USA > Missouri > DeKalb County > History of Andrew and De Kalb counties, Missouri : from earliest time to the present; together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and family records. besides a condensed history of the state of Missouri, etc > Part 19
USA > Missouri > Andrew County > History of Andrew and De Kalb counties, Missouri : from earliest time to the present; together with sundry personal, business and professional sketches and family records. besides a condensed history of the state of Missouri, etc > Part 19
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Missouri also ranks high up among the tobacco-growing States, and in no part of it does this plant grow more luxuriantly than in portions of the "Platte Purchase." The tobacco grown in this State enjoys a high reputation among the manufacturers and consumers of that widely used article of commerce. The writer predicts that within a short radius from this point lies one of the finest tobacco regions on the continent, and that it is sus- ceptible of producing a quality of this article of such superior excellence, as to make it much sought after in foreign as well as domestic markets. It is true that tobacco culture is yet in its infancy in this part of the State, but it has been tried sufficiently
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STATE OF MISSOURI.
to know that it can be carried on with great success and profit; and in the course of time, when more planters from the tobacco growing districts of Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio shall come among us, it will be developed to an extent far beyond the antici- pations of the most hopeful.
Before the late war one of the chief products of this section was hemp; but with the change in labor its culture has greatly declined. To raise hemp and prepare it for market, with the appliances in use in ante bellum times, required much hard work, but, with the improvements in machinery and implements which the last few years have brought about, much of the labor formerly required in cutting and breaking hemp may now be avoided; and is thought by some that this industry will, in a great measure, regain its former prominent position among the leading products of the country. Nowhere can it be grown to more advantage, or with promise of a finer yield, than right here in the fertile fields of the Missouri Valley. While other articles have in some meas- ure supplanted the uses to which it was at one time put, yet it is still necessary for so many purposes that can not well be supplied by anything else, that there will always be a greater or less demand for it.
Buckwheat is also more or less extensively raised in this sec- tion with the most gratifying results. The grain when harvested is found to be of the best quality, and commands a ready market -much of the crop being used for home consumption.
The castor bean likewise does well in this portion of the State, the plant growing vigorously and producing a fine yield, from which a most excellent character of oil is extracted. Thus far the culture of the castor bean here has been quite limited, but the success which has followed the experiments thus far made must force its claims upon the attention of agriculturists in the near future.
And also flax, a textile plant of great utility and value, does well in this locality. While it never has received that attention which its importance demands, our soil and climate seem pecul- iarly adapted to its culture. The lint from the stalks grown here is generally remarkable for its tenacity of fibre, and the seed productive of the richest and finest oil.
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HISTORY OF ANDREW COUNTY.
No country can produce finer crops of rye than can be raised in this portion of the State. Growing always tall and luxuriant, it is generally sown on lands somewhat worn. It is used mostly for spring grazing, producing as it does the finest and most healthful pasturage for all, especially the younger kinds of stock. The grain of this cereal in many parts of the world is used in making bread, but here, where wheat does so well, and produces a much finer quality of flour, rye is not extensively used as an article of human food. When permitted to grow to maturity without being pastured, its yield is generally from thirty to forty and sometimes fifty bushels to the acre.
Outside of the vegetables, fruits and grasses (which are to be specially treated of by others), those named above are the leading but by no means the only crops grown in this locality. There is scarcely anything indigenous to this latitude which may not be cultivated successfully here. The temperate climate, the vast wealth of soil, spread out so bountifully over the valleys and uplands, the inexhaustible forests of choice timber which grow along the water courses, the broad sweep of undulating prairie lands, the fine building stone which may be quarried in almost every neighborhood, the limpid streams that flow so plen- tifully on every hand, the favorable seasons which bring so regu- larly their rains and sunshine to water and warm into life the seeds which are planted by the honest tiller of the soil, all, all mark this as a highly favored country for the agriculturist.
HORTICULTURE.
