Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. I, Part 99

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 99

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

antedating and more highly civilized than the Indians.

Cedar City .- An incorporated village on the Missouri River, opposite Jefferson City, in Callaway County, twenty-five miles southeast of Fulton, at the terminal of the south branch of the Chicago & AAlton Rail- road. It was laid out in 1869. It has a school. about a dozen business houses, and a weekly newspaper, the "Chronicle." l'op- ulation, 1899 (estimated), 360.

Cedar County .- A county in the south- western part of the State, 110 miles south of Kansas City, on the northwestern slope of the Ozark range. It is bounded on the north by St. Clair County, on the east by Polk County, on the south by Dade County, and on the west by Barton and Vernon Counties. Its area is 496 square miles, about equally divided between prairie and timber. The prairie bears a rich soil, black, brown and red, unexcelled for producing the cereals, grasses and tobacco. In the eastern part of the county nearly all the timber land can be made tillable. The county is abundantly watered. The principal stream is Sac River, flowing almost centrally to the south, where it meets the Osage. Its larger tributaries are Turkey, Silver, Bear, the east fork of Sac, and Brush Creeks, from the east. Its largest feeder is Cedar Creek. flowing from the southwest, and uniting with it near the north- ern boundary of the county. Horse Creek and other water courses flow from the west. There are numerous excellent springs, par- ticularly one near Stockton. and Conner's Spring and White Hare Spring, on Conner's Prairie, ten miles northwest of Stockton. At Eldorado and Jerico are mineral springs of medicinal valne. In the Sac and Cedar Creek bottoms, the country is hilly, breaking into abrupt bluffs in places. The timber is prin- eipally hickory, oak and black jack, but in the lowlands are found walnut, ash, maple, birch. box elder, redbud, butternut. mul- berry, honey locust and black locust. Cedar abounds on the stream known by that name. There is abundance of good building stone. Iron ore exists in large quantities, but is not worked. In 1840 a forge and furnace were operated on the Little Sac River, but the enterprise was unprofitable owing to the diffi- culty of shipment. and the works were de-

550

CEDAR COUNTY.

stroyed by the unpaid workmen, and were never rebuilt. Coal underlies the county, and there are indications of copper and lead in various parts. The principal towns are Stockton, the county seat, and Eldorado Springs and Jerico Springs, health resorts.

Railways entering the county are the Greenfield branch of the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis, reaching Stockton, and a branch of the same road reaching Eldorado Springs. In 1898 the principal surplus pro- ducts were : Cattle, 4,900 head ; hogs, 14,310 head: sheep, 1,310 head; hay, 320,000 pounds ; wool, 5,200 pounds ; poultry, 147,000 pounds ; eggs, 175,000 dozen; hides, 11,000 pounds. In 1900 the population was 16,923.

The first settlement in the county was made by John Crisp, Robert Graham, Thomas English, and a man named Crump, who located on Sac River, two miles east of the present Stockton, November 17, 1832. The first mill was built by Philip Crow, on Bear Creek, three miles northwest of the present Stockton, and about the same time John Williams built a mill on Cedar Creek. The first child born in the county was Susan, daughter of Robert and Ann Graham, Octo. ber 13, 1833; she became the wife of George W. Sallee, and died in 1888. The first mar- riage was the same year, that of John Crisp, and Melinda, daughter of Thomas English. The first funeral, date not ascertainable, was that of James Hopper : James J. Johnson, a Baptist, the pioneer minister, conducted the services. The first physicians were Samuel W. Horn and William Gordon. Zimri Crab- tree located on the site of Stockton, March 26, 1846, and the same year the first store in the county was opened there. In 1847 James M. Blakey operated a ferry on Big Sac River, where he had a mill, on the road from Stock- ton to Polk County. In 1849 Samuel Cap- linger built a mill on Sac River, seven miles north of Stockton.

The first school was taught by Andrew Stewart, in 1841, near Stockton, and among his pupils was Thomas B. Graham. Another early teacher was C. Lindsey. In 1847 school townships were organized, but there is no record of school instituted. In 1898 there were eighty-seven schools, 106 teachers, and the permanent school fund was $35,- 735.89. The first preachers were Baptists; James J. Johnson was the pioneer, in 1837, and organized a church on Cedar

Creek soon afterward. Other early minis- ters of the same denomination were Obadiah Smith, Daniel Murphy, David Satterfield and J. Lunsford.

