USA > Missouri > Shelby County > General history of Shelby County, Missouri > Part 5
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The following justices of the peace were chosen at this election :
Black Creek, Montillion H. Smith and Josiah Abbott; North River, Abraham Vandiver, B. F. Foreman, Samnel Coch- ran and Alexander Buford.
AUGUST ELECTION, 1836.
No record of the presidential election of 1836 can be resurrected in the county, and the state record was destroyed by fire in 1837.
Governor-Lilburn W. Boggs (Dem.), 66; William H. Ashley (W.), 39.
Lieutenant Governor-Franklin Can- non (Dem.), 59; Jones (W.), 28.
Congress-Albert G. Harrison (Dem.). 77; John Miller (Dem.), 56; George F. Strother (W.), 19; James H. Birch (W.), 19; S. C. Owens (Independent), 4.
State Senator- William MeDaniel (Dem.), 71; William Carson (W.), 55.
Representative-William J. Holliday, 70: Abraham Vandiver, 50.
Sheriff-Robert Duncan, 101.
Justices County Court-Dr. E. A. Wood, 68; William S. Chinn, 69; William B. Broughton, 68; Anthony Blackford, 82; Thomas H. Clements, 77. Two were to be cliosen.
Assessor-Thomas Holeman, 38; Sam- nel Parker, 23; Robert Blackford, 14; Samuel Smith, 10; William Moffitt, 31.
Coroner-Silas Boyce, 81.
There were about 125 votes cast, of which about 100 were from Black Creek township.
AUGUST ELECTION, 1838.
Congress-Albert G. Harrison (Dem.), 152; John Miller (Dem.), 151; John Wilson (W.), 118; Beverly Allen (W.), 116.
State Senator-G. M. Bower (Dem.), 157; Joshua Gentry (W.), 127.
Representative-Elias Kincheloe (Dem.), 158; James Foley (W.), 158.
Sheriff-Robert Duncan, 201; Robert A. Moffitt, 67.
Assessor-Joseph HIoleman, 88; John J. Foster, 82; Robert Lair, 57.
('irenit Attorney-James R. Aber- nathy, 159; S. W. B. Carnegy, 69.
County Justice-William J. Holliday, 164; John B. Lewis, 93.
AUGUST ELECTION, 1839.
Assessor-William Gooch, 127; Will- iam W. Lewis, 108.
Surveyor-William A. Davidson, 162; Jolin Bishop, 74.
A special election was held October 28. 1839, to choose a member of congress to fill a vacancy caused by the death of Hon. Albert G. Harrison. The candi- dates were John Jameson (Democrat) and Thornton Grimsley (Whig). Grims- ley was a St. Louis man, and the vote cast in Shelby was: Jameson, 81; Grims- ley, 67.
CHAPTER III.
LIST OF 1835 SETTLERS-NAMING OF THE STREAMS-FIRST CORONER'S INQUEST-A LOST MAN-" NEW YORK" SHELBY COUNTY-THE NEW COURTHOUSE-PIONEER MILLS-THE FIRST ROADS-"BEE TRAILS"-SETTLERS IN SHELBY, 1837-THE FIRST BRIDGE -- THE FIRST HOMICIDE.
LIST OF 1835 SETTLERS.