The progress in horticultural pursuits in Andrew County dur- ing the last quarter of a century has been of the most encourag- ing nature. The multiplication of orchards of apple, peach, pear, cherry and plum has rapidly increased, and fruit growing, as a business promises to become one of the leading industries of the county at no distant day. "The apple is, of course, the fruit most generally raised, it being a crop that can be relied upon with as much certainty as any other, and is quite as remunerative. Every fall, fruit buyers from this and other States visit the county, and buy the apples on the trees for which a good price is
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STATE OF MISSOURI.
paid. Thousands of barrels are shipped from the county every year, the shipments in 1886, from Amazonia alone, aggregat- ing over 16,000 barrels, while nearly if not quite that number was shipped from Savannah.
"Peaches, while not as sure a crop as apples, are raised in abundance, and have in many places proved a source of consid- erable revenue to the growers. " They are usually picked, boxed and shipped by the growers, netting them from fifty to two dol- lars, according to quality and the abundance of the crop."
Great success has been achieved by the cultivation of the grape, the crops being usually very large, and the quality of the fruit unsurpassed. The more broken parts of the county, the high bluffs along the Missouri especially, seem to be peculiarly adapted to the growth of the grape, nearly every variety of which is raised in abundance. A large part of Lincoln Township is, in a great measure, settled by people from the grape-growing and wine-making portions of Switzerland, and they brought with them the knowledge of and experience in the industries of the father- land. They have large vineyards in the vicinity of Amazonia, and the manufacture of wine is with them an extensive and lucra- tive industry. "From seven acres in grape culture, one gentle- man has realized in one season over 4,700 gallons of wine, worth new on an average $1 per gallon." The other fruits of this latitude are cherry, plum, apricot and the different varieties of berries, all sure of rapid growth and large returns; but their cult- ure, heretofore, has been mostly for domestic uses and not largely for commercial purposes.
It is almost needless to say that the soil of Andrew County is unequaled in productive capacity for the vegetable crops usually grown in this State, and for which there always seems to be a demand. Potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips, parsnips, beets, carrots, onions, etc., are largely cultivated, the near proximity of excellent markets making the industry quite a profitable one.
LIVE STOCK.
The following article is from the Missourian, published in 1877, relative to the live stock interest of Andrew County. "Andrew
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HISTORY OF ANDREW COUNTY.
County is well adapted to raising live stock, and it is carried on very extensively. The rule with our farmers is to feed the largest portion of their corn and hay, and the result is that none is without supplies of cattle and hogs. Almost every farmer has his stock yard, a few acres of land, supplied usually with forest trees sufficient for shade, and having running through it & stream of water, and on it sheds or stabling to protect the stock from inclement weather. Into these yards, in November and December, are gathered the cattle of a suitable age for fattening for the Eastern markets. Corn is given them with a liberality that knows no stint, it being placed before them in the feeding racks or troughs by the wagon loads, for months, sometimes as late as May or June, when the feeder thinks they have all the flesh on them that can be put on with profit. Then they are shipped to Chicago, many from there going farther East, and, doubtless, many of the cattle raised here tickle the palates of the fastidious beef-eating populace of John Bulldom. Large numbers of hogs are fattened every year, and the hog raising and fatten- ing are regarded as our most profitable means of our large annual yield of corn. Pure blooded Durham cattle and the most valuable herds of Berkshire and Poland China hogs are quite common. Sheep raising and wool growing have not been extensively fol- lowed in Andrew County, while many of our farmers have ever kept sheep, and are now showing a disposition to increase the number, yet we have no extensive herds. Our dry atmosphere and soil and abundant pastures are peculiarly well adapted to sheep raising, and it is with gratification that we note that some of our farmers have invested in the best strains of Cotswold and Shropshire Down sheep with a view to breeding, and building up sheep culture."
CLIMATOLOGY.
The climate of Andrew County is somewhat changeable, though it will compare favorably with that of southern Pennsyl- vania, central Ohio, central Indiana and central Illinois. The winters as a rule are quite dry, the rain fall not being worth mentioning. Some winters are characterized by very heavy snows, covering the ground for several months, but such are the
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STATE OF MISSOURI.
exceptions. Usually the roads are dry, even to being dusty the greater portion of the winter season. While the summers are usually quite warm, and the winters cold, yet the climate can not be said to be characterized by extremes in either direction.
An abundance of good water, pure bracing air, a soil absorb- ing the moisture as fast as it falls, thereby preventing miasmatic conditions, and a temperature of an even nature, are factors which in their combination can not but render a country healthy. There is, it is true, some malaria along the river bottoms, and in- deed on the upland, but it is very seldom that a case of the real " old fashioned ague " is seen.