Cedar County was created February 14, 1845, from portions of Dade and St. Clair Counties, and was named for Cedar Creek, one of its principal water courses. The first county court was held April 7th, following, at Crow's Mill, near the mouth of Bear Creek. Thomas Jones, James L. Henry and Ezra Hamer were the justices, with Joseph Allen as clerk, James Cawthon as sheriff, and Thomas Smith as assessor. The seat of jus- tice was established at Stockton (which see) in 1846. The first circuit court session was held by Judge Foster P. Wright, September 29, 1845. at the house of Elisha Hunter, two miles south of Stockton, on the Greenfield Road. A grand jury was impaneled, which retired to a buckeye grove, in the absence of a room other than that occupied by the court. Among the early attorneys were S. M. Grant and Shadrach Chandler ; Waldo P. Johnson, afterward a circuit judge and a United States Senator, and DeWitt C. Ballou and Little- berry Hendricks, who both occupied the bench in later years. Until recent years there was much to retard progress. Previous to the Civil War the county was disturbed by hos- tile meetings between Free-Soil and slavery men, on account of its proximity to Kansas. It is believed that the arms-bearing portion of the population entered the contending armies in about equal numbers. In the Union service were two companies of the Seventh Provisional Regiment, commanded by Captains P. H. Rohrer and Dennis H. Connaway, afterward forming a part of the Fifteenth Cavalry Regiment, Missouri State Militia ; a considerable portion of the Eighth Cavalry Regiment, Missouri State Militia, commanded by Colonel Joseph J. Gravelly, a distinguished citizen of the county; and a part of a battery of artillery, commanded by Captain William C. Montgomery, in which served Lieutenants T. M. Montgomery and T. J. Travis. In the Confederate service were the Stockton Grays, commanded by Captain B. F. Walker; companies com- manded by Captains J. A. Musgrove and J. W. Prowell, and a portion of a company com- manded by Captain Reynolds, then of St. Clair County. Captain Walker became col- onel, succeeding Colonel James Cawthon, of

551

CEDAR GAP-CENTRAL COLLEGE.

Stockton, who was killed in battle. During the war the county was frequently traversed by bodies of troops of either side, and many deeds of violence and destruction were com- mitted by irregular bands. After the restora- tion of peace, a new immigration began, and new towns were established, among them Lebeck, many of whose people were Advent- ists and Latter-Day Saints. The entire population is of a stable character, and the county is steadily advancing in all material ways.

Cedar Gap .- A village on the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis Railroad, in Wright County, eighteen miles southwest of Hartville. It has a public school, two churches, four stores, a lumber yard, etc. Population. 1899 (estimated), 300.

Cedar Pyramid .- A curious column of rock, one hundred and sixty feet in height. in Darst's Bottom, near the Missouri River, in St. Charles County. It stands out at a distance of four to twelve feet in front of a great cliff in the Bottom, and, for a long time. had a cedar tree growing on its top. The summit of the pyramid has an apparent area of about twelve feet square, but no human foot has ever trod it, as it is impossible to climb the column.

Center .- An incorporated village in Ralls County, ten miles west of New London, on the St. Louis & Hannibal Railroad. It was founded in 1871. It has a good public school. Baptist, Methodist Episcopal and Christian Churches, a bank, a newspaper, the "Intelli- gencer." a flouring mill, sawmill. two hotels, and about twenty stores, shops, etc. Popula- tion, 1899 (estimated), 450.

Center Town .- A town in Cole County, on the Missouri Pacific Railway. fifteen miles west of Jefferson City. It has a public school, Baptist, Presbyterian, Evangelical Lutheran and Evangelical Churches. A roller process flouring mill has a capacity of thirty- five barrels in ten hours. In 1900 the popu- lation was 160.

Centerville .- See "Sarcoxic."

Centerville .-- The county seat of Rev- nolds County, located on the west fork of

Big Black River, ten miles from Sabula, the nearest point on the St. Louis, Iron Moun- tain & Southern Railway. It has, besides the courthouse and jail, a good public school building, two hotels, a gristmill, sawmill, two newspapers, the "Reynolds County Outlook." published by A. M. Shriver, and the "Re- former," by J. A. Bowles, and three general stores. The river, one-fourth mile below the town, affords a splendid water power. Popu- lation, 1899 (estimated), 200.

