Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. I, Part 100

Author: Conard, Howard Louis, ed. 1n
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: New York, Louisville [etc.] The Southern history company, Haldeman, Conard & co., proprietors
Number of Pages: 856

USA > Missouri > Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. I > Part 100

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dozen of the prisoners, shot through the brain or the heart, fell dead at the first volley. Others screamed or staggered about with a hand pressed to their wounds until, shot again and again, they tumbled lifeless to the ground. One man, Sergeant Peters, of the Missouri Engineers, Goodman's Reg- iment, a man of Herculean stature, stripped to his shirt and drawers, was shot five times through the body. and yet knocked the guer- rillas right and left, broke through the line, and with the blood spouting from his wounds, succeeded in reaching the depot and crawled under the platform, from which he was after- ward dragged and killed. All those not killed at the first fire were pursued and shot, not one of the twenty-three being left alive. The obstructions across the railroad track were then removed, the train fired by order of Bill Anderson, and started toward Sturgeon. The train was consumed. The depot was also fired and burnt to the ground. With cheers, shouts and yells, Anderson and his men then mounted their horses and marched to their camp, two and one-half miles distant, on the Singleton farm. About 3 o'clock p. m., same day, a portion of the Thirty-ninth Mis- souri Infantry Volunteers, mounted, in com- mand of Major A. V. E. Johnson, reached Centralia in pursuit of AAnderson. They were raw recruits, badly mounted on inferior horses and mules, and armed with Enfield muskets, muzzle-loading guns carrying an ounce ball and equipped with bayonets. There were no revolvers or sabres in the regiment, save those carried by the commissioned offi- cers. His force consisted of about 175 men. all told, and, disregarding the advice of Cen- tralia citizens not to risk a fight with Ander- son's superior and better armed and mounted bushwhackers, he determined on pursuit, and marched to defeat and carnage. He formed about 120 men in the open prairie in front of Anderson's force in the timber, having de- tailed some thirty-five or forty men to care for the horses and wagons. At a signal, Anderson's men charged in a swift gallop,

and with a yell, upon Johnson's line. John- son's men fired irregularly and wildly, and in another moment Anderson was upon them. his pistols blazing and his men shouting and cheering. Shooting all the time, now a man, now a horse, the guerrillas rode about the field in a perfect frenzy. Many Federals fought to the last, clubbing with their mus- kets and thrusting with their bayonets, and a few of the guerrillas received bayonet wounds, which were slight. Many of John- son's men did not fire at all, for their guns were found loaded after the fight. To all on the field, with a single exception, death came in two minutes' time. Nearly all of Johnson's horses were killed on the field, a majority of them in the fight, the rest de- liberately. In some respects the Centralia fight has no parallel in the annals of the Civil War. It was the wildest and most mer- ciless, and in proportion to the number of the force vanquished, the most destructive of human life. Out of a total force of only about 120, which were in line of battle, and thirty or forty others detailed to hold horses and care for wagons in the rear, 108 fell be- fore the remorseless revolvers of Anderson's men-men who, fresh from the horrible scenes of blood and pillage and fire at Cen- tralia that morning, were prepared for other scenes of carnage on a larger scale in the afternoon. Major Johnson was among the killed. Only three of Anderson's men were severely wounded, others slightly. There were many other fights in Boone County during the war between Union and Rebel forces, and bushwhackers, but our limited space forbids an account of them.

WILLIAM F. SWITZLER.

Central Medical College .- A Medi- cal College was founded at St. Joseph, in 1895, by a portion of the faculty of North- western Medical College, which passed out of existence as a result of the founding of the new college.

Central Shorthorn-Breeders' As- sociation of America .- This body was organized at Kansas City, August 27, 1897, with N. H. Gentry, of Sedalia, Missouri, for president : George W. Glick, of Atchison, Kansas, for vice president; B. O. Cowan, of New Point, Missouri, second vice president ; W. P. Brush, of Kansas City, Missouri, sec-

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CENTRAL WESLEYAN ORPHAN ASYLUM-CHALYBEATE SPRINGS.

retary, and John R. Tomson, of Dover, Kan- sas, treasurer, and an executive com- mittee composed of these five officers. Its object is "to secure a better ac- quaintance and to promote a closer sociality among the breeders of shorthorn cattle: to encourage their more general breeding and dissemination among farmers of the country; to inculcate sound and cor- rect principles of breeding, and in all honor- able ways promote the welfare of the short- horn industry; to further a better under- standing of contagious and communicable diseases among live stock, and do such other acts as will advance the interests of short- horn-breeders." All persons interested in the breeding and raising of this cattle may be- come and remain members on payment of an annual fee of one dollar. The first and second vice presidents must be taken from Missouri and Kansas, and there may be one from each other State represented in the membership. The annual meetings are held at Kansas City, in February, and special meetings at the call of the executive com- mittee.