Typical typhoid fever is seldom seen in the county, but re- mittent and intermittent fevers prevail to some extent. Phthisis Pulmonalis (old fashioned consumption) is rarely known here, except in cases established prior to locating in the country, and all the physicians of the county seem to think it very doubtful if a case ever originated here.
Malignant or pernicious diseases are not common, and epi- demics of cholera, small-pox and diseases similarly dreaded, are unknown in this part of Missouri. That people sicken and die in Andrew, from various ailments is true, but it is also within the bounds of truth to say that the county is a desirable place in which to live, from the point of health as well as from many other considerations.
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
Andrew County was named in honor of Andrew Jackson Davis, late prominent resident of St. Louis, and dates its history as a separate jurisdiction from the year 1841. After the consumma- tion of the Indian treaty of 1836 immigration began pouring into the Platte country quite rapidly, and by the above year the settlers were sufficiently numerous in this part of the "Purchase" to warrant the formation of a new county. Accordingly, on the 29th of January, 1841, the following enabling act was passed by the Legislature: " Be it enacted, etc., etc., that all that territory included within the following described limits, to wit: Beginning at the northeast corner of Buchanan County, and running thence north along the former western boundary line of the State to
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HISTORY OF ANDREW COUNTY.
the line dividing townships number sixty-one and sixty-two; thence west to the main channel of the Nodaway River; thence down the middle of the main channel thereof to the most southern crossing of said river of the range line dividing the ranges thirty-six and thirty-seven; thence south with said range line to the middle of the main channel of the Missouri River; thence down said river in the middle of the channel thereof to the northwestern corner of Buchanan County; thence east with north line of Buchanan County to the place of beginning, is hereby created a separate and distinct county, to be called and known by the name of the county of Andrew, in honor of Andrew Jackson Davis, late of St. Louis.
" Elijah Armstrong, of Daviess County; Elijah P. Howell, of the county of Clinton, and Harlow Hinkston, of Buchanan County, are hereby appointed commissioners to select the per- manent seat of justice for said county, and the place selected shall be not exceeding three miles from the geographical center of said county.
" The circuit and county courts for said county shall be holden at the dwelling house of Gallant Rains, until the perma- nent seat of justice is established, or until the county court shall otherwise order."
By a supplemental act, approved January 2, 1843, " all that portion of territory now attached to Andrew County, and lying east of the Nodaway River, south of the northern boundary line of this State, and north of the township line which divides town- ships sixty-one and sixty-two," was organized into the county of Nodaway, which was attached to Andrew County "for civil and military purposes, until otherwise provided for by law."
COUNTY COURT.
The first term of the Andrew County Court was held at the residence of Gallant Rains, near Savannah, on the ninth day of March, 1841, the following being a brief outline of the official proceedings: "Be it remembered that at a special term of the county court of Andrew County called and held on the ninth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and forty-one, at the house
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of Gallant Rains, in said county, being the place designated by law for holding courts'in said county. Present the Hons. Upton Rohrer, Samuel Crowley and William Deakin, justices of said court, and Ezekiel W. Smith, sheriff.
" Ordered that Edwin Toole be appointed clerk pro tem. of said court of Andrew County, who came into court and took the oath required by law and entered into bond with Benjamin Tucker, Benjamin K. Dyer and Prince L. Hudgens as securities to the State of Missouri in the penal sum of $5,000, which bond being approved by court the said Edwin Toole proceeded to the dis- charge of his duties.
" Ordered by the court that Hon. Upton Rohrer be president pro tem. of the court."
The first business transacted after perfecting an organiza- tion was an order for Harlow Hinkston, of Buchanan County ; Elijah P. Howell, of Clinton County, and Elijah Armstrong, of Daviess County, commissioners appointed by the Legislature to select the permanent seat of justice for Andrew County, to con- vene at the house of Gallant Rains on the second Monday in April, for the purpose of determining such selection. The second act of the court was the division of the county into four munici- pal townships, as follows: "Ordered that all the territory in- cluded within the following described limits, to wit: Beginning at the southwest corner of Andrew County, and running east with the line dividing Andrew from Buchanan County to the One- Hundred-and-Two River; thence up said stream to Stansberry's mill; thence on a line running westwardly to William Pyburn's; thence in same direction westwardly to the mouth of Nodaway Slough; thence south around the Missouri to the place of begin- ning, shall be known and called by the name of Jefferson Town- ship.
