General history of Macon County, Missouri, Part 3

Author: White, Edgar comp; Taylor, Henry, & company, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, H. Taylor & company
Number of Pages: 1106

USA > Missouri > Macon County > General history of Macon County, Missouri > Part 3

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The three important settlements of Macon county were known as "The Morrow Settlement," the "Blackwell Settlement," and the "Owenby Settlement." The Owenby Settlement afterwards became known as the town of Bloomington where the county seat was located by commissioners. Joseph Owenby, for whom the settlement was named, was one of the first members of the county court.

Robert Gipson, a noted Macon county pioneer, is claimed to have been the oldest man in the United States at the time of his death, a statement which seems to be borne out by the records. He died at his home in Chariton township at the age of 119, in 1884, having been born in Randolph county, North Carolina, December 25, 1765.

Mr. Gipson, was the son of Stephen and Mollie Gipson. He grew to manhood in North Carolina, without the advantage of even a good school education. At that early day, anterior to the war of the Revolu- tion, schools were few in number and far apart. When 30 years of age Mr. Gipson married Miss Gracie Smith. After the birth of his first two children, Mr. Gipson and his family moved to Wayne county, Kentucky, in company with his father's family. Here they lived until Mr. Gipson was 55 years of age, when he came to Randolphi county, Missouri. He resided there a few years and then made his final change, coming to Macon county, and locating in the southwestern part near College Mound.

In the war of 1812 Mr. Gipson was mustered into the service, but as he was then beyond the age limit he did not remain long. His first wife died in 1844, and in 1851 Mr. Gipson married Mrs. Hester Howe of Macon county. There were sixteen children by the first wife. Mr. Gipson's last child was born to him when he was 71 years of age. He

HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

had four great-great-grandchildren, 100 great-grandchildren and 104 grandchildren.

By occupation Mr. Gipson was a farmer, making a regular hand in the field until he was 108 years of age. He would perhaps have con- tinued but for an accident. While riding on horseback one day he col- lided with the limb of a tree injuring his shoulder and leg.

This remarkable citizen was five feet four inches in height, had dark brown eyes and brown hair which later became as white as snow, and weighed only 125 pounds. He was very active during the first half cen- tury of his lifetime and in wrestling could throw any man in his regi- ment. He claimed he had never met a man who could best him in wrestling.

Mr. Gipson never smoked tobacco, but chewed for 50 years. Occas- ionally, following the custom of the pioneer, he would take a drink, but was never intoxicated and was of good and regular habits. He was a member of the Christian church for 60 years, and although he could not read or write he had delivered many sermons to the home-spun constitu- ency about his place, taking the text from memory.

Prior to the Civil war Mr. Gipson was a Democrat, but ever after he voted with the Republicans at every election, except when Hancock was the nominee for president in 1880. A large number of Mr. Gipson's descendants are now settled in northern Missouri.

One of his sons, Smith Gipson, took a great deal after his father in many respects. He was a man of sturdy, rugged character, disregard- ing the red-tape of the courts and the folderol of the conventionalities. He made a will which excited attention throughout United States because of its peculiar features. The will was written in Smith Gip- son's own hand, and was designed to convey his property in such a way that his heirs would never be bothered by the lawyers. He claimed for his will extreme lucidity, stating with pride that there was not a single "aforesaid" or "whereas" in it from beginning to end. A verbatim transcript of the will will be found in this history among the court records.

Next to Mr. Gipson in point of long life was Mrs. Polly Baskett of Callao, who was born May 27, 1800, and died May 28, 1901. As she neared the close of the century, Mrs. Baskett became intensely anxious to live out the hundred years, and she prayed to her Master that this might happen. Her prayer was granted and one year and a day added.

For some time previous to her death Mrs. Baskett had made all preparations. She seemed to take an innocent pleasure in arranging

HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

the details. The hymns were selected, the preacher suggested and the inscription for the tomb-stone written before she died.

Mrs. Baskett was born in Madison county, Kentucky. The date is authenticated in a family Bible printed in 1700, which Mrs. Baskett had in her possession at the time of her death. Aside from its lengtlı, Mrs. Baskett's life was unusual in several respects. There devolved upon her during her young womanhood the care of an invalid mother, and later on the rearing of the younger sisters. She had many offers of marriage, it is said, but refused all of them until her sisters were settled in life. At the age of 54 she was married to Jesse Kingsbury of Howard county, Missouri. Ten years later she was left a widow. Her widowhood lasted thirteen years; then she was married to Robert Baskett, a veteran of the Mexican war. Mr. Baskett was then 87 years old. He died many years before his good wife passed away.

