed under the American Government in 1804; Antoine Gagnier (1800) on this river in Howard county; Antoine and François Gaguirie (or Giguares) (1800); Stephen Hancock (1799); James Piper (1800) testified to events at Portage des Sioux in 1798; Newton Howell (1801) on this river below the mouth of the Femme Osage, William Stewart had a sugar camp on his property by permission of Stewart; Timothy Kibby (1801), in 1802 at St. Charles and also on Dardenne; James Vanbibber (1803) of Virginia, was afterwards coroner, and his son Joseph was a surveyor; Jacques Eglise; John Ferguson, at the forks of the Missouri and Mississippi; William Griffith; James Griffin, junior, (1800); Peter, Joseph and James Jerney (or Journey) on the Missouri at Green's Bottom; Stephen Jackson (1803) on the Tuque in 1802, where he began cultivating a garden, but was taken sick, and on his recovery was compelled to hire out to pay James Mackay, for said concession, and who charged him considerably more for same than at first; Levis Lucas, forks of the Missouri and Mississippi; William Meek (1803), in 1804 on the Tuque; David Miracle; John McMichell; William Van- tico, forks of the Missouri and Mississippi; Peter Valign.
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