USA > Missouri > Benton County > A sketch of the history of Benton County, Missouri > Part 6
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XIII.
POMME DE TERRE BRIDGE.
In 1837, John H. Howard, who at first settled on the river below Warsaw, near where Mr. P. W. Duckworth now lives, moved to the farm now owned by the heirs of E. B. Cunningham, and established a ferry on the Pomme de Terre, at the upper end of the field, on the State road. The road then left the present road south of Mr. Albert Crabtree's, passed by the Cunningham house, and crossed the creek near the farm now owned by John H. Johnson. I think Jonathan Harris then lived on that farm. Mr. Harris and Mr. N. Campbell laid off a town on their farms, and called it Fair- field, and had a post office, and perhaps some small business houses. In 1836 Judge Geo. Alexander obtained a license to keep a ferry, near his house, on the Osceola road, below where the bridge now stands. On the 8th of June, 1841, the County Court appointed D. C. Ballou and B. W. Keown to select a location for a bridge on the Pomme de Terre, with instructions to locate it between the cross- ing of the Springfield road and the crossing of the Osceola road. They reported Dec. 22d, 1841. The report was laid over, and seems never to have been acted on. October 18, 1843, an order was made, locating the bridge at Alexander & Cornwall's mill, Alexander, Cornwall and Elbert being judges. Thos. J. Bishop was appointed commissioner to contract for building it, and it was not to cost over $2,000. July 15, 1844, the stone work was let to Capt. Jno. Holloway, by order of court, at $2,486. Holloway completed his work March 1846, and was allowed $100 for extra work. The wood work, on a cheap plan, was first let July 15, 1844, to Wilson C. Foster, at $499. But the plan was afterwards changed, and the present plan, by Monroe Asbury, was let to Foster in May, 1845, at $1,622.66. He was paid $72.66 for extra work on completion of his contract in April, 1846.
Soon after the bridge was let, a number of citizens of Alexan- der Township presented a petition to have the bridge built at
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Howard's ferry, where the town of Fairfield had been originally laid off. The court appointed Milton Kinkead, Stephen A. Howser and James P. Bone to examine and report on the advantages of the respective sites, and on their reporting in favor of the present site, the bridge was built there.
CALIFORNIA EXCITEMENT.
From the close of the Slicker war, in 1844, till 1861, but few events of a remarkable nature occurred in the history of the County, and I shall only make brief mention of that period, in ad- dition to the allusion to it under the various heads of this sketch.
The effects of the Mexican war, and the gold fever of 1849, were strongly felt in the County. The demand for live stock created by the war, and the emmigration to California, had a marked influence in raising prices, and giving activity to business, and, probably, did more than all other causes to bring relief from the stagnation caused by the crash of 1837. The organization of a company for the Mexican war is spoken of elsewhere. The Cali- fornia gold excitement was high here, as it was generally in the West. Many of our prominent men crossed the plains, some to stay for a short period, others with their families, intending to remain. A few made money, but it is doubtful whether the ma- jority would not have done better to have remained at home in their usual pursuits.
CHOLERA.
The year 1849 is notable for the prevalence of cholera at War- saw. In June of that year James Blakey and William Peak re- turned from the South, where they had taken a drove of horses. On June 6th, Mr. Blakey, who was the husband of Mrs. Sarah E. Blakey, still living at Warsaw, was attacked with cholera, and died the next day. Mr. Peak was also attacked, and in a very short time died. Mr. Blakey's child and sister, Mrs. Ben. P. Major, Dr. Benson, Mr. Kidwell, and a colored man, also died. Several others had the disease, but recovered. Great excitement and alarm pre- vailed, and many people left town. The farmers were afraid to come to Warsaw, and business for some time was almost wholly suspended. I believe this is the only instance in which the cholera has ever visited the County.
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IMPROVEMENT OF THE OSAGE.
During the period now under consideration, (1844 to 1861,) considerable effort was made to improve the navigation of the Osage river. In 1839, an act was passed to establish a general system of internal improvements in the State of Missouri, and under this act Mr. Henry King surveyed the Osage River and made a report, which is published in the Senate Journal of 1840. The act was repealed in 1841, and I think no other work was done under it on the Osage.
