USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 18
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COUNTY AND TOWNSHIP SYSTEMS.
With reference to the dividing a state into county and township organizations, whichi, to a large degree, have the power and privilege of transacting and en- forcing their own affairs and of in a way governing themselves, under the ap- proval of and subject to the state and national government, of which they are an integral part and therefore subject thereto, we quote Hon. Elijah M. Haines, who is high authority on the subject. In "Laws of Illinois, Relation to Township Organization," written by Mr. Haines, he says :
"The county system originated in Vir- ginia, whose early settlers soon became large landed proprietors, aristocratic in feeling, living apart in almost baronical magnificence, on their own estates, and owning the laboring part of the popula- tion. Thus the materials for a town were not at hand, the voters being distributed over a great area.
"The county organization, where a few influential men managed the whole- sale business of a community, retaining their places almost at their pleasure,
scarcely responsible at all, except in name, and permitted to conduct the county concerns as their ideas or wishes might direct, was, moreover, consonant with their recollection or traditions of the judicial and social dignities of the landed aristocracy of England, in de- scent from whom the Virginia gentleman felt so much pride. In 1834 eight conn- ties were organized in Virginia, and the system extending throughout the state spread throughout all the southern states and some of the northern states, unless we except the nearly similar di- vision into 'districts' in South Carolina and that into 'parishes' in Louisiana, from the French laws.
"Illinois, which, with its vast addi- tional territory, became a county- of Vir- ginia, on its conquest by Gen. George Rogers Clark, retained the county or- ganization, which was formerly extended over the state by the constitution of 1818 and continued in exclusive use until the constitution of 1848. Under this system, as in other states adopting it, much local business was transacted by the local commissioners in each county, who con- stituted a county court, with quarterly sessions.
"During the period ending with the constitution of 1847, a large portion of the state had become filled up with a population of New England birth or character, daily growing more and more compact and dissatisfied with the com- paratively arbitrary and inefficient county system. It was maintained by the people that the heavily populated districts would always control the elec- tion of the commissioners to the disad- vantage of the more thinly populated
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sections-in short, that under the system 'equal and exact justice' to all parts of the county could not be secured.
"The township system had its origin in Massachusetts and dates back to 1635.
"The first legal enactment concerning the system provided that, whereas. 'par- ticular townships have many things which concern only themselves and the ordering of their own affairs, and dis- posing of business of their own town,' therefore the 'freemen of every town- ship,' or a majority part of them, shall only have power to dispose of their own lands and woods, with all the appur- tenances of said town, to grant lots, and to make such orders as may concern the well ordering of their own town, not repugnant to the laws and orders estab- lished by the general court.'
"They might also," says Mr. Haines. "impose fines of not more than twenty shillings and 'choose their own par- ticular officers, as constables, surveyors for the highway, and the like.'
"Evidently this enactment relieved the general court of a mass of municipal details without any danger to the power of that body in controlling general meas- ures of public policy.
"Probably, also, a demand from the free men of the towns was felt for the control of their own home concerns.
"The New England colonies were first governed by a general court or legisla- ture, composed of a governor and a small council, which court consisted of the most influential inhabitants, and pos- sessed and exercised both legislative and judicial power, which was limited only by the wisdom of the holders.
"They made laws, ordered their exe- cution by officers, tried and decided civil and criminal causes, enacted all manner of municipal regulations, and, in fact, did all the publie business of the colony."
Like organizations for the incorpora- tion of towns were made in the first con- stitution of Connectient, adopted in 1639, and the plan of township organiza- tion became popular and practiced throughout New England, as experience proved it economical, efficient and adapt- able to all the requirements of a free and intelligent people, and as immigrants moved westward they carried their popu- lar plans of organization with them and it became the adoption of the western states.
Thus we find that the wise plan of county and township organization had been thoroughly tested long before there was a need of its adoption in Missouri or Shelby county, but as new country was opened up and the easterners moved westward across the mighty river and formed thick settlements along its west- ern bank, the territory and state, the county and township organizations fol- lowed each other in quick succession, more or less improved, according to the needs and demands of the population, until they have arrived at an efficient state.
In the settlement of the territory of Missouri the legislature commenced by organizing counties along the Missis- sippi river.