The lists of early settlers which have been preserved have varied somewhat, but as nearly as can be ascertained the list of voters and heads of families which were here at the organization of the county or in the spring of 1835 follows in alphabetical order: Josiah Abbott, George Anderson, James Y. Anderson, Samuel Bell, James Blackford, Anthony Blackford, Isaac Blackford, Silas Boyce, Thomas J. Bounds, W. B. Broughton, Samuel Buckner, Alexander Buford, William S. Chinn, Thomas H. Clements, Bryant Cochrane, Charles Christian, William H. Davidson, Obadiah Dicker- son, Robert Duncan, Levi Dyer, George Eaton, Elisha Eaton, John Eaton, James Foley, Benjamine F. Forman, Julius C. Gartrell, Jesse Gentry, George W. Gen- try, James G. Glenn, William D. B. Hill, William J. Holliday, Thompson Holli- day, Elias L. Holliday, Thomas Hole- man, Charles A. Hollyman, Bradford Hunsucker, Julius C. Jackson, Robert Joiner, Ezekiel Kennedy, Isham Kil- gore, Charles Kilgore, Robert Lair, Addison Lair, Oliver Latimer, Michael Lee, Peter Looney, William T. Matson, J. C. Mayes, Russell W. Moss, John H. Milton, William Moore, S. W. Miller, John MeAfee, Henry Musgrove, Sam-
uel J. Parker, George Parker, W. II. Payne, Elijah Pepper, John Ralls, Robert Reed, Peter Roff, Hiram Rook- wood, James Shaw, Cyrus A. Saunders, Henry Saunders, James Swartz, Peter Stice, Montillion H. Smith, Hill Shaw, John Sparrow, William Sparrow, Major Turner, William S. Townsend, John Thomas, Abraham Vandiver, Dr. Adol- phus E. Wood, Nicholas Watkins. Soon after the organization of the county, emi- grants came in and settled up faster. In the fall of 1835 and in 1836 came John Dunn, James Graham, Alexander Gillaspy, Lewis Gillaspy, Stephen Miller, James L. Peake, Samuel Bell, John Jacobs, Joseph West, James Ford, Will- iam Conner, Robert R. Maffitt, William Moffett, Jesse Vanskike, Samnel M. Hewitt, Francis Leflet, Samuel S. Mat- son, Elisha Moore, J. T. Tingle, G. H. Edmonds, S. O. Vanvactor, M. J. Priest. After the organization of the county, settlers located along the streams, and a good many who wanted to enjoy a lit- tle more civilization settled at once in Shelbyville.
NAMING OF THE STREAMS
The streams, for the most part, had been named before the real settlers located, but were renamed mostly by
29
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
association. Salt river was originally called Auhaha, or Oahaha, but was re- named because of the salt springs which lay near it in Ralls county. The Marion county records talk of Jake's creek, the stream which now bears the name of Black creek. It was originally called Jake's creek from the fact that about the year 1820 a trapper named Jake built a cabin on its banks and trapped and fished there for some time. The surveyors who surveyed that country called it Black creek, because of the blackness of its water when they first saw it. Tiger fork was so named be- cause John Winnegan killed two very large panthers on its banks. The set- tlers thought they were tigers and called the fork Tiger fork. There was already two Panther creeks in that part of the country, named from animals frequently seen near their territory. North river was formerly spoken of as North Two rivers and South river in Marion county as South Two rivers. These streams unite in Marion county about half a mile from the Mississippi, into which they empty farther downstream, in the east- ern part of Marion.
The small streams were often named for men who first located upon them, simply as a way to designate the stream intended.
Pollard's branch, in the western part of Black Creek township, was named after Elijah Pollard; Chin's branch for W. S. Chinn; Hawkins' branch for William Hawkins; Broughton's branch for W. B. Broughton; Payton's branch for John Payton; Bell's branch for Samuel Bell; Parker's branch for George Parker; Holman's branch for Thomas Holman; and others the same.
Clear creek, in the southwestern part of Tiger Fork township and eastward from Shelbyville, was so named because of its very clear water. The stream was fed by springs, beautiful clear cold water. Otter creek, to west and south of Clar- ence, not only contained many otters but also beavers, the former being in large majority and the stream named therefor. Board branch was so named because it was heavily timbered, and the turning of these to boards was quite an industry and named the stream.
FIRST CORONER'S INQUEST.
