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 47
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 47
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but often was compelled to wait a day or more for an opportunity to use it. Mills after the above pattern were constructed in sev- eral places throughout De Kalb and adjoining counties at differ- ent dates, and were highly prized by the early settlers.
Water mills were early attempted, but the character of the streams was such as to make the experiment only partially satis- factory. During a large part of the year the mill could not run for lack of water, and at other times the sudden rising of the water would interfere with the rudely constructed dams and machinery. Nearly all these early mills were adapted only to the grinding of corn. Wheat was sometimes ground in them, but it proved a slow and unsatisfactory process. Of course such mills were only employed in custom work, and had no capacity for other work, even if circumstances would warrant it.
One of the earliest of these mills was erected by David Whit- taker, on Grindstone Creek, in the northern part of Grand River Township. It was a primitive affair, supplied with rude ma- chinery for the manufacture of both meal and lumber, but ap- pears to have been highly prized by the early settlers in the vicinity. One of the first horse mills was operated by William Hunter, an early settler in the northeast corner of Grand River Township, who, in addition to grinding meal, started a distillery, and for some years manufactured a superior article of "calamity water." William Thornton and Adam Kerns built a horse mill in Washington Township a short time after their arrival, and the former, about the year 1855, erected a large steam grist-mill in the same locality, which was in operation until 1866. John W. Bishop an early settler in Maysville, erected a " tread mill," where Mr. Lipscomb's dwelling now stands, Lot 7, Block 3. The motive power was supplied by horses, oxen, and sometimes cows, and the machinery, although of a very indifferent pattern, manufactured a fair article of meal, and until the erection of other mills, Mr. Bishop's business proved the source of no inconsiderable income.
In the meantime the Kibby mill at Rochester, Andrew County, was erected, and thither the early settlers of De Kalb marketed their grain, and for a number of years obtained their breadstuffs. Mills on the Platte River in the northern part of Andrew County were erected in an early day, and it was not long until the resi-
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dents of De Kalb found good markets for the products of their grain fields.
Being pre-eminently an agricultural people, the citizens of De Kalb have never given much attention to manufacturing enter- prises. The near proximity of mills and factories in Buchanan, Clinton and Andrew Counties, and the absence of natural facilities for manufacturing establishments have kept De Kalb in the rear in this respect. At this time there are mills in operation in Mays- ville, Osborne and Union Star, also a cheese factory in the latter place, and an extensive creamery at Stewartsville. Other mills and manufacturing establishments which have been in operation at different times will be mentioned in the history of the towns of the county.
GAME.
When first settled by white men, De Kalb County was what might be appropriately termed a hunter's paradise. The timber, prairies and streams were crowded with game of all kinds, and, as already stated, wild meat for the first few years formed no incon- siderable part of the pioneer's bill of fare. Deer were found in unlimited numbers, and the early settlers experienced no diffi- culty in killing all they needed without going beyond the pre- cincts of their own farms. Droves numbering a hundred or more were frequently seen, but within a short time after the settlement of the country they left for other parts. Wild turkeys, grouse, prairie chickens, geese, ducks, cranes, plover, and other varieties of the feathered tribes were almost as common as domestic fowls are now, while the smaller game, such as squirrels, rabbits, etc., were hardly deemed worth the powder and shot required to kill them. Wild hogs served also to vary the pioneer's bill of fare. These were a long-legged gaunt species, which had escaped from the older settlements, and subsisting upon roots, nuts, etc., had become wild in the course of nature. They generally kept pretty close to the timber, and when pursued and brought to bay were found to be rather dangerous antagonists, especially to dogs, few of which would venture to attack them.
Wolves of the coyote species were found in the open prairies. They were undersized, made night dismal with their howling, but were of a very cowardly nature, never attacking man or the.
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larger domestic animals. In the timber were found the large gray wolves, ferocious and bloodthirsty animals, much dreaded by the early settler on account of their frequent raids upon the sheep- fold and pig sty. When rendered desperate by hunger these ani- mals have been known to pursue and attack man, and many a settler's family has laid awake the greater part of cold winter nights listening to their terrible howlings as they raced around the cabin. As settlers increased a common cause was made in ridding the country of these animals, and in order more effect- ually to carry on a warfare against them systematic hunts were planned, in which all the neighbors for miles around would join. Forming a large circle the hunters on horseback would ride toward a common center, dislodging the animals as they pro- ceeded, and shooting them when brought to bay. By this and various other means the country was finally cleared of wolves, and for a number of years none have been seen in any part of De Kalb County.
Other wild animals, both fierce and dangerous, lurked in the timber in an early day, among which was the wild cat or cata- mount, whose shrill, unearthly screams on a still night caused many a benighted traveler to quake with fear. Several of these animals were killed at different times, but it is not known that any person was ever injured by them. Panthers were occasionally seen by the first settlers as were also bears, but these animals appear to have left the country with the appearance of the pioneers. De Kalb was for many years a favorite hunting ground of the In- dians, who revisited it at intervals in quest of game after the country was opened for settlement. The Indians would gener- ally come in the fall, and, after pitching their camp in some eligible spot, would spend a week or two in hunting. After secur- ing a large quantity of game they would break camp and return to their homes in the West.
