USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 22
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The town of Hunnewell is located in the southeast corner of Shelby county and is one of the oldest and most sub- stantial towns of the county.
The country surrounding is splendid agricultural land and the citizenship is the old Missouri kind that believe in honesty and good morals. The town con- tains two banks, one newspaper and some splendid stores and business houses.
THE TEMPLE OF JUSTICE.
The first courthouse erected in Shelby county was built in the years 1838 and 1839, and in March, 1839, the first term of Circuit court was held in the new courthouse. This building served the purposes of a temple of justice and home for county officials until it was destroyed by fire in 1891.
THE COURTHOUSE BURNED.
On Monday morning, June 29. 1891. while Sheriff W. P. Martin was cleaning up the courthouse yard, assisted by some
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prisoners, the courthouse was discovered to be on fire. A pile of broken limbs and trash had been piled on the north side of the old historical building, and set on fire, and it is likely the building was set on fire by sparks from the rubbish. Nearly all the records were saved and the loss consisted chiefly of J. C. Hale's law library, some of the probate records, and some of the papers in the collector's office. On Saturday, September 5, 1891, a proposition to issne $25,000 bonds for a new courthouse was voted on and car- ried by a vote of 1,130 to 537. At the County court meeting on February 4, 1892, the contract to erect the new court- house was awarded to Charles Force & Co., of Kansas City, Mo. The building was to be completed by November 1. 1892, but the contractor was slow and the county officials did not get into their new quarters until July, 1893. The first term of Circuit court was held the Octo- ber following, with Judge Ellison on the benclı.
THE 1884 FIRE.
A disastrous fire occurred in Clarence on Friday, February 15, 1884. The har- ness shop of H. M. Shabel, Eberhard & Co.'s grocery store, R. E. Dale's restau- rant, MeWilliams' grocery store, Dur- ham's shoe shop, Dr. Hill's office, Will- iam Shutter's hardware, R. P. Richard- son's clothing store, Rouse's barber shop and the postoffice were totally de- stroved. Amount of loss on goods was $40,000; loss on buildings, $10,000. In- surance, $6,400.
CREAMERY BURNS.
The creamery owned by Jacob Peneil burned on Thursday night, January 14,
1886. The building and fixtures cost about $4,000, on which there was $3,400 insurance.
MAN AND HORSES BURNED.
Monday, November 9, 1884, the livery stable owned by a Mr. Clark, in Clarence, burned to the ground. Eight head of horses were burned, as were the contents of the barn. Joseph Blythe, a one-legged man, who was sleeping in the hay loft, perished in the conflagration.
A SHELBY COUNTY CONGRESSMAN.
May 9, 1902, the congressional com- mittee met in Kirksville and ordered a primary to select a candidate for con- gress. Primary set for August 20. Richard P. Giles carried Shelby by 1,051 over his opponent, Col. W. H. Hatch. Giles also carried Macon and Adair counties. Hatch's majority in the district was 414. The second race was still closer, in which Hatch defeated Giles for the nomination by the narrow margin of 195 votes. This time Giles carried four counties : Shelby, Adair, Knox and Schuyler. A great deal of bitterness was engendered in this contest between the friends of the two candidates, and that, together with the fact that 1894 was a landslide for the Republicans, was in- strumental in defeating Hatch at the general election in November. At this election Col. Hatch, who had been in con- gress for sixteen years, was defeated by Maj. C. N. Clark, of Hannibal, by the elose plurality of 329 votes. In 1896 Mr. Giles was made the Democratic nominee for congress by acclamation at the con- gressional convention held in Canton on August 11. He defeated Clark by over 5,000 plurality, the largest plurality ever
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given to a candidate in the distriet up to that time. Mr. Giles, however, did not live to reap the reward of his efforts, but died only two weeks after the election. The date of his death was November 17, 1896. Mr. James T. Lloyd was chosen as his successor.
THE BETHEL COLONY-A STORY OF COM- MUNISM IN MISSOURI.
(By Vernon L. Drain.)