Central Wesleyan Orphan Asylum. An institution founded in 1864, at Warren- ton, Missouri. It has connected with it 400 acres of land, valued at $20 per acre. A large building was erected on the land in 1885. and enlarged in 1890, and the value of this and several smaller buildings is $25.000. One of the chief founders of the institution was Rev. Mr. Fiegenbaum, now of St. Joseph, Missouri. Since it was founded it has furnished a home for 320 orphan chil- dren, who are educated there, and fitted for the active duties of life.

Centreville .- See "Kearney."

Century Road Club .- The Century Road Club, of Missouri, was organized in March, 1895. in St. Louis, at the corner of Bell Avenue and Leonard Street, George Easton, John Hurk and James Maginnis being the founders. Its object is to promote the mak- ing of good roads in Missouri, the members of the club being chiefly interested in this improvement as bicycle riders. At the close of the year 1898 the club had about fifty members, and maintained a clubhouse at 3131 Franklin Avenue.

Cerre, Gabriel, one of the early set- tlers of St. Louis, came from Kaskaskia after the treaty which gave the Northwest Terri- tory to Great Britain, and engaged in the fur business. In the prosecution of it he sent two young men, brothers, Francois and Joseph Lesieur, down the Mississippi River to establish a new trading post among the Indian tribes dwelling on the west bank. They halted at a Delaware village that seemed to be eligibly located, on high ground, and easily accessible from the back country. The post afterward became the town of New Mad- rid. One of Gabriel Cerre's daughters, The- rese, became, in 1786, the wife of Auguste Chouteau, one of the founders of St. Louis.

Chadwick .- A town in Christian County, the terminus of the Springfield branch of the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway, ten miles southwest of Ozark, the county seat. It has a public school and a Union Church. It is a shipping point for cattle, hard timber and fruit. In 1900 the estimated popula- tion was 100.

Chain of Rocks. - Above Sawyer's Bend, in the Mississippi River, is the Chain of Rocks, sometimes called Grand Chain ; but that distinction does not belong to these rocks, the "Grand Chain of Rocks" proper being below Cape Girardeau. The chain commences at the intake tower of the new waterworks at St. Louis, opposite to Chou- teatt Island. At the head of the chain, on the Missouri side, there was, in 1837, an island called Wilson's Island, which disap- peared a few years since. The Chain of Rocks, from its head to the foot, was about three miles in length and consisted of a series of flat rocks shoving out from the Missouri side, sloping and extending about half way toward the Illinois side of the river. At a low stage of water they rose above the surface of the river, and were at all times a menace to navigation. In 1868 City Engineer Homer erected a dyke from the Chain of Rocks, extending it out 1,600 feet. He then planned a dyke at an angle from the former one to cross the bend to the head of Cabaret Island, which was designed to throw the channel on the east side of the island. After spending $60,000 the city abandoned the scheme.

Chalybeate Springs .- Near Ste. Gene- vieve. on the river Aux Vasse. are located

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CHAMBERLAIN-CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, KANSAS CITY.

a number of springs that, in early days, be- came noted for themedicinal qualitiesof their waters. They were owned by Judge Wil- liam James. At different times they were visited by notable Missourians, but of late years have lost their popularity.

Chamberlain, Frederick Bradley, merchant, was born December 27, 1818, in Greenfield, Hillsboro County, New Hamp- shire, and died in St. Louis, December I, 1897. His parents were Abraham B. and Mary (Clark) Chamberlain, prosperous and much esteemed country people, of New England, who devoted their lives to agricul- tural pursuits. They came to Ohio when their son, Frederick B. Chamberlain, was thirteen years old, and settled on a farm in Medina County, of that State, where the son grew to manhood. When he was twenty-one years of age he left the Ohio farm and came to Illinois, feel- ing that in the rapidly growing cities of the West he would find better opportunities for improving his condition in life than were offered in the neighborhood of his Ohio home. After spending a year at Alton he came to St. Louis, and later became head of the firm of F. B. Chamberlain & Co. He accumulated a competency, and, having the instincts of a philanthropist, as well as of a merchant, made a generous use of his means in aid of educational and benevolent institu- tions. He was especially interested in the progress and prosperity of Washington Uni- versity. He hoped that this institution would become the highest seat of learning in the West, an honor to its founders, to the city of St. Louis and the State of Missouri. Ap- preciating the fact that the great need of the university was money, he was as liberal a contributor to its resources as his modest fortune permitted. From 1874 to 1878 he was president of the Bank of North America, and at different times was a member of the directorate of other banks. For fifty years he was a member of the Unitarian Church of the Messiah, and at the time of his death was one of the fathers of Unitarianism in St. Louis.