EARLY LAND ENTRIES.
Among the first to enter lands in De Kalb County were the following: Nathan Morgan, Section 5, Township 58 north, Range 32 west, in the year 1830. During the year 1835 entries were made by John Lowe and James Babb, in Section 15, Township
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57, Range 30; Clemmens Means, Benjamin Carlock, D. M. Bev- ins, Abijah Means, Robert Irwin, Page Stanley and Harrison Stanley, in Township 57, Range 33; Robert P. Gilliam and Will- iam Hunter, in Sections 15 and 21, Township 58, Range 30; John Lowe, Section 15, Township 57, Range 32. The following persons obtained patents from the Government for lands in the county during the year 1836: Harlow Hinkston and John Ritchey, in Sections 10 and 13, respectively, Township 57, Range 30; George Means, Robert Morrison and Jaicy Evans, in Section 3, Township 57, Range 33; James J. Reynolds and Sarah Smith, in Section 2, same township and range; Hezekiah W. Stevens, in Section 1, same township and range; Walter Pryor, Ann Tate, William Pryor, Mitchell Gilliam and James Collins, in Township 58, Range 30; Pierre Chouteau and Henry Robinson, Township 58, Range 32.
Between the years 1840 and 1843 entries were made in Town- ship 57, Range 32, by the following persons, a number of whom became settlers, viz .: Alexander Pickett, Samuel Gilmore, John McKinney, George Funkhouser, William Helm, Charles Allen, Thomas Yallalee, Nathan Ward and Mary Venable.
Early entries in Township 57, Range 33, were made between the years 1836 and 1841, by William Thornton, Jesse Todd, William Adams, Sarah Smith, Terry Smith, Evan Evans and Adam Kerns.
Township 58 north, Range 30 west, was entered between 1836 and 1841, by the following persons: James Martin, John Pryor, John A. Williams, Walter Pryor, Perry Price, C. W. Porter, Ann Hall, William Shaw, M. Gilliam, John Free- man, Charles Pryor, John Pryor, Benjamin Taylor, John A. Williams, John Nichols, George Dice, James Whittaker, George Meek, Joseph Wood, James Cragg, Thomas Hixson, George W. Smith and Edward Smith.
The following entered lands quite early in Township 58 north, Range 31 west: James Colvin, 1836; William Coen, 1842; William Riley, Jonathan Riley, Thompson Smith, R. J. Fallis and G. W. Shaw, in 1843.
Between the years 1838 and 1842 the following persons pur- chased Government land in Township 58, Range 32: O. P.
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Moss, William Hayter, Nicholas Malborg, James Toucy, William Smith, Roland Stark, David Chappell, Simon Dalton and Will- iam Huff.
The following in Township 58, Range 33: Martin Brown, Joseph Pyburn, William C. Carr, Lawrence McKowen, Franklin Todd, David Todd and Lewis Marr.
Patents were obtained from the Government by the following persons for lands in Township 59, Range 30: Thomas W. L. Mode, Spencer Montgomery, B. W. Wood, Greenfield Mathis, Alex. Fudge, Wiley Cope, Thomas Reed, Daniel Glasscock, Mason H. Williams, John Dean, Samuel Rogers, Robert Brooks, William Sherard, Peter Bowring, Pittman Hawks, Daniel Sham- baugh, John R. Armstrong, Vincent Smith, Jeremiah Pryor, James P. Doak, Samuel C. Johnson, Hugh Caldwell, Edward Williams, Samuel McCorkle, Bailey Hudson, Elijah Price, Joseph Stone and L. B. Cope, all before the year 1848.
Early entries were made in different parts of Township 59, Range 31, by the following persons, the majority of whom moved to and improved their lands: Zabina Babcock, Mason W. Cope, James Sherard, Allen Colclazer, William Sherwood, Stephen Mart, James McCoy, James M. Skidmore, John Whiteley, Daniel Coyle, Andrew Mishligg, Isaac W. Gann, Elias Parrott, James Grant, James T. V. Thompson, Matthews Sloan, Robert Asher, James Moss, Thomas E. Birch, William McCain, William Coen, Joseph Evans, Andrew Hamer, John Sherard and Isaac Ent.
The following persons obtained land by entry in Township 59, Range 33, between the years 1839 and 1848: Richardson Long, James Antry, Samuel S. Antry, Jonathan Chenoweth, Lewis Nelley, James Robinson, John Farnash, Lewis Miller, Adam Means, Joseph McColley, Nancy Guess, Thomas Rob- inson, Ira Livingston, William Peters, Joshua Barnett, Ashley Peters, John Ketchum, Thomas Hudson, Henry Griffin, William Oldacre, Amos Strock, George Smith, William H. Hudson, Thomas McGaughey and James McKowen.