Few of those who read the books of Bellamy and who dream of an ideal com- monwealth, where each eitizen is equal to every other citizen and all are alike rich with a common fund, are aware that those ideas embodied in the maxim- "equal rights to all and special privi- leges to none"-were once actually ap- plied in the establishment and subse- quent operation of the Bethel colony, a settlement founded by honest and sturdy German emigrants on the winding shores of North river, in Shelby county, Mis- sonri.
Several years ago Dr. David R. MeAn- ally, now deceased, then the able editor of the St. Louis Christian Advocate, in an editorial on the subject of com- munism, asserted that the Oneida com- munity in New York, the Bethel colony and its offshoot, the Aurora (Oregon) settlement, were the notable instances of the application of the theory of com- munism upon American soil. Since then several sketches have been con- tributed to metropolitan newspapers wherein various features of this enter- prise have been reviewed, and recently Mr. William G. Bek, of the University of Missouri, has written a small volume in which the details of this enterprise
are given with much care. Aside from these writings the fame of this singular experiment has been confined to fireside narratives as the historian of its achieve- ments seems to have been omitted from its caravan, or left behind in the long journey of its progenitors toward the valley of the Mississippi.
Like many modern co-operative sehemes of similar character, this was conceived and planned in the brain of a religious enthusiast, who doubtless dreamed that he was the chosen power to usher in a brighter day for human kind. This is not to be wondered at, nor is it to the discredit of spiritual things. Reli- gion is the most powerful force known to man, and it stirs the best that there is in us. It makes us to grapple with life's umsolved and nnsettled problems and the dreams of the devotee are an inspiration to better things for his race and kindred. The longings of the dreamer may never he realized ; his efforts may be like the crying of a child in the night, and we may say that his plan came to naught. But after all, it may be a contribution to- ward the betterment of humanity, and may bring us nearer to that far-off event toward which we are told the whole cre- ation is moving. The world is much in- debted to its so-called impracticable men.
Dr. William Keil, the founder, prophet, priest and king of this Western Utopia, was a Methodist preacher of German lineage, who labored among his countrymen in portions of Pennsylvania and Ohio; how long he continued in the ministry or how successful were his labors cannot be ascertained, but for some reason, presumably that of preach- ing strange doctrine, he was called to ac- count by his ecclesiastical superiors, by
_ THE BETHEL CHURCH-
THE OLD COLONY CHURCH AT BETHEL
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whom he was deprived of his ministerial authority. He then formulated this com- munistic scheme, organized this society. and with his followers emigrated west- ward and founded this colony, which sur- vives its wreck so far as appearances are concerned in the present town of Bethel, where some of the quaint buildings of the early colonists are still pointed out to the inquisitive traveler.
These colonists secured by entry or purchase a large tract of valuable land, eleven lmundred acres of which was en- closed as the common field where the in- dividuals labored under the direction of overseers appointed by Dr. Keil. A com- mon boarding-house was erected where the unmarried male members of the com- munity resided, and a common store- house was kept where the families were supplied with their alloted portions of provisions, the storekeeper managing the accounts and supplying the necessa- ries according to the communal regula- tions. The attention of these frugal peo- ple was directed toward manufacturing, and in the palmy and prosperous days of the enterprise Bethel was a miniature Lowell; cloth was spun from the wool of the colony sheep, which roamed in vast herds over the virgin prairies, attended by the designated shepherds, and the skins of the wild deer, which had not then disappeared from our horizon, were made into hats and gloves.