In 1847 an act was passed organizing the "Osage River Associ- ation," a company consisting of the counties along the river, and such individuals as might take stock in it. The counties were au- thorized to invest their road and canal, and internal improvement funds, in the association, and also to levy a tax for the improve- ment of the river. James W. Field, of Benton County, was ap- pointed director by the act, with power to organize the company. D. C. Ballou, who was in the legislature when the act was passed, was appointed director for Benton County by the County Court, in 1852. I think some work on the wing dams was done by this association, but how much I am unable to determine.
By an act of February 14, 1855, this association was dissolved, and $50,000 was appropriated for work on the river. Sydney R. Roberts, of Linn Creek, James Atkinson, of Warsaw, and William L. Vaughn, of Osceola, were appointed commissioners to superin- tend the work. Under this act the last work on the river in Ben- ton County was done. Some work has since been done near the mouth of the river, under appropriations made by Congress, be- tween 1868 and 1872. Experience has demonstrated that the wing dam system of improvement, on which all the work has been done, is of no permanent benefit, but probably an actual injury to the navigation of the river. In 1847, 1849, 1868, 1870, 1871, 1873 and 1874, memorials were passed by the Legislature, earnestly urging Congress to grant aid for the improvement of the Osage.
KANSAS WAR.
Benton County participated to a large extent in the excitement growing out of the slavery contest in Kansas in 1855-59. In the summer of 1856, a most inflammatory proclamation was issued by Gen. Atchison, B. F. Stringfellow, and others, calling on Missouri-
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ans to rally and protect southern settlers in Kansas, In response to the call, a company of about 50 was raised at Warsaw, James McElwrath, James E. Barkley, W. D. Barkley and Arnold B. Whipple being leading men. They joined Col. Reid at West Port, in Jackson County, and marched on to Gen. Lane and John Brown's Free State forces at Lawrence. Through the intervention of the U. S. forces, both parties were disbanded, and the Benton County men returned home, after having been out about two weeks.
XIV.
CHURCHES.
I desired to give an account of the organization of the first Churches in the County, but have been able to get correct infor- mation in only a few cases.
I think the first Church erer organized in the County, was Antioch Church, of Primitive Baptists, which now worships, and has a neat building, on North Prairie, four miles northwest of Cross Timbers, in Hickory County. It was organized at the house of Washington Young, in the Richwoods, in 1833, Elders James Richardson and Elijah Williams being the first ministers. The first members were James Dawson, John Potter, Daniel Lake, Elizabeth Lake, Nancy Young, Ann Foster, Nancy Hollo- way, Nellie Dawson and James Richardson. The preachers for this Church have been James Richardson, James H. Baker, Hezekiah Parker, Daniel Briggs, Marquis Monroe and Marcus Walker.
Another early Church was organized June 24, 1842, at the house of James H. Lay, on Little Tebo. Elder L. Elgin was the first preacher, and Marcellus F. Dunn, Meshac Willis, James H. Lay, William Jeans, Jeremiah Bess and Josephus Gill the first members. This was the beginning of what was aftorwards known as Bethel Christian Church. Among the Ministers who have preached at this Church, were Elgin, Heremond, D. de Jarnette, Allan Wright, Winthrop H. Hopson, Charles Carlton, McGarvey, and George W. Longan, the latter a man of rare ability and piety, having long been the chief support of the Church. A good house was built, but the congregation was broken up by the war, and no regular preaching has been had since. A few of the mem- bers still meet in the neighborhood occasionally for worship.
I think that about the same time this Church was organized, another was organized by Elder Elgin, at Warsaw, which has continued, with many vicissitudes, to the present time. It built the brick Church known as the Christian Church, in War-
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saw, about 1855. Geo. W. Longan was also the chief spirit of this Church.
The Presbyterian Church, in Warsaw, was organized at an early day,-the exact time I have not ascertained. The brick Church was built about 1849. This Church, in its best days, was in charge of Rev. J. V. Barks, an able and most exemplary minister.
The Baptist Church in the Vinson neighborhood, near Lincoln, and Wesley Chapel, a Methodist Church, near the same place, were early Churches. Their members were scattered by the war, and solitude again broods among the forest trees which for years resounded with the songs of the early worshippers.
XV.
NEWSPAPERS.