" That all the territory included within the following bound- aries, to wit: Beginning at the northwest corner of Jefferson Township; thence easterly to the northern line of Jefferson Town- ship to Stansberry's mill; thence up the One-Hundred-and-Two River to base line; thence west with said line to the Nodaway River; thence down the said river to the point at which the county line of Andrew County crosses the stream; thence south with said
2A
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HISTORY OF ANDREW COUNTY.
county line of Andrew County to the Missouri River; thence down said river to place of beginning, shall be known and called by the name of Nodaway Township.
"That the territory inclosed within the following described limits, to wit: Beginning at the southeast corner of Jefferson Township; thence along southern line of Andrew County east to the old State boundary line; thence along said boundary line north to the northeast corner of Andrew County; thence west along northern line of the State to the One-Hundred-and-Two River; thence down said stream to place of beginning, shall be known and called by the name of Jasper Township.
"That all that territory included within the following de- scribed limits: Beginning at the northeast corner of Nodaway Township; thence up the One-Hundred-and-Two River to the northern boundary of the State; thence west on northern line of the State to the Nodaway River; thence down said river to the northwest corner of Nodaway Township; thence on north line of Nodaway Township to place of beginning, shall be known and called by the name of Jackson Township.
"Ordered that Henry Eppler be appointed assessor of Andrew County for the year 1841, who therefore filed his bond with Cor- nelius Gilliam and Richard Miller as securities in the penal sum of $300, which is approved by the court, and the certificate of his appointment is made under the seal of said court, and the said Henry Eppler took the oath of office required by law, which is endorsed upon said certificate of appointment, etc., etc." It was ordered that Jonathan Earls be appointed county treasurer, after which, there being no further business, the court adjourned to meet on the fifth Monday of the month.
At the second term, March 29, 1841, quite an array of busi- ness was transacted, the following being among the most impor- tant: " Ordered that a license be granted to Daniel Toole to keep a ferry at the rapids of the Nodaway River for one year, and that he pay the sum of $2 as a tax therefor for State purposes," the order also designating the rates of ferriage. John Elling- ton was also granted license to operate a ferry on the Nodaway, and entered into bond the penal sum of $1,000 for the faithful discharge of the duties of the position.
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" Ordered by the court that John W. Kelley be permitted to practice as an attorney before the court." "Ordered that all public roads and highways laid out and opened now lying in Andrew County, in obedience to orders made by the Buchanan County Court, shall to all intents and purposes be considered as public roads." "Ordered that the Platte River divide the town- ship of Jasper, and that all the territory east of said river to the old State boundary line shall constitute a township, to be called and known by the name of Platte Township."
Andrew Lackey was granted license to keep a ferry on the Nodaway River, and Peter Kemper obtained license to vend groceries for the term of six months on the land of Mr. Tracy, his fee for the same being $5. "Jonnathan Earls came into court and filed his bond, as county treasurer, with Richard Miller, Amos Pyburn, John W. Freeman. Elias Hughes and John Rig- gin as securities in the sum of $10,000, which bond is approved by the court, etc."
"Ordered that Jeremiah Burns, Benjamin K. Dyer and S. M. Johnson, justices of the peace for the townships of Jefferson, Nodaway and Jackson, respectively, proceed to lay off the public roads in said township into road districts of convenient lengths, numbering each, and make returns of such divisions to the next term of this court."
" Ordered that the clerk of the court certify to the secretary of the State of Missouri that none of the officers of Andrew County have been furnished with the digest of the statutes of Missouri, the subsequent acts or the Missouri reports."
" Ordered that the bond of Richard Miller as constable, taken by the clerk in vacation, be approved by the court." Petitions for quite a number of roads in the county were received, which, with the transactions above referred to, constituted the greater part of the business at the second term.
SUBSEQUENT ACTS.