As the new counties were formed. they were made to include under legal juris- dietion the country bordering on the west. and were required to allow the actual settlers electoral privileges. and
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equal shares in the county government were allowed those who lived in its geographical limitations.
The counties first organized along the eastern borders of the state were for a time given jurisdiction over the land bordering on the west, until they were sufficiently settled to support their own organizations.
MUNICIPAL TOWNSHIPS OF SHELBY COUNTY.
The municipal townships at present constituted had their metes and hounds fixed by the May term of County court, 1868.
Jackson Township.
Beginning at the southeast corner of Shelby county; thence north on the county line to the section line dividing sections 24 and 25, township 58, range 9; thence west to the range line dividing ranges 9 and 10; thence sonth to the township line dividing townships 57 and 58, in range 10; thence west to the sec- tion line dividing sections 2 and 3, in township 57, range 10; thence sonth to the county line between the counties of Monroe and Shelby; thence east to the southeast corner of Shelby county.
At the November term of the county court, 1882, the boundaries of Jackson were changed so as to exclude all the ter- ritory lying west of range No. 9, which is also west of Salt river, and attaching the same to Salt River township. The west- ern boundary therefore begins on the range line between ranges No. 9 and 10, at the southwestern boundary of the county ; thence up Salt river to the sec- tion line between sections 14 and 15, township 57, range 10; thence north to Black Creek township. The range line
between ranges 9 and 10 is half a mile west of Lakenan. (Note change made in 1897 under North River township.)
Tiger Fork Township.
Beginning at the point on the county line between Marion and Shelby county on the section line dividing sections 24 and 25, township 58, range 9; thence north to the northeast corner of Shelby county; thence west on the county line to the township line, dividing township 59, range 10, and township 59 range 9; thence south to the section line dividing sections 19 and 30, township 58, range 9; thence east to the beginning. (Note change made in 1897 under North River township.)
Salt River Township.
Beginning on the county line, on the line between sections 10 and 11, in town- ship 56, range 10; thenee north to the northeast corner of section 3, township 57, range 10, on the township line be- tween townships 57 and 58, range 10; thence west on the north line of town- ship 57, range 10, and township 57. range 11; thence south to the county line between Shelby and Monroe counties, at the point of dividing sections 8 and 9, in township 56, range 11 ; thence east on said county line to the place of begin- ning. (Note change made in November, 1882, under Jackson township. Note change made in November, 1897, under Lentner township.)
Clay Township.
Beginning at the southeast corner of section 17, township 57, range 11; thence north to the township line between town- ships 57 and 58, in range 11, to the north-
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east corner section 5, township 57, range 11; thence west on the township line to the range line between ranges 11 and 12; thence north on the range line to the northeast corner section 1, township 58, range 12; thence west on township line to the county line; thence south to the southwest corner section 18, township 57, range 12; thence east to the place of be- ginning. (Note change made in 1897 under Lentner township.
Taylor Township.
Beginning at the northwest corner of Shelby county; thence south on the county line to the township line between townships 58 and 59, in range 12; thence east on township line to the southeast corner of section 33, township 59, range 11 ; thence north to the southeast corner of section 4, township 59, range 11, on the county line; thence west on the county line to the beginning.
Bethel Township.
Beginning at the southeast corner of section 36, township 59, range 10; thence north on the range line to the county line: thence west on the county line to the northwest corner of section 3, town- ship 59, range 11; thence south to the township line between township 58. range 11, and township 59, range 11, at the point between sections 33 and 34, in township 59, range 11, thence east on the township line to the place of beginning.
Jefferson Township.
Beginning at the southwest corner of Shelby county ; thence cast on the county line to the range line between ranges 11 and 12; thence north on the county line
to the southeast corner of section 12, township 56, range 12; thence east on the county line to the southeast corner of section 8, township 56, range 11; thence north to the northeast corner of section 20, township 57, range 1; thence west to the county line at the point between sec- tions 18 and 19, township 57, range 12; thence south on the county line to the place of beginning. (Note change made in 1897 under Lentner township.)
Black Creek Township.