In August, 1840, Mr. E. Cameron started the Osage Banner, a Whig paper, at Warsaw. It suspended in about nine months. The Osage Valley, a Democratic paper, was started by Bevin & Co. (E. Cameron being the Co.), early in 1842. Bevin was an eccen- tric man, rode around the country with a large box of papers tied behind his saddle, seeking subscribers, became noted for his odd- ities, and finally, things not going to suit him, he walked into the river, on a cold day, up to his chin, with the purpose of drowning himself. He thought better of it, however, and walked out again and left the country, his paper being suspended. In 1843 W. T. Yeomans started the Osage Yeoman, Democratic, and in the spring of 1845 Cameron & Ritchie bought it out, and began to publish the Saturday Morning Visitor, neutral in politics. In 1848 its name was changed to the Warsaw Weekly Whig, and it was published as a Whig paper by E. Cameron & Co., Ritchey being the Co. About 1850 Cameron went to Osceola, and Ritchey continued to publish the paper as the Democratic Review, until it was bought out by Murray & Leach, and published as the South West Democrat. The South West Democrat, at the beginning of the war, had attained a large circulation, and possessed as much influence as any paper in South West Missouri. Mark L. Means, who wielded a vigorous pen, did the chief political writing for it, and shaped public senti- ment to a large extent. The paper was a strong advocate of the Southern cause, until it was suspended by the enlistment of its proprietors in the Southern army. Mr. Leach was one of the first to fall in the war, being killed at Cole Camp.
After the war, Messrs. Smith & Reed, in the fall of 1865, estab- lished the Warsaw Times as a Republican paper. It has beon published ever since by Mr. Smith, making its age over ten years, the greatest ever attained by any paper in the County.
In 1866 Messrs Soyster & Edmondson began the publication of the Benton County Index, a Democratic paper. It suspended about 1869. About 1870 F. D. Harkrider established the Benton County Democrat, and in 1872 sold it to Ben R. Lingle, who conducted it till 1874, and sold to Messrs. Woodbury. They sold to C. H.
.
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Lucas, in 1875. It passed from him into the hands of a company, and is now conducted as the Democratic Press, by Jas. R. Jones, editor.
XVI.
WAR OF 1861.
To the war of 1861, I propose to make only a very general allusion. Its events are yet too recent to admit of a narration of details, witheut reviving memories which should sleep.
At the breaking out of the war, most of the prominent poli- ticians of the County were southern men. The Southwest Demo- crat, an influential paper, espoused the southern cause with great vigor. When the news of the attack on Fort Sumter came, the wildest excitement prevailed, and two companies were soon organ- ized at Warsaw, under the state law, for resistance to the Federal government. The first, called the Grays, was commanded by Capt. O'Kane, a graduate of West Point; the second, called the Blues, by Dr. Stephen F. Hale, an old resident of the County. After the attack on Camp Jackson at St. Louis, they were called to Jefferson City by Gov. Jackson, but soon returned. In the mean- time the Germans around Cole Camp, who were universally loyal, organized as Home Guards, and camped at the barns of Henry Heisterberg and Harmon Harms, about two miles east of Cole Camp. They numbered several hundred, and were commanded by Capt. A. H. W. Cook. The Warsaw companies had received re- ports that the Home Guards were preparing to march on Warsaw, and on the evening of June 18, 1861, they forestalled them by marching out to Cole Camp. One or more companies from Henry County were co-operating with them. Their movements were made so quietly, that about dawn on the morning of the 19th, they attacked the barns and took the Home Guards by surprise. They were generally asleep until awakened by the fire of the assailants. Being untrained militia, and thrown into confusion by the sudden- ness of the attack, they made but little resistance, but fied in all directions. It is said that from fifty to one hundred were killed in the attack and pursuit. I think the exact number who fell was never known. The Warsaw companies lost six men-Jno. H.
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Leach, editor of the Democrat, A. B. Whipple, a lawyer, Rice Howser, post master at Warsaw, Wm. Gill, Allen Kemper and George Teft. The affairs at Boonville and Camp Jackson, which occurred about the same time, are of much greater notoriety, but the Cole Camp battle was a more bloody contest than either of them.