Chamber of Commerce .- This was the first name given to the body now known as the St. Louis Merchants' Exchange. It was organized in 1836, with Edward Tracy as

president, Henry Von Phul as vice presi- dent, and John Ford as secretary and treas- urer. In 1849 the Merchants' Exchange was formed, and the two bodies, for a time, ex- isted side by side, the Chamber of Commerce being the potent official and governing or- ganization, its members having both the right to vote and to transact business on 'Change, while the members of the Merchants' Ex- change possessed the right only of buying and selling on the floor. When the division took place, in 1862, growing out of war poli- tics and questions, the withdrawing or bolt- ing members organized the Union Mer- chants' Exchange. As this body possessed the countenance and support of the Federal government and the local military authori- ties, it easily became master of the situation ; the old Chamber of Commerce was disorgan- ized, and the Union Merchants' Exchange succeeded to its business and influence. It retained its name until 1875, when, on taking possession of the new Exchange building, on Third Street, the word Union was dropped, and the name became St. Louis Merchants' Exchange. The Merchants' Exchange build- ing is sometimes called the Chamber of Com- merce. (See also "Merchants' Exchange.")

Chamber of Commerce Associa- tion .- When the Union Merchants' Ex- change of St. Louis decided, in the year 1871, to have a new building on Third Street, a body called "The St. Louis Chamber of Com- merce Association," composed of persons who were members of the Exchange, was or- ganized to erect it. The officers of this asso- ciation were Rufus J. Lackland, president ; George Knapp and Gerard B. Allen, vice presidents, and George H. Morgan, secretary. It was this body that had the building erected. (See also "Merchants' Exchange.")

Chamber of Commerce, Kansas City .- The Kansas City Chamber of Com- merce grew out of an association for public improvement, organized October 21, 1856. It was the first society formed there, and its object was declared to be "to foster and ad- vance the public interests of Kansas City by organized and systematic efforts until she shall occupy that exalted position to which her superior natural advantages so justly en- title hier, the great commercial emporium of the West." The autograph signatures of

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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, KANSAS CITY.

the men who thus sealed their faith, a faith which has actually removed mountains, is before the writer, and embraces E. T. Peery, Johnston Lykins, M. J. Payne. John Johns- ton, R. T. Van Horn. Joseph C. Ranson, S. W. Bouton, T. M. James, W. A. Hopkins, M. B. Hedges, Kersey Coates, A. Gilham, Robert J. Lawrence, John W. Reid, H. M. Northrup, J. S. Hongh, J. M. Ashburn, C. M. Root, B. Troost, A. J. Martin, John W. Am- mons, H. H. King, Joseph S. Chick, E. R. Threlkeld, T. B. Lester, Ben Duck and David Hood. The first officers were E. T. Peery, president ; Hiram M. Northrup, vice presi- dent : Kersey Coates, corresponding secre- tary; S. W. Bouton, recording secretary, and Joseph C. Ranson, treasurer. At that time Kansas City was a small frontier town, with the border troubles rending her whole social fabric. The historian who looks to causes sees the ground of Kansas City's growth in her natural advantages reinforced by the united efforts of the community at large. General emulation, community of feeling, in- telligent foresight, unremitting effort, well organized forces and great personal self- sacrifice have achieved a success which is truly phenomenal. The members of this body agreed among themselves that each one would contribute a sum equal to his city taxes to provide the means needed in boom- ing enterprises promotive of the general in- terests of the city. They molded public opin- ion and created sentiment favoring all meas- ures looking to general prosperity. They built wisely and have left an impress on the community which surprises the student of history. Where other cities have lagged, Kansas City has been in the van, and the unity of action which permeates every sphere, social, commercial, industrial and educational, is a matter for wonderment. Many knotty questions have been solved, and an intelli- gent, liberal, honorable, refined generation has grown up to be the best type of modern civilization. After the organization was ef- fected the first business transacted was the appointment of Messrs. Van Horn, Coates and Bouton as a committee to prepare arti- cles of association for the Kansas City & Keokuk Railroad Company, to be ready to present them to the contemplated convention at Linneus, in Linn County. Three days after this, Kersey Coates was appointed a del- cgate and a confidential agent to secure the