Central Business College .- A school having all departments of commercial in- struction, located at Sedalia. It was estab- lished in 1883 by C. W. Robbins, with five pupils, and for two years he was the sole instructor. Rented rooms were occupied until 1800, when the proprietor erected a building, to which he attached a large addi- tion in 1803. In 1900 there were nine teach- ers and 200 pupils ; of the latter, 175 were boarders, and about one-fifth of the number were females. The value of building and equipment is $35.000.

Central City .- A mining town, in Jas- per County, three miles west of Joplin, near Jackson Station, on the St. Louis & San Francisco Railway. It has a school and stores. The mines in the vicinity produced mineral to the value of $375,719 in 1890. The population was estimated at 1,000 in 1900.

Central College .- A college at Fay- ette, Howard County, Missouri, under the control of the three conferences of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church South, in Missouri. At a meeting of delegates of the St. Louis Conference and the Missouri Conference, held in St. Louis, April 13. 1852, it was re- solved to unite in an effort to establish at Fayette a college of high order. For this purpose a large sum of money was sub- scribed by individual members of the church and by the two conferences. March 1. 1855, the General Assembly of Missouri passed an act incorporating Central College and ap- pointing a board of curators, and endowing them with the power to act in all matters per- taining to the corporation. The first officers of the college were: J. Boyle, D. D .. presi- dent : C. C. P. Hill, vice president : William T. Lucky. secretary and treasurer. and Adam

552

CENTRAL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS-CENTRAL FEMALE COLLEGE.

Hendrix, treasurer, and were chosen at a meeting held December 9, 1854, a few months before the college was chartered. The board of curators consisted of the delegates to the St. Louis Convention from the two conferences. Organization of the college was not perfected until 1857, in which year the school was opened, with Rev. Nathan Scarritt, D. D., president. The first build- ing occupied was burned within a year or so after the college was established, and another building, which is now in use, was erected before the breaking out of the Civil War, during which it was occupied by Fed- eral militia as headquarters. From 1861 to the close of hostilities studies in the college were abandoned. When the college was re- opened it was highly successful. The second building erected was a gymnasium, which was built in 1880: Centenary Hall was completed in 1883, at a cost of $28,000; Science Hall was erected in 1893, at a cost of $50,000 ; and a few years later Cupples Hall (a gift of Samuel Cupples, of St. Louis) was finished, at a cost of $30,000: Stephens Museum, a donation from Governor Lon V. Stephens, was erected at a cost of more than $5,000. A number of other buildings have at differ- ent times been erected, until at the present time ( 1900) the value of the buildings at Fay- ette is in excess of $150,000, and the grounds occupied are valued at $20,000. Connected with and under direct control of the college are the auxiliary academies, which are lo- cated, respectively, at Albany, Palmyra and at Richmond, the three representing an outlay of $100,000. The buildings at Fayette oc- cupy delightful sites, on the most elevated land within the city limits, and affording a fine view of the surrounding country. The grounds are beautifully laid out, the campus containing many trees, which at different times were set out by students at the college, some of whom have acquired promi- nent places in the business and educational world. All the buildings are equipped with the most approved appliances. The library of the college has upward of 7,000 volumes. In the State the college has become distin- guished because of the fact that in the State college oratorical contests students from it have won more than half the highest hon- ors. Two courses of study are given, classi- cal and scientific. The degrees conferred are bachelor of science, bachelor of arts and

master of arts. The different departments are moral philosophy, Latin, Greek, mathe- matics, English, modern languages, natural history and geology, chemistry and physics, history and Bible study. In 1900 the offi- cers of the board of curators were: Bishop E. R. Hendrix, president ; E. B. Craighead and Arthur L. Davis, and others. The presi- dent of the faculty (1900) was : E. B. Craig- head, LL. D .; secretary of faculty and curator of museum, J. W. Kirkpatrick, A. M .; librarian, Rev. R. T. Bond, A. M .; and reg- istrar, T. Berry Smith, A. M. The endow- ments of the college amount to $140,000. The number of students in attendance at the college (not including pupils at auxiliary schools) in 1900 was 215.

Central College of Business .- A business and shorthand school, founded Feb- ruary 1, 1891, in Kansas City, by Willard Morris, H. E. Hazard and Frank Morris, the present proprietors. It affords instruction in the usual commercial branches, and has an annual enrollment of over 400 students. Be- sides the proprietors, it has a faculty of six teachers, and as many special lecturers on contracts, sales of personal property, com- mercial paper, partnerships and corpora- tions, and real estate transfers.