A few days after the fight, Gov. Jackson's forces came through Warsaw from Boonville, in retreat before Gen. Lyon. The War- saw companies followed south ; were in the battles at Carthage and Wilson's Creek, and returned to Warsaw in August, soon affer the latter battle. After the attack on Lexington, the southern forces were compelled to retreat before Gen. Freemont's army, in the fall of 1861, and the County remained under the control of the Union men till the close of the war, with the exception of occa- sional raids and bushwhacking expeditions.
Some time in the winter of 1861-2, Gen. Ed. Price, son of Gen. Sterling Price, came through the County with a large force of re- cruits, and campod at Warsaw at night. During the night he was overtaken by a force of Federals and captured, at the house of Judge Wright. His men were on the south side of the river and escaped.
In the year of 1862, the enrolled Militia and Missouri State Mi- litia were organized, and a detachment of one of these organiza- tions was generally stationed in the County. In September, 1863, Shelby came through the county, on his raid, and gave the Militia and citizens of Warsaw a general stampedo ; supplied himself with goods at the stores, tore out the records of the County that had been made under Union jurisdiction, and hastened on to the Mis- souri river.
At the time of Price's retreat from Missouri, in the fall of 1864, several hundred of his men came through this County, shot Jas. D. Perkins, the Circuit Attorney, in the streets of Warsaw, and on their way out, through the Richwoods, killed other citizens. In the spring of 1865, a small band, on its way from the south, came through the southern part of the County and killed several citi- zens ; came to the river bank, opposite Warsaw, exchanged a few shots with the citizens, but passed on to the Missouri river with- out attempting to enter the town. One of them, named Hill, was arrested in Lafayette County, and put in the Warsaw jail, but was taken out in the night and shot.
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The above leading events, very inadequately, represent the con- nection of the people of Benton County with the war. While some lives were lost, and much property taken by the organized forces of both sides, the people of the County suffered chiefly from the lawlessness which resulted from the war. Evil disposed per- sons made a pretense of espousing either side for the purpose of plunder, or of wreaking private malice. The insecurity of pro- perty and of life, became so great that a large portion of the best citizens left their homes. Many peaceable citizens were killed, houses and fencing were burned, and the ordinary course of busi- ness, to a great degree, suspended. Farmers ceased all kinds of improvement, and many improved farms lay idle. Lands were sold at ruinous prices, or abandoned unsold. But the return of peace soon revived the energies of the people, and the population and wealth of the County in a short time exceeded what it was before the war.
CONCLUSION.
I have thus spoken of the more important events in the history of the County to a time still fresh in the memory of the present inhabitants. The want of time, the difficulties of giving an im- partial account of events so recent, and the little necessity, as yet, for committing an account of this later time to writing, warn me to stop at this point.
What I have written is only one feature, and a minor one, of the history of the County-its public life. Its private life, which is its real history, is too infinite in its details for narration. The parting from friends, and the early associations of childhood; the tedious journey to the land of hope in the west; the solitude of the camp fire, and the cabin in the wilderness; the struggle with poverty, toil and disease ; the weary pining for the old home ; the loss of husbands, wives and children in a land of strangers ; the discouragement and return of some, the perseverance and better fortune of others; the melting of the forest before the axe of the pioneer; the spread of bountiful fields ; the erection of comfort- able, and in many cases, of beautiful homes; of churches and school houses ; the formation of new ties in place of the old ones ; the growth of a generation for whom this has the sacred associa- tions of fatherland-all this is the chief history of Benton County, but is too endless to be written in a general sketch. "Happy are the people whose annals are dull."
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APPENDIX.
CIRCUIT JUDGES.
1535. Charles H. Allen.
1:37. Foster P. Wright.
Sept. 1551. Waldo P. Johnson.
1854. Dewitt C. Ballou.
Feb. 1559. Foster P. Wright. 1862. Burr H. Emerson. 1574. Willlam S. shirk.
CIRCUIT ATTORNEYS.
1538. Littleberry Hendricks.
184). George Dixon. Resigned In 1843.
1:13. Mark L. Means. Vice Dixon.
1844. Thomas Ruffin.
1848. Waldo P. Johnson.
1652. Burr H. Emerson.
1:56. Thomas W. Freeman.