In the summer of 1837, John Payton, a settler who lived in the western part of the county, on Payton branch, was dashed against a tree while riding horse- back and instantly killed. All that por- tion of the county at that time did its trading at Shelbyville, and Payton, in company with his wife and brother-in- law had been to town, trading, and Pay- ton became intoxicated. When they had gotten about five miles out of Shelby- ville, east of Salt river bottom, in the direction of Clarence, Payton became unruly and wanted to return to Shelby- ville. Ilis wife and brother-in-law pre- vailed upon him to keep on his homeward road; and to pass it over and hurry the distance on. the brother-in-law pro- posed a race with Payton and he ac- cepted the challenge and dashed on ahead. There was a tree leaned over the river road, but a path had been bro- ken around the tree. It was believed that Payton made his outward turn all right, but before reaching the tree the horse made a lunge in and Payton was dashed to pieces in the presence of his wife and brother-in-law. Some thought
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
perehance in his intoxicated condition he swayed toward the tree and was dashed to pieces.
The first inquest in the county was held over his body and a verdiet of aeci- dental death returned. The old black oak tree stood for many years and was a temperance sermon to the youth of the land, and it was always known as Payton's tree.
A little later there was a house-raising west of Shelbyville, and while raising a heavy log it slipped and instantly killed a slave named London. The slave be- longed to Capt. James Shaw.
A LOST MAN.
In 1839 a small colony of Norwegians wandering about the country decided to settle on the headwaters of North river. One named Peter Galena made a trip into Shelbyville and on his return there- from lost his bearings. His family be- came alarmed at his absence and a searching party was formed. They con- tinued their search for a day and a half and he was found wandering on the prairies of the northwestern portion of the county. He had been subjected to inelemency of weather, and encountered many wild animals. Together with the loss of rest, he was half dead and nearly demented from fright and terror. He was taken home to his loved ones, who were also in a fit of nervous prostration from their continued anxieties.
"NEW YORK," SHIELBY COUNTY.
The fall of 1835 was noted for the founding of New York, Shelby county, the mention of which in her embryonic days would cause much merriment in a crowd of old pioneers. They could see
a joke as quickly as our latter day saints, and perhaps we may term it unprogres- sive now, but they were not the kind that bit off more than they could chew. In the fall of 1835 a party of speculators, with Col. William Muldrow, of Marion county, at their head, entered about one- third of the land of this county, thou- sands of acres at a time. Large traets were also entered in other counties. The money was furnished by capitalists from the East,-Rev. Dr. Ely, John MeKee, Allen Gallagher and others, all of Penn- sylvania. Dr. Ezra Stiles Ely was a prominent minister of Philadelphia and lost in the enterprise $100,000.
The company founded the towns of West Ely, Marion College, and Philadel- phia, which was named in honor of the "divine's" home burg. They sold thou- sands of dollars' worth of lots to eastern investors, many of whom were people of moderate circumstances and wished to get a start in the West. If all had come at once things would have seemed pros- perous, but a few came at a time and found the cities and towns existed only on paper or in the fancy of optimistic eastern capitalists, and so returned to their homes without repleting their famished conditions.
In 1835 Colonel Muldrow and his asso- ciates came over into Shelby county and laid out in the northwest corner the so- called New York. It was located on sections 1, 2, 12 and 13, in township 58. range 11. It was well platted into blocks, streets and lots, and many rare induce- ments were offered to the public. A few lots were elsewhere disposed of to gul- lible people, but "nary" a honse was ever built in the "city of New York." The company soon came to grief. Other
HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
investments shared as did New York, ful compliance with the terms of the and they soon found the westerners were wiser "guys" than they had anticipated. However, it is only fair to Muldrow to say he was just forty years ahead of the times. Such investments were pecuniary investments and would have returned many fold to the investors.
TITE NEW COURT HOUSE.
We have spoken elsewhere of the first steps taken by the county authorities toward the building of a new court house, which was at the November, 1836, term of court. The time had fully come when the settlers realized that their public welfare demanded a good building, that their work might be done properly and with dispatch.
Maj. Obadiah Dickerson was appointed superintendent of public buildings and ordered to prepare and submit a plan with an estimated cost of a court house.