Beginning at the southeast corner of section 36, township 58, range 10, on the line between township 58, range 10, and township 57, range 10; thence north on the range line between ranges 9 and 10 to the northeast corner of section 1, township 58, range 10, on the line be- tween township 58, range 10, and town- ship 59, range 10; thener west on north line of township 58, range 10, and town- ship 58, range 11, to the northwest corner of section 6, township 58, range 11; thence south on the range line to the southwest corner of section 31. township 58, range 11; thence east on the town- ship line to the place of beginning.
North River Township.
Beginning at the southeast corner of section 1, township 57, range 9, running north to North river; thence following North river west to the east line of sec- tion 9, township 58, range 9; thence south to the southeast corner of section 33- 58-9; thence east to the northeast cor- ner of section 3-58-9; thence sonth to the southeast corner of section 3-58-9; thence east to the place of beginning.
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
Lentner Township.
Lentner Township was organized in the latter '90 and later was enlarged. Its present boundary is as follows: Be- ginning at the southeast corner of sec- tion 10-57-11, running north to the northeast corner of section 3-57-11; thence west to the northwest corner of section 6-57-11; thence south to the Monroe county line.
Jackson Township.
The first settlements in JJackson were made in the spring of 1833 by David Smallwood, Henry Saunders, Samuel Buckner and Russell W. Moss on the southern border and by W. B. Brough- ton and others in the vicinity of Oak Dale. Jeremiah Rust came from Fau- quier county, Va., in 1836 and also set- tled at Oak Dale.
It was organized into a township in December, 1837, by Russell Moss and others, being organized out of Black Creek, petitioning sneh a change.
Its original boundary lines were: Be- ginning at the southeast corner of the county; thence west nine miles to the middle of range 10; thence north "to the middle of the prairie between Black Creek and North river"; thence cast to the Marion county line; thence south to the beginning. The first township elec- tion was held at W. B. Broughton's at Oak Dale, December 23, 1837, to elect two justices of peace and a constable. The judges at the election were George Parker, Samuel S. Matson and W. B. Broughton. The officers elected were W. C. Mitchell and George Parker, justices, and Samuel B. Hardy, constable.
Until the building of the Hannibal &
St. Joe railroad, Jackson township had no towns, except the hamlet of Oak Dale, with her one store, her single tavern and the county seat.
Lakenan was laid out on the Ilannibal & St. Joe in June, 1858, by the veteran contractor, John Duff. It has a goodly location, rolling and well drained. It was christened in honor of HIon. Robert F. Lakenan, a large land holder there- about, but who later was a prominent at- torney of Hannibal and a prime mover in the building of the Hannibal & St. Joc railroad. Mr. Lakenan married the daughter of Russell W. Moss. He died in Ilannibal in 1883.
When the Civil war broke out this vil- lage boasted of a depot and several houses. In July, 1864, the station was burned by Bill Anderson and his band when they made their raid within our borders and others suffered at their hands. However, the town has survived her many storms and has continued to thrive and flourish until she can boast of a goodly number of nice cottages and homes and some stores, shops, churches and school that any rural burg may well be proud of. She boasts of fertile farm land all about her, from which she en- joys a goodly patronage.
Jackson has had some coal mines which have been a convenience, but not specially profitable, the veins being rather shallow.
Salt River Township.
This is the south central township of our county and has always been promi- nent in all county affairs. It is composed of some seventy-five sections of land ly- ing to the north and south of Salt river and sonthward to the Monroe county
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line. It comprises of timber, prairie, sod overrun with the high prairie grass bottom and hluff, stone, timber and water. Some coal veins have been worked, but the quality is so inferior and the quantity so meager that the yield scarcely pays.
Salt river, from which stream the township derives its name, enters the township at its northwest corner and flows to the southeast through the north- ern part of the township.
Along its banks is a heavily wooded strip which is being cleared only too fast. In the bottoms are fertile, rich lands, which are being nsed and which yield abundantly under the new drainage process and up-to-now farming methods. These are also used for pasturing.
It was Salt River township that boasted of the first permanent settler, Major Obadiah Dickerson, who located on section 17-57-10, on the north bank of Salt river on the main Shelbina-Shel- byville road, in 1831. A year or two later, George and Peter Ruff located on section 7, north of Walkersville.