1858. Thomas W. Freeman.
1~60. Alexis Wamsley,
1862. James D. Perkins.
1565. Washington Galland. Vice Per- kins.
1465. David P. Shields. Vice Galland.
1-85. Samuel S. Burdett. Vice Shields.
1-68. William S. Shirk, Vice Burdett.
15€ .. James Masters.
1372. William S. Shirk. Ished. Office abol-
1872. Dee Reese .. .County Attorney.
1-74. Augustus C. Barry
REPRESENTATIVES OF BENTON COUNTY.
1836. Zachariah Fewell,
159s. Joseph C. Montgomery.
1:40. Samuel H. Whipple.
1542. Samuel H. Whipple.
1:44. Dewitt C. Ballou.
1:46. Dewitt C. Ballou.
1345. Dewitt C Ballon.
1550. Eurr H. Emerson.
1:52. James Atkisson.
1854. A. G. Blakey.
1556. A. G. Blakey.
138. Samuel Parks.
1860. Dewitt C. Ballou.
1552. Richard H. Melton.
1864. Richard H. Melton.
1:66. John Cosgrove
1-68. John H. Bohn.
IST ?. John H. Bohn.
1872. H. D. Heimsath.
1874. Samuel Parks. Died Jan. 19, 1575.
15.5. James H. Lay. Vice Parks, Feb. 9, 1575.
COUNTY JUDGES OF BENTON COUNTY.
1835. Joseph C. Montgomery, John W. Lindsey and Willlam White. Appointed by Gov. Daniel Dunklin.
1536. John W. Lindsey, William White, George Alexander. Judge Lindsey died in 1×10, and Stephen A. Howser was appointed to fill the vacaney till the Aug. election.
1510. George Alexander, Elijah Cherry, Nathan Huff. Judge Cherry resigned Aug. 15, 1×12, and Adamson Cornwall was appointed to fill the vacaney.
1542. George Alexander, .Adamson Cornwall and Henry Y. Elbert.
1844. Adamson Cornwall, Joel B. Holbert and Markham Fristoe. Hickory County being organized in 1815, and Judge Holbert living in that County, ceased to be Judge. Judge Cornwall died on the bench. Burr H. Emerson became Judge in 1$15, in place of Judge Holbert, by appointment of Gov. John C. Edwards.
1919, George W. Rives, Samuel Parks, Henry L. Hicks.
1552. George W. Rives, Alexander Ritchey, Edward T. Major.
1:51. George W. Rives, Edward H. Powers, and James G. Vinson.
1556. George W. Rives, Markham Fristoe, Joshua G. Phillips.
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1860. Markham Fristoe, Joshua G. Phillips, Stephen H. Davis. Ousted by conven- tion of 1862.
1862. Elemelech S. Drake, David Kidwell and Thomas Jackman. Judge Drake resigned, and Harrison H. Ham took his seat as successor, on Jan. 26, 1863. Harrison H. Ham, Daniel Freund, Joseph Monroe.
1866.
1868. Joseph Monroe, Daniel Freund and Sewell W. Smith.
1870. Joseph Monroe, Sewell W. Smith, Peter E. Holtzen.
1872. Sewell W. Smith, Peter E. Holtzen, Stephen H. Davis.
1874. Peter E. Holtzen, Stephen H. Davis and George Gallaher.
PROBATE COURT.
1867 to 1876. Harrison H. Ham, Probate Judge.
CIRCUIT CLERKS.
1835. Thomas J. Bishop.
Jan. 1854. Henry F. Burns.
Dec. 1854. Edward T. Major. Ousted by Convention in 1862.
1862. Benjamin F. Bibb. Deputies, F. A.Hanford, Willis C. Hall, R. H. Bibb, Morris Foster and A. Tillotson.
1866. Myron L. Stratton. 1870. Myron L. Stratton. Died
July, 1871. July 27, 1871. Jas. R. Jones. Vice Strat- ton. 1871. Eli T. Rhea. Vice Jones. 1874. Eli T Rhea.
COUNTY CLERKS.
Same as Circuit Clerks up to 1866. 1866. David E. Fields. 1874. Stewart C. Stratton.
PROBATE CLERKS. Same as County Clerks up to 1867.
July 8, 1867. David E. Fields.