In 1837, at the February term of court, the County court appropriated $4,000 for the erection of a court house accord- ing to certain specifications. It was to be forty by forty feet. built of good brick. laid in cement and lime, with a stone foundation. The first story was to be fourteen feet high, the second eight and one-half feet, with good woodwork and first-class workmanship. The specifica- tions also stipulated that it was to be painted and ornamented, but these pro- visions were later strieken out on account of the extra cost.
In September, 1837, the contract for the brick work was let to Charles Smith for the sum of $1,870, and the wood work to Wait Barton for $2.175. Some ad- vance cash was given to each of the parties upon their giving bond for faith-
contract. The building went up slowly. The county was new, with no lumber yards within its confines, and most of the material had to be obtained over- land from Palmyra and Hannibal. There was not a brick house near, and the brick was burned for the brick walls. It re- quired more than a year to materialize the building, whereas nowadays it could be built in two months. Smith completed the briek portion in the summer of 1838, and Barton in November following. The County court records contained the fol- lowing report of Major Dickerson's:
"To the Shelby County Court:
"I, Obadiah Dickerson, appointed by Shelby County court superintendent of the erection of the court house of said connty, do certify that I have superin- tended the performance of the contract of Wait Barton made for the erection of part of said building, and that said Bar- ton has fully completed the work stipu- lated for on his contract in that behalf. and the work done by him as aforesaid is received and there is now dne him the sum of $215, the painting left out. Given under my hand and seal this 9th day of November. A. D. 1838.
"(L. S.) OBADIAH DICKERSON. "Supt. Public Buildings."
The brick of which the court house was constructed was made and burned near town, on the premises of Josiah Bethards. A part of the lumber was sawed at what was known as Gay's mill, on North river, in Marion county, near the present site on which Ebeneezer church now stands (section 18-58-8).
And when at last it was completed all
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
the county "rejoiced as one man," for loafing, gossiping, exchanging of ideas although very few of the average eiti- and news. zens ever sued, or hoped to be sued, yet as the one great conservator of peace, PIONEER MILLS. the final arbiter in individual or neigh- Notwithstanding some of the early settlers were ambitious, energetic mill- wrights in building mills at a few of the many favored spots for mills, which abounded in this county, nevertheless, going to mill in those days, when there were no roads, no bridges, no railways, and ill conveniences for travel, was no small undertaking where so many dan- ger, treacherous, unknown streams, often swollen beyond their banks, were to be encountered, and storms and wild beasts to contend with. But even under such circumstances, the hardy pioneer left comfort and danger in the back- ground and, facing weather and streams, succeeded in his undertaking. At other times the streams and high waters forced him to a retreat until a more favorable season, and he was at the merey of his good neighbors-yes, those were the days when "what is mine is thine." borhood wrangles, the court is distin- guished above every other institution of the land, and not only the court docket but the place of convening court is a place of interest to the public-spirited man. Not only so, but the court house was the first publie building of eonse- quenee, and its uses were general instead of special. Judicial, educational, relig- ious and social purposes kept the lateh- string on the outside day and night. It was in that day a public building, and in many of the first court houses school was taught, the gospel power fully preached, and justice meted ont to man- kind. Here the many travelers often found rest, and the money invested in these old plain buildings brought larger returns than the thousands and millions which are now tied up in the stately piles of brick and stone and granite of more recent date.
To these old court houses of the pio- neer days eame the ministers of the gospel, of the different faiths, eael tell- ing the simple story of love which tonehed the heart and brought the sin- ner to repentance. Here our fathers and mothers sang with undying fervor the good old songs of Zion. Here the little children drank from their teachers' lips the principles of the three Rs.