Every year, on the Sunday in May next her birthday, the Baptist minister of Callao preached a sermon upon Aunt Polly and her praise- worthy Christian life. Her birthday anniversary in Callao was some- thing like Christmas, New Year's Day or the Fourth of July. Children in those parts were born and grew to maturity with the idea in their minds that Aunt Polly's birthday was a universal holiday. No business was transacted in the village on that day except matters of great urgency. The exercises generally consisted of songs, recitations, tab- leaux and the mayor or some other dignitary of the place would read a biographical sketch of Aunt Polly's life.

Mrs. Baskett was related to some of Missouri's most famous men. The late Col. F. W. Switzler of Columbia, the state's historian and a journalist of over 60 years' experience, was her nephew. Luthier T. Collier, a well-known lawyer of Kansas City, and M. C. Tracy, a liter- ary man of Macon, were closely related to her.

Besides her name, the date of birth and of death, the following motto was selected by Mrs. Baskett for her tombstone:

"I know that my Redeemer livetlı."

CHAPTER ILI.

THIE INDIANS-LAST BATTLE WITH THE WHITES-"CHIEF PUMPKINS"- RETREAT OF THE WHITES-A REAR GUARD ACTION-A SECOND EXPE- DITION PLANNED-INDIANS DRIVEN BACK-A BURIED TREASURE -- SANGUINARY BATTLE BETWEEN THE FOXES AND THE SACS-SEARCH FOR THE TREASURE-STONE TOMAHAWKS AND ARROWHEADS ON BAT- TLEFIELD-THE INDIANS' FISH TRAP-PIONEER WATER MILLS-CORN AS LEGAL TENDER-DEATH OF ANTHONY HAMMOCK, HEAD MILLER- THE MILL ON EAST FORK-YULE-TIDE IN A NEW COUNTRY.

When North Missouri was being settled the Indians were an important factor to be considered. The land was cheap and valuable if a man could work it unmolested. Some of the tribes seemed to have been but a little better than outlaw gangs. Others were peaceable and did not go on the war-path unless provoked. None of them, however, ever proved to be very good neighbors. Even those who were peace- able were troublesome in various ways and could not be depended upon. In the early days it was made a misdemeanor to trade with an Indian and there is a record on the Macon County Court docket for the December term, 1840, where James Glen was tried on an indictment charging that he had traded with an Indian, and was acquitted. James A. Clark was the judge.

The last battle between the whites and the red men occurred in July, 1829. Robert Myers, who lived in what became Macon county, rode down to Mr. Blackwell's house, in Howard county, and informed him that the Indians were on the war-path up north ; were killing stock and threatening the lives of all the settlers on the Chariton river. James Myers, brother of Robert, sent word to his father to raise some men and rush to the scene. James Myers, Nathan Richards, Isaac Gross. Stephen Gross and Ruben Myrtle beat the bush and managed to raise a company of twenty-five for the start. This company increased as it advanced to the north. The first night out the camp elected Fields Trammel as captain and William Gness first lieutenant. On the 16th the pioneers were up with the dawn and reached the threatened settle- inent at night. Then a council was held. The Indians had left the neigh- borhood. The question debated was whether to pursue them or let them

HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

alone. It was voted to prosecute the campaign and drive the hostiles out of the country. The pioneers decided there would never be any peace while the red men were within easy reach of the settlement.

Bright and early on the morning of the 17th the flint-lock mus- keteers were out on the trail of the Indians. After a ten-mile march they came to the red men's camp. The Indians seemed to be tremen- dously excited, riding about in apparent disorder. Captain Trammel courageously rode up and called for an interpreter. Two Indians, one known as "Chief Pumpkins," approached and shook hands with the Captain. The Captain asked what tribe they belonged to. The Indian said they were from Iowa. John Myers called upon the Indians to lay down their guns. This order was given because the tribesmen, about fifty strong, were loading and priming their weapons. The squaws started to seream and run for the woods. In his account of the affair Mr. Blackwell said he heard the report of a gun, when he instantly sprang for his horse and held him by the bridle.