In the year of 1837 came from Dela- ware Perry B. Moore, Isaac Moore and their sister, Mrs. Mary Wailes, who settled in the northwestern part of the township 57, range 11, section 10. In 1838 James Barr and John Barr, of Delaware, set- tled on section 15; James Carroll. of In- diana, on section 9, and John S. Duncan. of Kentucky, who had traversed or pros- pected the country in 1836, settled on the northwest quarter of section 16 in the year 1840. He was a valuable addition, as he brought with him four large, mag- nificent horses of the blue grass blood, woll harnessed, a good schooner wagon. and as these were a scarce article. they were ever in demand to break the tough
and his wagon to go to mill for the entire settlement. Mr. Duncan also had a sur- plus of money, a rare article with the early settlers. He was of a genial, hos- pitable. philanthropie disposition and a valuable asset to the country.
The first school house was built on the present site of Bacon Chapel. It was built of round logs, with a puncheon floor, a clapboard roof, windows of greased paper and benches in the rough.
The first school was taught by John B. Lewis in 1838, his pupils numbering about twenty. Some of the pupils were Isaac, John and Mary A. Wailes, Ander- son, Cornelia and Mary Tobin, George and Mary Lewis.
In the year 1838 Dr. John Mills, hail- ing from Ohio, located in the western part of this township and lived near the north line in section 9, township 57, range 11. He was the practitioner of a radius of twenty miles about for some years, but finally went to California. Elsewhere will be found a history of Bacon Chapel. . It was the first church building and was built by the Methodists on the southwest quarter of the south- east quarter of section 9, township 57, range 11. It was first built in 1845. It was built of logs and the ontside was covered, sides and roof, with elapboards. Old Father Eads could not wait till the building was completed, but conducted the initial service before the floor was laid. It was a service after the Pilgrim fathers' style, one of humility, loyalty and fervent in spirit. The building stood for twenty years and was succeeded by a splendid building in the 60's, which building still stands as a monument of the early methods of that settlement.
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
The site of the church was deeded to it by George Baeon.
David O. Walker was an early settler who built the mill on section 18-57-10, which was the cornerstone for Walkers- ville, which hamlet was christened for Mr. Walker.
In 1838 Adam and Michael Heckart, early settlers in the northwest, built a mill on Salt river in section 4-57-11.
Other settlers in this vicinity were W. T. Coard, section 1-57-10; Dr. James Rackliffe, on the northeast quarter of section 12-57-11 ; Prettyman Blizzard, James Carothers and Michael Watkins in the neighborhood of Bacon Chapel.
It was about 1839 when this township was organized as a municipal township and its limits then extended to the west county line. Its present confines are de- fined on a previous page.
In war this township has its history elsewhere written as the Shelbina fight in 1861 and Bill Anderson's raid in 1864. In the spring of 1862 Walkersville came in for some bushwhacking by Tom Stacy's Confederate band, and soldiers Long and Herbst and citizen Lilburn Hale were killed, and Soldiers Henning, Ring and Deener were wounded. The soldiers were of the Eleventh Missouri State Militia.
The bushwhacking of the Third Iowa soldiers, elsewhere detailed, occurred in the road near the old Major Dickerson place, then occupied by Mr. Connelly, who was an eye witness to the shooting of the bushwhackers. John Jacobs was in the door yard and had called to get water when a negro runner came up, tell- ing him that straggling soldiers were coming. The main body would have made havoc of the house and inmates
had not the negro assured them they were in no manner connected with the affair.
Jefferson Township.
Jefferson township comprises the southwestern division, including all of township 56, range 12, which forms the panhandle district, so prominent on the map of our county. The greater portion of this township was prairie land, which has been transformed into elegant and valuable farms. The land as a whole is rich and productive and beautiful farm homes enhance the value of the improved modernized farm lands, and stock abound in her meadows. This township was not opened up by settlers until about 1840-perhaps because of the need of a wooded district in that day and the su- perabundance of the tall prairie grass, so stubborn to till with their pioneer implements. The first locations were made on Crooked, Otter and Mud ereeks. In the years 1845-46 we find on Otter creek, Esquire Barton, Joel Million, John Hendricks, Henry Spires, Henry Smock, Madison Reynolds, Joseph Reynolds. Thomas Dawson, Elijah Bishop, J. M. Donaldson, John Kyle.