Nov. 22, 1873. Wilson H. Stratton.
SHERIFFS AND COLLECTORS OF BENTON COUNTY.
1835. Markham Fristoe.
1835. Stephen A. Howser, Collector.
1836. Adamson Cornwall.
1838. James W. Smith.
1860. Bartholomew W. Keown.
1840. James W. Smith. Resigns Aug. 15th, 1842. H. L. Williams, ap- pointed.
1862. John A. Baldwin. 1864. Samuel Webb.
1842. Harvey L. Williams.
1866 Harrison Mitchell.
1844. Bartholomew W. Keown.
1868. Harrison Mitchell.
1870. Mathew Pierce.
1872 Mathew Pierce.
1874. George Hooper, Sheriff.
1874. Edward R. Powers, Collector.
TREASURERS.
Feb. 18, 1835. John Holloway. Mch. 2, 1861. James E. Barkley.
Apr. 22, 1839. Samuel H. Whipple. Re- signed July 13, 1840.
1862. James Spencer.
1866. John N. Dunn.
July 31, 1840. James A. Brown.
1868. Nicholas S. Gardner.
Oct. 1844. Horace H. White. Resign- ed Oct. 23, 1849. Oct. 25, 1849. Jno. S. Lingle.
1872. Jerome D. Briggs.
1874. Robert T. Sill. Resigned Feb. 1876.
Aug. 1860. Joseph S. Atkisson. Re- signed March 2.
Feb. 1876. Arthur S. McGowan. Vice Sill.
21, 1854.
1854. John C. Arthur.
1856. John C. Arthur.
1858. Bartholomew W. Keown.
1846. Bartholomew W. Keown.
1848. Abraham Sally.
1852. Seth B. Howard. Died in 1854. J. C. Arthur succeeded him, April
1870. Stewart C. Stratton.
ASSESSORS.
Feb. 16, 1835. Hugh M. Donaghe.
Feb. 7, 1837. James W. Smith.
1838. John Graham, Sr.
1810. John Graham, Sr.
1842. Meredith Bowiner.
1844. Meredith Bowmer.
1816. Montgomery Wright.
1848. Meredith Bowmer.
1850. Meredith Bowmer.
1866. Jacob Freund.
1868. Jacob Freund.
1870. Jacob Freund died.
1856. Alexander H. Russell.
1859. County assessed by Dis- triet Assessors.
Feb. 7, 1860. James W. Taylor appointed
IS74. Alpheus G. Huse.
COUNTY SURVEYORS .*
Feb. 1835. Jessee F. Royston.
Aug. 1835. C. P. Bullock. Resigned 1838.
1854. John A. Baldwin.
1839. D. C. Ballou.
1864. Jolın A. Baldwin.
1840. James Blakemore.
1868. James A. Harvey.
1844. James Blakemore.
1872.
A. M. McIntyre.
*Possibly this list is incomplete.
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS.
Mar. 19, 1844. James M. Blakcy, resigns.
1866. John H. Bohn.
Mar. 18, 1845. James H. Lay. Ousted by Convention of 1862.
1870. George Hooper .-
Dec. 1862. George I. Shepherd.
1874. John F. Mahnken.
July 1863. Elemelech S. Drake.
.
POPULATION OF WARSAW.
1844
516
1860 612
1848
560
1864
370
1852.
441
1868 440
1856
.505
1870
498
POPULATION OF BENTON COUNTY.
1836
1,512
1856. 6,789
1840.
4,205
1860
.19,072
1844
5,661
1864.
4,975
1848.
5,137
1868 8,519
1850.
5,015
1870
11,322
1852
4,613
to serve till August elec- tion.
1880. William B MeElwrath.
1862. Henry Hubbard, resigned August 22, 1861.
1864.
Jacob Freund appolnted
August 22.
1864 Jacob Freund.
1852. Montgomery Wright.
1854. Willis Jones.
Dec. 2,
1871. Jas. R. Jones appointed,
vice Freund.
1872.
Willis Jones.
* This falling off was occasioned by the cutting off of about one-third of the County into Hickory.
+ State census for 1860, 9,021.
1872. Preston W. Duckworth.
1845. Sardis D). Baldwin. Resigned Aug. 24, 1847.
1848. John S. Lingie.
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