By this time rifles were popping viciously from all sides. An Indian leveled a gun at Mr. Blackwell, who quickly shouldered his own weapon and pulled the trigger, but the gun failed to go off, a common failing of the early day weapon. He dodged about and tried another shot, but again the flint failed to strike fire. The Indian seemed to have been having pretty much the same luek with his gun, as a ball did not reach Mr. Blackwell. By that the whites began retreating and Mr. Blackwell followed, leading his horse, glancing baek now and then to see what the enemy was doing. James Myers came along wounded, and Mr. Blackwell assisted him to the horse and then directed him to ride after the whites and to rally them ; he tried to impress it on Myers that the whites could whip the Indians if they would only make a stand. James Myers shonted back that the Indians had killed his father. Mr. Blackwell said he thought Myers must be mistaken, but just at that instant four guns cracked right close to him and a mare on which Winn and Myrtle were mounted was shot and fell. There was tremen- dons confusion; nobody seemed to know what to do. Mr. Blackwell did his best to rally his comrades to put up a bold front, but it seemed · that they had become panie-stricken by the fierceness of the Indians' attack and nothing could stop them. Winn eried out: "Boys, I am gone!" The retreat continued, with Mr. Blackwell bringing up the rear. The Indians did not attempt a very serious pursuit. Blackwell reached the white settlement, where he found John Myers and John Asbell, both of whom were wounded, Myers with a ball and Ashell with a flint-pointed arrow. Captain Trammel was also wounded, and

HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

several other members of the company. As the little band retreated from the settlement they took the women and children with them back into Howard county. They were very much chagrined over the affair and in a few days another company was organized under Captain Sonce, which immediately marched to the battle-ground. In this second party was Mr. Blackwell. When they reached the scene of the fight they found Winn dead. The Indians had mutilated his body with fire. They also found Squire Myers dead where Mr. Blackwell had seen him last. Five shots had entered his body. As they proceeded they found the body of Powell Owenby and also those of two Indians. Next day General Owens came out with a strong force and found another dead Indian, so the result of the battle, as far as the dead were concerned, was pretty near equal. Some of the Indians engaged in the encounter were later on arrested and taken prisoners. They were tried at Hunts- ville, the county seat of Randolph county. Evidence was taken on both sides, and, according to an old history of the affair, it was proven that James Myers had fired the shot which brought on the battle and the Indians were released. This was the final trouble between the whites and the Indians in this section of Missouri, and everything was quiet until the Black Hawk war of 1832.

The Foxes were friendly Indians, and received an annuity from the government. In 1832 there was due them a sum of between $12,000 and $15,000, which was to be paid in gold. Three alert, active tribes- men were selected as the custodian of the money, which they received at St. Louis. At that period the Sacs were at war with the Foxes. They were receiving no annuity, but they determined that they were entitled to one as much as the Foxes were and that they would capture the gold for themselves. The Foxes were not hunting a fight; they were simply concerned about reaching their tribe in safety and delivering the money which they brought. They succeeded in doing this, but the Saes sur- rounded the Foxes with an overwhelming body of warriors, near the old fish trap on the Chariton and the Foxes died like brave soldiers, fight- ing for their treasure. Before the battle, however, they had secreted their money and the Sacs were unable to find it, so their victory was fruitless.

Many ancient knives and arrow-heads have been found about the old battlefield. Captain John M. London, who resides not far from the place, said that he had seen three Indians hunting about the banks on either side of the fish trap, and that it was supposed they were descendants of the Foxes who had buried their treasure there. They spaded in numerous places, but if they ever discovered anything they

HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

kept it to themselves. Soon after this visit of the Indians, white people made diligent search for the buried treasure, and it was reported that some boys had unearthed nearly $1,000 in gold pieces. This created quite a bit of excitement, and every man who owned land in these parts would steal out by himself, as opportunity offered, and try his luck, but no further discoveries were reported.

The old fish trap referred to above was a stone dam construeted by the Indians in the early part of the nineteenth century. It was used in fording the Chariton river. Later on a white man put up a cabin on the bank and constructed a trap in the center of the dam. This trap was used to catch fish for over fifty years, and the owner of it derived a large income from the proceeds of his invention.

The development of the West traveled arm-in-arm with the old water mills as it does today with steam, electricity and the oil motor. The "overshot" or the "undershot" wheel ground corn and wheat, sawed lumber and sharpened the blacksmith's tools. If there were not enough water in the stream to make the wheels go round, the miller sat down until a freshet came from up the country. Impatient custom- ers could not blame him for the delay. It was not his business to fur- nish the water. So those living near the smaller streams would not start out with their grain until first ascertaining whether or not the creek was "running."