The settlers gathered here to diseuss their own affairs and to learn from the visitors the news from the outside world lying so remote to the south and east. It was a center to which all classes of people went for the purpose of business,
Many stories are afloat with regard to the danger, hardship and peril of being forced to go to mill under adverse circumstances, a long distance, which threatened life and limb; but the hardy, valiant heroes of the early days faeed many a hardship in their efforts to eivil- ize and establish a higher standard of life. There was the early day when there was not a worked highway in the county, the settlers were far apart, and mills and trading points were in the dis- tanee, with primitive modes of travel.
The pioneers of Shelby county were not so badly off as some of their com- peers in other counties, who for a long time were compelled to depend on the
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
hominy block and hand mill. Hand mills eame in with the new settlers, and water mills soon followed them.
At the November (1835) term of court Peter Stice asked for a writ of quod dammnum in order that there might be determined the propriety of building a water mill on North river (seetion 33-59-10), the present site of the town of Bethel. Stice built and fur- nished this mill in 1836, but it was not a snecess. About this time Asa and Silas Boyee began a mill on Salt river, three and one-half miles southeast of Shelbyville (S. E. N. W. 10-57-10). The mill was completed by Anthony Blackford, Nehemiah Redding and oth- ers, and this was a well-known insti- tution throughout the county for years. John Gay, of Marion county, was its well-known and popular millwright, and it enjoyed a large patronage.
The next mill was built by William J. Holliday in 1837 and was located on Black creek, on the west half of the northeast corner of seetion (27-58-10), about two and one-half miles southeast of Shelbyville. Mr. Holliday obtained his permit in March, 1837. At the same date, T. P. Lair, William H. Claggett and others made application and re- ceived a permit, and a mill was built on the South Fabius, where the Newark road crosses that stream (N. W. S. E. 11-59-9), which operated for a while.
Mr. Holliday states that the first mill in Shelby county was built on Black creek (seetion 6-57-9) near Oak Dale by Julius A. Jackson, in 1835. It was a saw and grist combination and was of inestimable value to the people for some eight or ten years, when it was
destroyed by fire. Some early settlers claim, however, that this mill was not built till the year 1837 or 1838.
In the fall of 1837 Julius A. Jackson commenced a mill known as Dutton's mill, on the north fork of Salt river, three miles southeast of Hager's Grove and ten miles southwest of Shelbyville (N. E. 35-58-12), but before complet- ing it the dam was washed out.
In the spring of 1838 Hill Shaw erected a mill on Black creek, in the southeastern part of the county (N. E. S. E. 29-57-9), two miles north and east of the present site of Lakenan.
In July, 1838, leave was granted Adam and Michael Heckart to build a mill on the north fork of Salt river, five miles southwest of Shelby- ville and about three and one-half miles north of where Lentner now stands (N. E. 4 57-11); but it is not remembered that this mill was ever built. as no trace of it can be found at the present time. The Heekarts ran a horse mill for some time in this neighborhood, and later Heekart and Stayer operated the Walker mill at Walkersville.
In the spring of 1839 Samuel Buckner built a mill on North river some two miles below Bethel (N. E. 3-58-10).
In the year 1838 Edwin G. and War- ren Pratt built a mill in the northeastern part of the county, on the Little Fabius, near the Knox county line.
The year of 1839 Mr. Williams, of Marion county, contemplated a mill on the eighty-aere tract on which the mill at Walkersville now stands, but he died before his work was accomplished. The land was sold by the administrator, and David O. Walker and George W. Barker
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THE OLD MILL AT WALKERVILLE
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
purchased it and built the mill, in 1840, at the present site of Walkersville, which was named after Mr. Walker.
Before the erection of these mills, which dotted the county, settlers were forced to go the long trip to Gatewood's and Massies' mills, near Palmyra, and even to Hickman's mill, at Florida, for their grinding. The most of our home mills, however, were only the ordinary "corn crackers," and neither ground nor bolted wheat; but the corn mills stayed the farmers till a more convenient season, and so were a source of great accommodation.
THE FIRST ROADS-"BEE TRAILS."