Perhaps the crowning work of these industrious people, from an architectual standpoint, was the crection of the col- ony church, which until recently stood in simple grandeur as a memory of better days. This edifice was constructed of brick and stone after the type of churches in the fatherland. It was paved with
tiling, provided with an organ loft and would accommodate a multitude. It was crowded on the Sabbath day with the colonists, who, in the zenith of their power numbered perhaps a thousand souls. The type of religion cannot well be defined or classified, as Dr. Keil was leader in all things spiritual as well as temporal. From the scant information obtainable it seems that Dr. Keil grew to manhood in Prussia where he dabbled in the mysteries of the "black art," which was evolved and practiced by the tribes which long ago peopled the dark forests of Germany. After coming to America and while living in Pennsyl- vania he came under the influence of Dr. William Nast, the founder of the Ger- man Methodist church, whose life was a great contribution to the human race. Under the ministry of this great preacher Keil professed conversion, and in the presence of Dr. Nast he burned the secret formulas of his art and renounced its practice. Later on he seems to have dif- fered with his brethren and at the time when he was deposed from the ministry he had gathered a number of adherents who followed him implicity. One of these was Carl G. Koch, a scholarly German, who soon renounced the claims of Keil and opposed his plans by writing a book wherein he asserted that he was a mystic and a dreamer. From all account he preached a polyglot, utilitarian doctrine, and there were many pious souls among these colonists even though their leader held and preached tenets of belief that must have been a cross between the Apostle's creed and the mysteries of the ancients. He claimed to be inspired with superhuman power and the older colo- nists acquiesced in this assumption and
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rendered him the homage due a superior creature. The observance of religious ceremonies was rigidly enforced. Each Sabbath morning during services the primitive policeman or burgomaster kept the streets and public places clear of loiterers and this may in part account for the immense attendance at the fa- mous old church.
East of Bethel and down the pictur- esque North river, was erected the man- sion house of Dr. Keil where he lived and dispensed the hospitality of a fendal monarch. This house with its numerous appurtenances was called "Elim." It was built by the common labor and was a part of the possessions of the colony, but was designed and used as the resi- dence of the leader or governor. A com- modions banquet hall served its purpose, and there is a tradition that Dr. Keil lived and reigned here in this Western wilderness after the fashion of the great King Solomon, the splendor of whose reign has been the dream of the ages.
The general character and appearance of these colonists would fit Irving's de- scription of the founders of New Am- sterdam during the glorious reign of Sir Peter Stuyvesant. The typical, old fash- ioned Dutchman was the dominant type. They were artisans skilled in the highest degree. Such finished craftsmen were they that their work abides to this day in monuments of wood and stone. They were practical in all things save in shar- ing the ideas of their leaders and their descendants are usually splendid citizens wherever found.
The plan of perfect equality was up- permost in the minds of the greater por- tion of these sincere adventurers, and this was their dominant idea. To the
end that equal rights should be accorded to each member and that the scheme of co-operation should be rigidly adhered to, many curions expedients were prac- tised. At the Christmas festivities, al- ways held at the church, it was observed that each child was remembered by Santa Clause in exactly the same way and with exactly the same portion of any given article.
Two collossal Christmas trees were erected and on these were placed the gifts for the children, and the elders and the strangers within the gates were also remembered. The trees as well as the interior of the building were lavishly decorated, and the decorations and the greater portion of the presents remained during the festivities, which usually lasted for a week. The splendor of the Yule-tide lingers yet in the memory of the survivors.
When the close of "life's fitful fever" came to one of the inhabitants, care was taken that he should be buried in the same degree of state accorded to his comrades who had preceded him to the peaceful colony of the dead. A plain, wooden coffin, a prayer for the repose of his soul and a grave amid the shadows of Hebron, the common burial place, was the farewell to the busy worker as he ceased his toil and passed out into the quiet.
The earnings of the colony were placed in the keeping of a purseholder or treas- urer, and the fund grew as the years passed by, the members having none of it and presumptively needing none, as they were supplied from the community storehouse and forbidden to trade else- where; so that the colony existed prin- cipally upon confidence. many of them
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living for years without possessing a cent of actual cash; the redemption money was in existence however, so they exercised confidence and labored and toiled.
There was doubtless much in the wild Inxuriance of the middle West to inspire lofty thoughts and noble purposes ; there seems to be an ascending pathway that leads us "from nature up to nature's God." But amid it all the tempter strug- gled for mastery as he did in the origi- nal Eden, and it is not strange that at the conclusion of the dreams of the sim- ple colonists there came a rude awaken- ing. Out of this splendid sowing there came a reaping for a talented lawyer who assisted in restoring order out of chaos and who counseled them as to the division of the property at the final dis- memberment of the colony which oe- curred during the year 1879.