When steam came into general use most of the old water mills were changed to that power. Then, as the towns sprang up, the trade drifted from the streams to the mills in the towns, and the ancient miller was out of a job. Along all the water courses of Missouri are yet to be seen the remains of these old-time water mills, decayed and tenantless-the architectural corpses of a bygone age.

It was always the dream of the pioneers that their little rivulets would, with proper legislation, become navigable from the mills down to the Missouri or Mississippi rivers. Then their farm produce would bring five times the normal price in the back country, and their sup- plies from the cities would not be so expensive and hard to get. The reference to Roderick Shackleford shows how this was made an issue in an early political campaign.

The era of the water mill in Missouri followed close upon the moc- casined heels of the retreating Red man. The mills were not very numerons at first, and each one had to serve a wide territory.

Perhaps one of the most noted water mills of Macon county was the one built on the Chariton river, seven miles due west of Bloomington, by Howell Rose in the early thirties. Later this mill passed into the

HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

hands of Henderson MeCully, father of W. E. McCully, former Rail- road Commissioner. Thereafter, McCully's mill was known far and wide, and perhaps in its day had as great a patronage as any other grinding institution in Missouri.

"I can remember very well when the old mill was in operation," remarked W. E. MeCully. "It was the event of the year when a farmer went to mill in those days. Some of father's patrons drove down from lowa. one hundred miles or more. At times the offerings were so heavy that a farmer would have to wait two or three weeks for his turn, As soon as a new load arrived, its turn would be indicated by a red keel mark put on the sacks by the miller or his helper. Any dispute about whose turn came next was settled by the head miller. His word was the law of the river. It was even a part of his duty to referee bouts at fisticuffs and wrestling. The customers, as a rule, did not get impa- tient ; they came prepared to make a long stay. They would bring with them plenty of provisions and fishing lines. I've seen 'em strung ont for three miles up and down the river fishing, and they caught some big ones, too-for the river was full of fish then. As the old burrs would only grind two or three bushels of corn an hour, it was necessary to keep the mill going all day and all night to come anyways near han- dling the trade. There was a night miller who worked in the illumina- tion of tallow candles. At midnight Saturday the water gate was shut until early Monday morning. The closing of the gate formed a trap for fish, and during the hours when work was suspended the catch this way was sometimes large. The Sunday catch was auctioned off the Saturday before to the highest bidder. If no fish happened to go into the trap, the successful bidder had to take his medicine, but generally the catch was worth the price.

"Nothing but shelled corn was handled by the water-mill man. He exacted one-sixth of the grain for grinding. The price was fixed by law. It would have amazed him had somebody offered cash. The mil- ler fed his corn to hogs. That's where his money came from.

"Going to mill in those days was like going to a circus or a big political rally nowadays. It was the place to swap news and jack- knives, engage in horse-shoe throwing, cock-fighting and all the sports of the period. You see, people didn't take sightseeing tours across the country then, and going to mill took the place of that diversion. The patrons were a great, brawny set of American farmers, full of grit and determination, and withal the kindliest folk I have ever seen. With all their cutting-up and yelling, they were never guilty of stealing or imposing on each other; their fights were fair, and they carried no bad

HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

blood back home with them. It would be hard to get together now a more truly representative American gathering than those that assembled on the river banks during the water-mill epoch of Missouri."

The location of one well-known old water-mill was determined by a curious specimen of Indian architecture. This was a roek bridge the Red men had constructed to cross the river. It was used as a foun- dation for the dam the white sneressors made for what has long been known as Hammock's Mill. This old mill is yet standing on the Char- iton River, in the southwest part of Macon county. Its latter-day distinction is as a superb place for fishing and camping. Anthony Hammock acquired the property in 1846, when it was a very primitive affair, and completely overhauled it. Its tremendous water-wheel drove machinery which made both meal and flour of a high-grade quality. The miller and a companion were drowned in the reservoir July 10, 1869. They were out in a small boat, taking some soundings, when the eraft turned over and both men went down, to rise no more alive. For some time after the widow ran the mill; and then it passed into the hands of William Hammock, brother of the former owner. William Hammock, who is now president of a Salisbury (Mo.) bank and the owner of a thousand-acre farm on the Chariton, conducted the mill until some time in the eighties, when Dave Bundren acquired it and put in steam power.