At the session of the 1836-1837 legis- lature that body attached to Shelby county, for military and civil purposes, all the territory of ranges 11 and 12 of township 60,-the present territory of Knox county. At that session a road was also established from Paris, Monroe connty, to the month of the Des Moines river, by way of Shelbyville. The road opened up as far as Shelbyville the same year. Up to this time the only roads running north were the so-called "bee roads." There were only two of these, and they were little better than trails. They ran through the eastern and cen- tral portion of the county, taking a gen- eral northerly and southerly direction, and were made by the settlers of the older southern counties, who every autumn resorted to this territory, hunt- ing wild honey. We have elaborated on this topic previously, and will only add that the woods abonnded with bee trees and every year the honey hunters took home tons of the delicious sweet. Wher- ever a trail crossed a ford it was called
a "bee ford," and thus there was "Bee- ford" of "Otter creek."
The Callaway hunters named one trail the Callaway trail, as it was the trail frequented by Callaway county bee hunters. It was trailing over the divide between North river and Black creek to a point about four miles north and east of Shelbyville (section 14-58-10), where it left the divide and crossed a branch in the north and west part of that section, where was located plenty of good water, and which the bee hunters made a general retreat and camping place. The branch was called Camp branch by the settlers and hunters who resorted thither.
Then there was the Boone trail, the one frequented by the Boone county hunters. It crossed Salt river above Walkersville and Black creek southwest of Shelby- ville, and on up the bluff of prairie on which Shelbyville now stands, on north- east across the divide, joining the Calla- way trail south of North river timber, on through the timber, np the head- waters of the Fabins, on into the waters of the Des Moines, Iowa.
A ferry was established in 1836 over the Salt river at "Beeford" by a Mr. Christian. The location was below War- renford, near the mouth of Watkins's branch. It was a flat-boat navigated by poles.
SETTLERS IN SHELBY, 1837.
At this date (1837) the northwestern portion of the county was but sparsely settled, as that territory was not as yet placed on the market, but other portions had been taken up from time to time until there was quite a scattering throughout the other regions. Taking
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HISTORY OF SHELBY COUNTY
them by townships and ranges, they were recorded at that early period :
TOWNSHIP 57, RANGE 9.
Gabriel Davis, Harvey Eidson, Will- iam B. Broughton, Ramey Dye, Cyrus A. Saunders, Joel Musgrove, Richard Gart- rell, two Mr. Hickmans, Peter Rinks- ton, Randolph Howe, Kennedy Mayes, George P. Mayes, Samnel Blackburn, George Barker, Russell W. Moss, Font- leroy Dye, Elijah Moore, John Thomas, Henry Saunders, Hill Shaw, Robert Duncan, Thomas J. Bounds, Joseph Hol- man, Thomas H. Clements, David Small- wood, Josiah Abbott, Julius C. Gartrell, Mrs. Desire Gooch, and a few others.
TOWNSHIP 58, RANGE 9.
George W. Gentry, Kindred Feltz, Oliver Latimer, Stephen Gupton, Mrs. Caroline Looney, Mrs. Temperance Gnp- ton, Solomon W. Miller, William Mont- gomery, Elisha Baldwin, Edward Wilson, Henry Lonthan, Robert Lair, Addison Lair, Robert Joiner, Anthony Minter, Alexander Buford, Charles N. Hollyman.
TOWNSHIP 59, RANGE 9.
Caleb Addnddle, Benjamin Jones, Mrs. Morgan, Thomas P. Lear, John Cadle, William White, Kemp N. Glass- cock, Benjamin P. Glasscock, Daniel Wolf, Benjamin Talbot, Thomas G. Turner, Perry Forsythe, Mr. Whitelock.
TOWNSHIP 57, RANGE 10.
Samnel Buckner, Anthony Blackford, James Blackford, Isaac Blackford, Dr. Wood, George Eaton, Jefferson Gash, Col. William Lewis, John Eaton, Charles Smith, Samuel J. Smith, Maj. Obadiah
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