The title to the real estate of the colony was vested in individuals who held it for the common use and benefit, as the per- sonalty was held by the community treasurer. It is a monument to the mastery of Dr. Keil that the colony pros- pered as it did. No written constitution or agreement had ever existed and the whole affair moved under the guidance of the leader. When they were bereft of liis immediate presence as hereinafter related, the affairs of the community be- came more involved and finally one of the colonists sued for the value of the services which he had rendered to the colony. It then developed that the com- munity had no legal existence as it had never been incorporated, and it was also impossible to hold any one member liable as an individual. And then there arose many questions as to the rights of those
members who had left the parent colony at Bethel and founded colonies else- where ; and finally in 1877 there came the tidings of the death of Dr. Keil. Then the last page of the history of the Bethel Colony was written when the agreement for a division of the property was signed by the colonists at Bethel and also by those in Oregon who had formerly been members of the Bethel experiment.
By the terms of this agreement three trustees were appointed to represent the Oregon members, and five trustees were likewise authorized to aet for the Bethel members. These trustees met and agreed as to the rights of each community in the common property, and also the rights of the individuals therein. An account was taken, first, as to the amount of property brought into the enterprise by each colo- nist when he became a member, and then the number of years of service of each ascertained. Then the common prop- erty was valued and a plan of division was formulated by which each colonist or his heirs received the amount origi- nally contributed, and also the value of his or her services as ascertained by dividing the total value of the remaining property by the total number of years contributed by the entire number of in- dividuals, and then multiplying the re- sult by the years served by each member. The aetnal result was that in addition to the amount originally contributed, each male member of the Bethel Colony re- ceived in cash the sum of $29.04 per year for his services, and the female members one-half of this sum. The plan of allot- ment was honorably carried ont by these trustees without litigation, the vast prop- erty interests were allotted in severalty and the Bethiel Colony passed into his-
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tory, where in spite of the hopes of its founders, it serves like the memory of the Swedish King Charles, "to point a moral, or adorn a tale."
It is but just to the fame of Dr. Keil to say that he was spared the pain of wit- nessing the dissolution of his dream-like empire.
The colony was founded in the year 1845, and prospered much until the de- parture of its leader in 1858, though to the student of social problems the result would seem a leveling of human hopes and aspirations rather than that trium- phant achievement which adorns so grandly the successful struggle of in- dividual life. Around the departure of the leader there is a story that almost baffles human eredenee, though it is a well attested fact.
Dr. Keil, like Joshua of old, had sent out spies to view the reahns of the dis- tant west, whither he hoped to extend the influence of his communistie project. Some had returned, while others re- mained enchanted with the marvelous scenery and enraptured with the prom- ise of the morning dawn of that won- drous empire-
"Where rolls the Oregon, and hears no sound,
Save his own dashings."
Tales of the natural beauty and fer- tility of this region were borne to the ears of the leader of the colonists and around his fireside were discussed the plans and hopes of a future domain be- vond the Rockies. Under the direction of the leader, an infant colony has been formed by the prospectors to which was given the inspiring name of "Aurora,"
and though the dreams of its originators have faded like the gleam of the borealis, the town still flourishes in the State of Oregon.
The vision of the Bethel colonists was broadened by this adventure and their gaze turned toward the sunset. In their rude plastered houses they thought much about the distant valley of the Wil- lamette whenee came the good tidings from their brethren. It was the day of the ox team, and the journey would con- sume months of time, yet many wished to undertake it.
Among others who caught the western fever was a favorite son of Dr. Keil, who dreamed fond dreams of the land of promise. After much solicitation his father consented that he might go, and he began preparing for his departure from the mansion house upon a journey that would span half the continent, but which seemed to him as the coming of a holiday. The flame of ambition burned with increasing fervor in his youthful blood, but there came a fateful hour in which he was seized with another fever, deadlier and more ardent than the first, which added its fire to the flame of the other, increasing rather than diminish- ing its glow. In his delirium the long cherished Aurora was more real than ever to his disordered fancy. He "bab- bled o' the green fields ; " he saw the som- ber beauty of the cascades, and couk hear the surf beat on the distant sea. There may have been a fair haired Ger- man girl whose beckoning hand alhired him; at least he exacted a promise from his father that in the event of his ex- pected death he should be buried among the scenes where his mind and heart al- ready lingered.