At the April term, 1841, the report of the commissioners appointed to fix upon a site for the seat of justice was received by the court, and Benjamin K. Dyer appointed commissioner to lay off the said site into lots, squares, avenues and streets, and to
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HISTORY OF ANDREW COUNTY.
advertise sale of lots. Among the orders made at this term were the following: That viewers and overseers of various high- ways in the different townships be appointed. "That grand jurors receive no compensation for their services, and that the clerk certify to the Secretary of State the description, name and boundaries of all the townships of Andrew County.
" Gallant Rains presented his account against the county for house rent, fuel, etc., for the sum of $16 for the March term and also for $3 per day, for three days of April term, which accounts were allowed by the court. The clerk was allowed an account against the county for books, stationery, etc., for the sum of $15." Ezekiel Smith pays into court $120.95, on his bonds executed by him for school lands, " and the same is ordered by the court into the hands of the treasurer of Andrew County, which is received by him, and the court ordered the treasurer to loan the sum of $100 at ten per cent to Mitchell Gilliam, as principal, and Benjamin K. Dyer as security." The following road overseers were appointed to look after the highways in Jefferson Township: John Russell, John H. Brainel, Jeptha Todd, James Irwin, Charles Blankenship and William Caples.
William Howard, Miles Hall, Campbell E. Chrissman, John Ellington, Calvin J. Camron, Francis Wrightsman, Samuel Ows- ley and William Catching were appointed for similar service for the township of Nodaway.
William T. Rush was allowed $40 for keeping Elizabeth Clark, a pauper, for three months; and, upon the application of Nancy Williams, it was ordered that Joseph Williams, a minor, be bound apprentice to William Owens until he should reach the age of twenty-one years.
The principal business transacted at the May term, 1841, was the hearing and granting of petitions for public highways in various parts of the county; loaning the school funds; modifying the boundaries of Jasper and Platte Townships; creating Ro- chester Township; granting to Julius C. Robideaux license to keep a "dram shop" for the space of six months; settling with County Collector E. W. Smith for all moneys received by him on licenses; and the overruling of a motion to reconsider and annul all proceedings upon the order for the location of the seat of justice.
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STATE OF MISSOURI.
At the June term, 1841, Ezekiel W. Smith, sheriff, came into court, and prayed for a settlement upon licenses grant d by him since the last term, upon which he acknowledged the receipt of the State and county tax thereon in words and figures as follows:
J. C. Robideaux obtained license the 22d day of March, 1841, and will end the 22d day of November next:
State tax.
$13.75
County tax. 27.50
Wilson & Kibby, license granted May 31, 1841:
State tax $10.65
County tax. 21.3
Elliott & Samuels, license granted June 4, 1841 :
State tax $10.58
County tax. 21.10
Julius A. Robideaux, grocery license : State tax.
$12.27
County tax. 30.54
I certify the above is a just and true account of all licenses granted by me which have not before been accounted for, and the amount received. Given under my hand this twenty-first day of June, 1841.
EZEKIEL W. SMITH.
At this term the township of Hughes was created, and or- ders were made for elections to be held in the different town- ships on the first Monday in August for the purpose of electing a circuit and county clerk, assessor, surveyor, and two justices of the peace for each township. The following were the places designated for holding said elections, and the officers appointed to superintend the same:
Hughes Township-The residence of Isaac Hogan; Thomas Bartlett, C. Williams Glass and Vinson Haylor, judges.
Jackson Township-The residence of Cephas P. Wood- cock; Albert Hollister, Jesse Yocum and Calvin Rohrer, judges.
Nodaway Township-At White Hall; James Officer, Francis Wrightsman and Calvin Camron, judges.
Jefferson Township-At Jamestown; George S. Nelson, Young L. Hughes and H. Shelton, judges.
Rochester Township-At residence of Nelson Kibby ; John R. Moore, John Kelley and Mason Wilson, judges.
Platte Township-House of Page Stanley; George Ward, Harrison Stanley and Lewis Shelton, judges.
The sheriff at this term was allowed the sum of $40, the same being his account for official services.
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HISTORY OF ANDREW COUNTY.
Early in 1841 it was ordered that the county levy on all prop- erty, and that licenses made taxable by the county court for State purposes shall exceed the State tax 100 per cent. . The county revenue, then separate from the town lots and common school fund, amounted to the magnificent sum of $420.72, as shown by the returns.
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