In the extreme southwest corner was Shelton Lowry on Mud creek, and on Crooked ereek were Enoch K. Miller, Ed Tansil, William Bush, John Dungan, Henry Kidwell, V. Godfrey, Daniel Thrasher, H. Shoemaker, Samuel Stal- cup, William Staleup, Senior, and Wil- liam Stalcup, Junior.
Immigration was more rapid with the building of the Hannibal & St. Joseph railroad, but not until after the war did real improvements begin rapidly.
During the war this township was
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
overrun by troops of both armies, as we cated some four miles west of Lewis. It have recorded elsewhere, and its citizens on both the Union and the Confederate sides were maltreated and murdered.
A Union man named Fifer was mur- dered by the Confederates, as was also an early pioneer by the name of Henry Spires, who was cruelly put to death and his body left to be later discovered by his friends.
Later came on the Putnam county militia, noted for its cruelties, and put to death Confederates Wilson, Butler and Phillips. Phillips was a father-in- law of Fifer. Mrs. Fifer, during the days of anxiety as to the outcome of the war, mourned the loss of a husband and a father and doubtless her sympathies were not in the war, as one side had stolen from her her father. the other had ruthlessly struck down her life compan- ion. In the spring of 1862, the Black Hawk Cavalry, of Macon, strolled down into Mud Creek district and encountered the Confederates encamped there, in which one Confederate gave up his life.
Clay Township.
Major Taylor built the first cabin in Clay township on section 6-57-11, in the southeastern part of the township, in the year 1835. Mr. Taylor's eabin was built on the southern edge of Salt river bottom a mile from the stream itself. Major was merely his given name and had no military bearing. He emigrated from Kentucky.
In 1839, JJames Parker, of Delaware, settled on section 8-57-11, and Isaae Tobin, a Virginian, was near by. In 1836 Jolin Lewis settled on the northi- west quarter of the same section, and in 1839. Captain Melson, a Kentuckian. lo-
was at the home of Mr. Lewis the first class of the Methodist church was formed, on the northwest corner of sec- tion 8-57-11, in the fall of 1837. Here originated the Bacon Chapel church. Mr. Lewis and wife were the leaders. Others there were Stanford Drain and wife, Mrs. Margaret Moore, Mrs. Mary Parker, Mrs. Wailes and Mrs. Jane Parker, the wife of James Parker. It was in 1837 that Rev. James Pryor, of Ohio, held protracted services at the home of Mr. Lewis. It was claimed he was the first Methodist preacher ever in Shelby.
The township was organized in 1845, when the county was Whig, and was named in honor of Henry Clay, whom his followers hailed as "gallant Harry of the West." Much of the land was in the hands of speculators for years, and little cultivation was done thereabout until after the Civil war.
The little city of Clarence is here lo- cated, but is elsewhere fully mentioned. Here lies also Hager's Grove, section 15-58-12 on Salt river. We also give it space elsewhere, but early history says this site was purchased of William P. Norton, of Ralls county, by John Hager, hence the name. For awhile it had only a blacksmith shop, but in the spring of 1857 Joseph and William Walker. Dr. Pile and William P. Casey, emigrants from Iowa, bought a steam sawmill and put it in operation at Hager's Grove. A Mr. Spaulding ran a blacksmith shop at the same time.
Later Thomas J. Blackburn estab- lished a small grocery store in a log honse. His stock of trade, as it is told. was a small amount of cheese and crack-
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
ers, a small parcel of staples and a bar- rel of whiskey. Dr. Pile and William Walker died in a short time, and in Au- gust, 1859, G. L. and B. F. Smith bought Blackburn's stock and opened up a much improved and enlarged stock in Dr. Pile's two-story frame house. The Smith brothers had the village platted by County Surveyor Gray, and in 1859 a postoffice was established with B. F. Smith as postmaster.
The Smith Brothers held forth until 1861, when Morris Osborn joined part- nership with B. F. Smith, who survived until 1863, when war hard times came on and the goods was closed out at auc- tion. In 1866, Jolin Patton and L. E. Irwin opened up a store and since that year it has always been a thriving trad- ing point. The old saw mill has been burned several times, but some of the original machinery is intact.
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