co-operation of the people of Keokuk. A committee, consisting of Messrs. Van Horn, Ranson, Northrup and Gilham, was appointed to secure a line of steamboats for Kansas City. Dr. Lykins went to Washington to influence the Postmaster General to have the postal route to California start from Kansas City. Mr. Payne proposed that the river towns be induced to contribute money for a survey of the Kaw River, with a view to its navigation. The funds needed were raised, and by December 16th a suitable boat, the "Pawnee," was in course of construction. The chartering of a bank and insurance compa- nies was committed to Messrs. Ranson, Northrup and Reid. All these measures were projected within five days. On November 4, 1856, sixteen delegates were selected to at- tend the Linneus Convention, and a month later Mr. Van Horn suggested that sub- scriptions be begun for the Kansas City & Keokuk Railroad, and a line of steamboats to Pittsburg. Pennsylvania, was mooted. On December 9, 1856, Messrs. Coates, Hopkins, Van Horn. Ranson and Bouton were ap- pointed a committee to confer with interested parties to procure a charter for extending the Missouri Pacific Railroad up the Kaw Valley via Wyandotte and other points to Lawrence, Kansas. December 16, 1856, Col- onel Van Horn proposed to have the name of the association changed to Chamber of Commerce, which proposal was unanimously accepted December 22d. Kersey Coates was sent to Washington to look after the inter- ests of Kansas City, and Colonel Van Horn to Jefferson City for the same purpose. On January 6, 1857, Messrs. Payne, Bouton and Ranson prepared and sent to Jefferson City a plan for extend- ing the city limits. Messrs. Ranson, Payne and Northrup, on January 6th, were appointed a committee to confer with regard to a daily paper in Kansas City. The chief work of 1857 was educative, railroad maps being made and correspondence being car- ried on with parties interested in the pro- jected railroads. A road was laid out from the foot of Broadway to Turkey Creek and money raised to improve it. Correspondence was opened with citizens of Arkansas and Texas relating to securing a grant of land to aid in building the Galveston Railroad. On February 3, 1857, Joseph T. Ranson was elected president in place of E. T. Peery,

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CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, KANSAS CITY.

who resigned, and on the 27th of October following, Messrs. Coates, Swope and Payne were appointed to draft articles of associa- tion and secure a charter from the Legisla- ture, which was granted November 7, 1857. At this meeting John Johnston was elected president. November 3d, following, E. C. MeCarty and Jos. C. Ranson were appointed a committee, in conjunction with the presi- dent, John Johnston, "to take such action as they may deem most wise and expedient for the purpose of effectuating treaties between the United States and any of the Indian tribes of Kansas Territory south of the Kaw River, in order that the title to the lands owned by the said tribes be relinquished to the United States, and thereby opened to settlement ; and that said committee be in- structed to use all rightful endeavors to induce the formation of such a treaty with the Shawnee Tribe of Indians, as well as citi- zenize the competent members of said tribe, enabling them to obtain the fee simple to their lands." The proceedings of this meet- ing were to be entirely confidential, but these men were an active force in securing the ends aimed at. The merchants were advised to make known to the public that they would receive the notes of solvent banks at cur- rent discounts for goods, but not for provis- ions. In December vigorous measures were taken, in connection with Honorable S. H. Woodson, then member of Congress from this district, to have Kansas City made a distributing postoffice and a port of entry. John W. Reid was sent to Washington to assist Kersey Coates in securing the enact- ment of measures favoring Kansas City's interests. On January 19, 1858, several im- portant matters were brought forward: the direct importation of foreign goods, the establishment of manufactories, and the building of telegraph lines. On January 26, 1858, Mr. Payne presented a resolution re- questing the president of the Chamber of Commerce to present to the Territorial Leg- islature of Kansas, a bill for a road to Fort Scott along the western border of Missouri as nearly as practicable. On June Ist of the same year, it was agreed to meet weekly "at early candle-lighting" at the courthouse if it could be obtained. The meetings were now advertised in the "Daily Western Jour- nal of Commerce," which had been started in June, 1858. On October 28. 1858. E. C.