--
-
"
DOCTOR WILLIAM KEIL AND HIS HOME IN BETHEL KNOWN AS "ELIM"
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He died, and amid the gloom which settled over the mansion house at Elim, his father made haste to fulfill the vow to his lamented son. An emigrant train was organized among the colonists who wished to depart, the body was encased in an iron coffin containing alcohol, placed in the front wagon of the train which was drawn by six mules, and amid the lamentations of the remaining mem- bers of the colony there was begun what is perhaps the strangest and most stu-
pendons funeral march in the history of onr land. After months of weary travel over plain and moutain the tired but faithful mourners arrived at Aurora, and the father religiously fulfilled his vow to his dying child.
The Bethel brethren saw their patri- arch no more ; the colony dwindled away, and the snows of many winters have lain upon the grave of the leader, who sleeps beside his son under the Oregon pines.
Vernon L. Drain.
CHAPTER XV.
SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND CHURCHES-SHELBINA COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE-SHELBINA PUBLIC SCHOOL-THE MACON DISTRICT ACADEMY AT CLARENCE-COLLEGE AT LEONARD-THE INDEPENDENT HOLINESS SCHOOL AT CLARENCE-THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN SHELBY COUNTY-THE EVANGELICAL ASSOCIATION.
SHELBINA COLLEGIATE INSTITUTE.
The Shelbina Collegiate Institute was established May 16, 1887. at a cost of $6,000. It was a fine and commodious building for the day and well built. Dr. Leo Baeir was the first president. Dnr- ing the two years he was head of the school he gave them a good start, but its prestige was increased when Prof. E. L. Ripley and wife took charge of the work. They were both intelligent, broad and cultured and two of the greatest educa- tors of the day, Prof. Fredus Peters, re- ceived the greater part of his education at this seat of learning, graduating un- der Prof. Ripley. Prof. Ripley's motto in school work was. "The mind, like the body, becomes strong by exercise." He never did for a pupil what that pupil conld do for himself. The last faculty in the old college building. as a college. was president T. E. Peters ; vice-presi- dent. Rev. W. W. Carhart ; preparatory department, E. R. Edwards: primary, Miss Annie McMurry : musie, Miss Kate Crawford; art, Miss Orrington Jewett. There was a falling off in attendance, numbering 140 the previous year. The faculty was a strong one, but the patron- age was not sufficient and the town be- gun talking a thorough high school and
at a meeting of her citizens in May. 1892, without a dissenting voice, the college merged into a public school.
SHELBINA PUBLIC SCHOOL.
The first school house was built in Shelbina in the year 1859, which build- ing remodeled and modernized stood till the year 1884. Among the early teachers was Charles M. King, later a prominent attorney of the city till the nineties. the time of his death. It was in the nine- ties that Shelbina begun to look to her publie school as a chief asset for her future prominence. The year 1892, a number of her prominent citizens met with the board of education to consider the advisability of leasing the college building and establishing a high school. Everyone present, in brief talks, heartily endorsed the idea of a first-elass high school.
It was shown that the town had wholly outgrown the accommodations of the old building. The board of education then sought the best teachers, placing Prof. J. T. Vaughn as superintendent. The curriculum was overhauled to correlate with the State University. Thus estab- lished. the people had only reached the beginning. In the year 1890-91 the old
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building was passed upon as unsafe and bered several thousand. Mayor Irwin was rodded. Then every windy day half delivered the welcome address, followed by other state speakers. Rev. J. D. Vin- eil conducted the exercises and a dinner was served to the visitors. The building was of brick, well built, containing nine rooms which included a large anditorium 'on the first floor. the children were absent and the other half wanted to go home and was restive, until the November monthly meeting of the board of education, they voted to put it up to the people to bond the city for $10,000 to ereet a new building. The pro- position carried and Shelbina now boasts of one of the most modern and up-to-date buildings. Her stride of improvement has been unceasing. Her building, com- pleted in September, 1894, speaks vol- umes for the enterprise of her people and stands as a monument to her intelligence. The town sees to it that they have ever a wide-awake board and that board in turn puts up the teachers, and she is ever on the alert for new and modern equipment. "As a seat of learning may she abide."
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