The water-mill was the pioneer mechanical industry and the path- blazer regarded it almost as great a marvel as the old Washington hand press. Some of the old mills worked so slowly that one would think more might be obtained by pounding the corn with roeks. At one time Mose Taylor (whose mill was on the site of the East Fork reservoir which now supplies Macon with water) was perplexed at the stoppage of the meal, which he had been sacking in the celler. He looked outside and saw the old water-wheel faithfully churning. The machinery upstairs showed it was still attending to the job. He pulled the strap to see if the "shoe" had become clogged, but no meal came. Then he went up to investigate. There was a thief in the grinding room. An enormous turkey gobbler, poised safely on the bur railing, was reaching over and stealing each grain as it passed from the hopper into the "shoe." While his appetite lasted he was putting the mill, with its ponderous wheel, belts, rods and gear, entirely out of commission. The incident furnished material for neighborhood debate for a year : whether the farmer who owned the corn or the miller who was grinding it should suffer the loss for what the burglarious turkey had taken?

HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

"Glory to God! The sounding skies Loud with their anthems ring, Peace to the earth, good will to men, From Heaven's Eternal King!"

The generation of today need shed no tears for the lot of youth anterior to candled Christmas trees, realistic Santa Clauses and mel- ody from great pipe-organs. He wouldn't have known what to do with that sort of a Christmas had it been within his reach. Yet Christmas meant a great deal to him-more than it does to the young of today, perhaps.

Major Thomas Moody, a Macon county citizen since the early forties, tells how young America planned and executed his campaign when the county was in the frontier stage.

"Christmas was a strennous time with the moccasined boys of the new country," he said. "There were no flaming trees, no dolls for the girls, no silver smoking ontfits for the boys; none of the many beautiful and costly things that follow in the wake of Santa Claus now.

"On Christmas eve the boys would gather at some prearranged meeting-place and lay out a route for the night. Every one had a rifle, hunting horn or fiddle. Some would be on horseback; others afoot. All were dressed sufficiently warm to stand an all-night campaign in the wind and snow. The cabins of the settlers were far apart, and in map- ping out the line of march it was done with a view of striking as many hospitable homes as possible, and where the larders were best supplied. One of the crowd might remember that Bill Jones, over on the Chariton bottoms, had received a jug of something from Kentucky by way of Hannibal recently. Bill Jones was thereupon added to the pioneer 400 list. Another would suggest that he had seen Mrs. Tompkins and her daughter, Sallie, baking plum pies during the forenoon. The social status of the Tompkins family was immediately elevated to the honor of a call. And so on. The information thus collected from widely separated sections enabled the leaders to decide on a route that would be literally flowing with milk and honey. As twilight came on the Christmas crusaders set out, scores of hunting dogs in the lead and dodging around on the flanks of the 'army of invasion.' The celebrator worthy of the name was deemed a royal good-fellow in accordance with his capacity to make a noise. Guns cracked, horns tooted, dogs barked and the boys yelled. It was a Christmas carnival, a charivari and a bloodless insurrection all in one. There wasn't a policeman nearer than St. Louis, and the earth and the fullness thereof belonged to the young revelers. They didn't appreciate an easy capitulation when they

HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY

laid siege to a farm house. They enjoyed it most when the pioneer barricaded his doors and blew out the candles. Then they would circle around the habitation, with every instrument of attack in violent erup- tion. Sometimes the besieged would stuff cotton in their ears and try to stick it ont. But as the night wore on and the hubbub increased instead of diminished, the monarch of the cabin would gracefully surrender and unbar the doors. Then the noisy crowd would stomp in and con- gratulate the host and his family for being 'the right sort.' The candles were relighted, big logs thrown on the wide fireplace and the 'old woman' and the girls would place pies, cornbread, venison, turkey, wild honey and prairie chicken on the board. Such a layout would be a feast for the gods now, but then it was such provender as every sec- tion of old Missouri abounded with. When the table was cleared, the 'old man' would wink at the leader, and the guests would follow him to a corner of the kitchen, where he had sacredly concealed a demijolin of some of the 'real thing, just up from Kentuck by last boat.'

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General history of Macon County, Missouri, Part 3

Author: White, Edgar comp; Taylor, Henry, & company, pub Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago, H. Taylor & company Number of Pages: 1106

Author: White, Edgar comp; Taylor, Henry, & company, pub
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago, H. Taylor & company
Number of Pages: 1106