MeCarty was elected president and new standing committees were appointed. On November 5th it was found that the incorpo- rating act of the city was imperfect in its provisions, the act of 1857 having left out that part of the first limits lying cast of the alley east of MeGee Street, and the move- ment was set on foot which secured the new limits of 1859. The extension of the Pacific Railroad had its inception in the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, January 12. 1858. when R. T. Van Horn was appointed "to prepare a memorial to Congress at Wash- ington at its approaching session." Dele- gates were also appointed to a railroad con- vention which was to meet at Lawrence. Kansas, December 23d, to co-operate with the citizens of Douglas County, Kansas, to extend the Pacific Railroad south of the Kaw from Kansas City. Correspondence was opened October 6, 1859, with Boston people relative to the Cameron road. The John Brown raid at Ilarper's Ferry at this time rekindled the slavery agitation, and the good work done theretofore was paralyzed for sev- eral years. The disintegrating forces which arrayed a band of brothers in hostile camps dissolved the body, and it was not till July 21, 1862, that efforts were made to resuscitate it. Sixteen men signed new articles on that date, viz .: D. K. Abeel, E. Flagler, S. W. Bouton. W. F. Simpson, D. Y. Chalfant, Adam Long. Henry L. Huhn, Thomas Green, Theodore S. Case, Kersey Coates, Walter Buncher, Thomas Cutts, John C. Gage, Stephen H. Hlaslett, M. D. Trefren and E. M. McGee. Kersey Coates was elected president. Thomas Cutts vice president, John C. Gage recording secretary, Theodore S. Case corresponding secretary, and D. K. Abeel treasurer. Another meeting was held July 20. 1862, and a number of new mem- bers elected, some of whom never signed the articles. The business transacted at this time was the procurement of a railroad map, show- ing the Kansas City system of projected railroads, for insertion in the "Journal of Commerce," and the circulation of extra copies of the paper was provided for. The war operations at Independence and Lone Jack created such excitement that no meet- ings were held until July 16, 1863, when an election was ordered, at which Patrick Shan- non was elected vice president : D. Y. Chal- fant, recording secretary, and J. S. Chick,

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CHAMBERS.

treasurer, the other officers having been re- elected. The merchants were now elected to membership, and sixty-one persons and firms signed the roll. Among these names we find T. B. Bullene, P. S. Brown, Francis Foster, J. Q. Watkins, W. M. Diveley and Heron R. Seeger. At the next meeting M. J. Payne, T. S. Case and J. S. Chick were appointed a committee to revise the by-laws. J. S. Chick suggested that a daily mail to Council Grove was desirable. This was then the rendezvous of the caravans. On August 18, 1863, resolutions indorsing General Ewing were passed and published. On this day he had issued "Order No. 10," which offered escort to all loyal persons to places of safety, and ordered thearrest of all persons who aided the guerrillas led by Quantrell. Three days after this Quantrell attacked and burned Lawrence, Kansas, killing two hun- dred and five persons and destroying prop- erty valued at $2,000,000. Four days after this, at the instance of the department com- mander, General Schofield, General Ewing issued "Order No. 11," which depopulated Jackson, Cass, Bates and a part of Vernon Counties, except some special territory, viz. : Kansas City, Westport, Independence and Harrisonville. The loyal people were per- mitted to remove into the interior of Kansas, while Southern sympathizers were to be ban- ished and their effects confiscated. This was a cruel order at best. The humanity of those who executed the order mollified it, but the chief actors in the drama condemn the action to-day. The Chamber met again November 16, 1863, and pushed the railroad enterprises which had been projected, and considered new ones. At subsequent meetings the Cam- eron Railroad received almost exclusive consideration, aid being sought from Chi- cago. A committee was sent to Wyandotte to confer with its business men as to the propriety of building a bridge across the Kaw. No mectings were held after this till July II, 1865, when on motion of M. J. Payne, a meeting was called at Long's Hall to elect officers and transact business of interest to the city. On Mr. Payne's motion the old chamber was dissolved and a new Chamber of Commerce formed under a new charter obtained from the General Assembly. The old constitution and by-laws were re- tained. A sale of lots was arranged to take place on the completion of the Pacific Rail-

road. On December 22, 1865, Messrs. Payne, Thorn, Balis, Moore and Holmes were appointed a committee to obtain the establishment of a United States custom- house at Kansas City. Here is a decade of history which has no parallel, and its sequel must be found in the many articles which detail the steady growth of the city in all its material, moral and intellectual interests. Such men as Milton J. Payne, Colonel R. T. Van Horn and Jos. S. Chick are the only ones who have survived to tell a part of this marvelous story in their own words, but these tell only a part of the many things which they inspired. The student of the profounder problems of economics may here find rich data from which to gather lessons of wisdom.

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Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. I, Part 100

Author: Conard, Howard Louis, ed. 1n Publication date: 1901 Publisher: New York, Louisville [etc.] The Southern history company, Haldeman, Conard & co., proprietors Number of Pages: 856

Author: Conard, Howard Louis, ed. 1n
Publication date: 1901
Publisher: New York, Louisville [etc.] The Southern history company, Haldeman, Conard & co., proprietors
Number of Pages: 856