Central Female College .- An edu- cational institution, located at Lexington, and under the management and auspices of the three Conferences of the Methodist Episco- pal Church, South, in the State of Missouri.

It was organized in the year 1869, and was incorporated under the laws of Missouri under and by the name of "Marvin Female Institute," in honor of Bishop E. M. Marvin. ·

It opened its first session in the building on South Street, in the city of Lexington, now the dwelling of Mr. J. C. McGrew.

The board of curators elected as the first president Dr. W. T. J. Sullivan, of Missis- sippi, but he declined to accept the position, and Dr. William F. Camp, who was the pas- tor of the church at Lexington at that time, acted as president for the first year. The college had a very auspicious beginning, and started off prosperously.

At the close of the first year the curators elected Dr. J. O. Church, of Columbia, Ten- nessec, president, and he remained some two

553

CENTRAL HOME OF REST MISSION-CENTRALIA, BATTLE OF.

years, when the curators again elected Dr. Sullivan president. This time he accepted, and continued as president of the college for some four years, when he was succeeded by M. G. Mcllhany. He remained for nearly two years, when Dr. Wesley G. Miller was

chosen president. He remained only one year, and was succeeded by William F. Ker- dolff, Jr., who remained some nine years at the head of the institution. He was succeeded by A. A. Jones, who held the presidency for a number of years, when he was succeeded by Rev. Zachariah M. Williams, the present incumbent.

The college is managed and controlled by a board of curators, composed of twelve members. The president of the college for the time being is ex officio a member. Six of this board of curators are elected by the Missouri Conferences and three each by the St. Louis and Southwest Missouri Confer- ences, and they hold office for two years.

About two years after the organization of the college the board of curators thought it best to change the name and location of the college from "Marvin Female Institute" to Central Female College, and from South Street, in the city of Lexington, to the site of the Masonic College, on the river bluff, in the northern portion of the city.

The Grand Lodge of Masons of Missouri donated the ground, comprising a plot of seven acres, to "Central Female College," upon the conditions that a college of high grade should be conducted thereon for a space of ten years, consecutively ; that said "Central Female College" should expend as much as $50.000 in buildings and other im- provements upon said ground, and that said fraternity should have the privilege of send- ing to said college annually as many as thirty boarding pupils, who should receive their literary tuition free of charge.

Central Home of Rest Mission .- This mission, intended as a cheap lodging place for homeless men, was established in 1894. on the northeast corner of Walnut and Commercial Streets, in St. Louis. After the cyclone in May. of 1896, it was removed across the way to a three-story building. Here the home remained until April. 1898, when it was removed to the old Star Hotel, a large three-story building at the corner of Seventh and Gratiot Streets, which affords

ample accommodations. The upper stories are occupied as dormitories, dining room, etc., while the hall for religious services, and another for reading and sitting room, are on the ground floor. On the walls of the lat- ter are hung printed placards setting forth that the institution was established to assist the worthy and needy unemployed, to help those who make an endeavor to help them- selves, and to provide immediate relief for the hungry and distressed. The applicant, on paying five cents, or on presentation of a ticket already bought from the Home by some charitable person, is entitled to a night's shelter and breakfast in the morning, and on Sundays to a supper also.

Centralia. - A town in Boone County, laid out in 1857, by Honorable James S. Rol- lins, M. G. Singleton, Thomas T. January and others. It is on the Chicago & Alton and Wabash Railroads, at the junction of the Columbia branch of the last named road, and is twenty miles northwest of Columbia. It is a beautiful and prosperous town of 1,500 people, and supports two banks and two newspapers. There are also in Centralia a number of good stores, a steam flouring mill, an operahouse, a large public school building, several churches and a public park. Its streets are well improved, and it is lighted by electricity.

C'entralia, Battle of .- On the after- noon of September 27. 1864, Major John- son, with 175 men of the Thirty-ninth Regi- ment, Missouri Volunteers, belonging to the Union Army, came into Centralia, Boone County, and upon learning of the presence of guerrillas in the vicinity, determined to attack them, and accordingly marched out toward the southeast, where they had their camp. The guerrillas, under "Bill" Ander- son, accepted the challenge and came forth, finely mounted on good fresh horses and armed with revolvers. Major Johnson's men, being poorly mounted and armed with mus- kets and bayonets, but without revolvers, were dismounted. to fight on foot. The en- gagement opened suddenly, with a savage onset from the guerrillas, charging and firing from revolvers in both hands. The Federal line was broken and thrown into disorder, and next to nothing in the way of resistance was offered. One volley was fired at the

554

CENTRALIA MASSACRE.

beginning, and after that it was all massa- cre. the mounted guerrillas chasing the Fed- erals as they scattered over the prairie and shooting them down without mercy. The small number of Federals who remained mounted, in the rear, attempted to make their escape, and even most of them were over- taken and made to share the fate of their comrades. Sixty-eight of Major Johnson's command were killed on the field immedi- ately after their first and only fire, and sev- enty-one were shot down wherever they were overtaken in their flight on the prairie. Four or five only escaped with wounds. Major Johnson was killed, and also Captain Smith, of Adair County, and Lieutenant Stafford, of Clark County. The guerrillas had two killed and three wounded. After the retire- ment of the guerrillas the people of Centra- lia gathered the dead bodies and brought them on the platform of the depot. A num- ber were taken to Mexico for burial, and seventy-nine were buried in a single long trench near the railroad, in the eastern part of Centralia ; and not long afterward the trench was enclosed by a plank fence, and at the head of it was placed a limestone mon- ument, fifteen feet in height, inscribed with the words: "The remains of Companies A. G and H, Thirty-ninth Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, who were killed in the action at Centralia, Missouri, on the 27th day of September, 1864, are interred here." Several years later still, the trench was re- opened and the remains taken to Jefferson City and reburied in one common grave, in the National Cemetery at that place.

WILLIAM F. SWITZLER.

Centralia Massacre .- It did not as- sume the proportions of a battle, but the mas- acre at Centralia, September 27. 1864. burst upon the town with terrific explosive power and a wide radius of destruction, culminating in the most bloody scene, the number of those connected with it considered, in the history of the Civil War. Centralia is on the railroad, then contained only about a dozen houses, including two hotels, two small stores, a schoolhouse and the railroad depot. It contained about one hundred inhabitants. It now has about 2.500. North and west there were miles of open prairie. At Colonel M. G. Singleton's farm, on the edge of the prairie, Bill Anderson and from 300 to 400

of his guerrillas were camped, well armed and well mounted. During the forenoon they came into town, plundered the stores, dwell- ings and depot ; and on the arrival of the four-horse stage coach from Columbia, rob- bed the passengers, among whom were Hon- orable J. S. Rollins, J. H. Waugh, J. M. Samuel, Henry Keene, Lewis Sharp, and others. Most of them were on their way to a Democratic Congressional Convention at Mexico. Many racy incidents occurred with the stage passengers as they surren- dered their pocketbooks and watches to the bushwhackers and adopted stratagems to conceal their identity to save their lives, but we have not room for them. About 11 :30 a. m. the passenger train, Richard H. Overall, conductor, reached the depot. Seeing the town in possession of the guerrillas, it was Overall's intention not to stop, but swiftly, under full head of steam, pass the station and run to Sturgeon. But Bill Anderson's men had anticipated this, and piled ties on the track to prevent it. There were twenty- three discharged and furloughed Union sol- diers and about 125 other passengers-men, women and children-on the train. As soon as it stopped the bushwhackers boarded it and robbed all the passengers and the ex- press car and safe, the while shouting and flourishing and firing pistols. Many of the soldiers were stripped of their uniforms to their underwear, and the blue clothing donned by the guerrillas, who were wear- ing apparel of other hues. The express car was entered by a squad led by Anderson himself. The messenger delivered up his keys, the safe was opened and about $3,000 taken therefrom. A much larger sum was left unnoticed, for just as it was about to be discovered a ery came from Long. Frank James and others in the baggage car: "Good God! here's thousands of greenbacks ! Whoopee ! Run here, quick!" A valise had been broken open, containing, it is said, $10,000, but doubtless this amount was very largely exaggerated. Every valise and trunk was broken open and their contents tumbled ont. The trainmen, conductor, engineer, brakemen and all were robbed of their watches and pocketbooks, and some of them of their rings and breastpins. Finally An- derson ordered that the Union soldiers be marched to the south side of the railroad track and formed in line. This was done.

555

CENTRAL MEDICAL COLLEGE.

and a firing squad of bushwhackers, in charge of Arch Clements, was formed in front of the soldiers, and Anderson said: "Arch, when I give the word, pour hell into them." The word was given, and about twenty-five men opened on the doomed line with revolvers at twenty paces. Some of the guerrillas missed their aim.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Encyclopedia of the history of Missouri, a compendium of history and biography for ready reference, Vol. I, Part 99

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