In Township 60, Range 30, entries were made between the above years by David Groomer, John H. Burton, James Dwer- son, James Sherard, Alexander Dwerson, John Brockman, Green
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Brockman, Bluford Johnson, George Ward, James McCoy, Mason Cope and William Donaldson.
The following in Township 60, Range 31, were the earliest: Solomon Dunegan, George Ward, Thomas Smith, James Miller, Hiram Chaney and Anthony Weddel.
William Holt, F. W. Burk and James Miller made the first entries in Township 60, Range 32.
The first in Township 60, Range 33, were James Gentry, Marshall Quinn, Amos Finch, C. P. McQuinn, James McMahan, James L. Powell, Lewis Gibson, David Miller and Samuel Liv- ingston, all between 1839 and 1849.
Quite a number in the above lists entered lands in various parts of the county, and held the same for speculation. The majority, however, appear to have obtained their lands for the purpose of settlement, and moved to the same as soon as they could conveniently do so. A large portion of De Kalb County was included in the tract of land donated by the Government for railroads, and when the same came into market, settlers rushed to the county in great numbers. These lands were rapidly bought up, and the substantial growth and development of the county may be said to date from that time.
FIRST ASSESSMENT LIST.
The following, from the first assessor's book in possession of W. T. Doherty, is a complete list of the names of resident own- ers of real estate in the county in the year of organization (1845). A number of the names have already been referred to in the early settlement, and the complete list in connection with the pioneers before enumerated includes the majority of the early settlers of the county :
Isaac Agee, G. H. Allen, Eli Adams, William Adams, Peter Adams, William H. Adams, Greenbury Atterbury, G. N. Allen, James S. Aughe, John Brown, Andrew Baker, Benjamin B. Bick- etts, Zabina Babcock, Thomas Brooks, William Bays, John Bar- nett, Samuel Brownfield, Jacob Bradford, John L. Bays, William Brown, H. H. Buckingham, John Buckingham, Sr., John Buck- ingham, Jr., E. Chappell, Jonathan Canes, Henry Cochran, Aaron Clouse, Robert Clark, Lorenzo L. Chappell, Nathaniel
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HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
Carroll, Newton Coen, Allen Colelazer, Daniel Coil, Levi B. Cope, Hugh Caldwell, Joseph Castile, E. H. Carroll, Austin Clemmons, Gilbert Cook, William Collier, Charles Dawson, Rob- ert E. Doherty, F. H. Dalton, Robert Deshazer, John Deshazer, James Davis, Thomas Davis, John A. Dean, Elijah Dalton, John Dice, John F. Doherty, Andrew Evans, Evan Evans, Richard E. Emmett, Joseph Farrington, Benjamin Farrington, John Fuquay, John Fletcher, Robert Fitchew, Price Guess, Greenup Gibson, Major A. Glenn, Robert L. Glenn, G. A. George, Samuel Gil- more, Abram Groomer, Alvey Graves, Isaac W. Gann, John B. Griffin, David Groomer, James R. Green, Isaac Givens, Henry Griffin, James Gragg, Robert P. Gilliam, William Hall, John Hall, William Huff, Samuel Holpain, Samuel Higgins, William Holt, Marcus L. Hall, Simon Huntsucker, Johnston Hampton, James P. Harlan, K. R. Hodge, Jonathan Heimbaugh, Samuel Haptonstall, Bailey Hudson, Henry Hunter, Sr., William Hun- ter, Sr., William Hunter, Jr., Thomas Hixson, Simeon Hern- don, James Hunter, George Jones, John Jackson, James Ken- yon, Job Kerns, Adam Kerns, John M. Kirk, Lewis R. Kimes, T. Livingston, Samuel Livingston, William Livingston, Thomas J. Lastley, Nathaniel Livingston, Smith Morgan, James M. Moss, Oliver P. Moss, William Molden, James McMahan, John Mc- Laughlin, William McLaughlin, John Mclaughlin, Jr., G. W. McMahan, Mary McMahan, Marshall T. McQuinn, Thomas McGaughey, Joseph McCulloch, James McCoy, Thomas Mc- Mode, Greenfield Mathis, Geo. W. McPherson, Elisha Man- ring, Rupel Moore, David Moore, Daniel Miller, John Means, Adam Means, James McCorkle, William McCain, George Meek, Sherard May, Michael Moore, Samuel Morris, John Miller, James McKowen, Stephen B. Mount, Thomas H. Noble, James Nichols, Albert H. Owens, James Osborne, Alex. W. Pickell, William Peters, Elias Parrott, Isaac Peete, Elijah Price, Jeremiah Pryor, John Pryor, Charles Pryor, William Pryor, William W. Rawser, Joshua Roberts, Jos. Robinson, Edward Robinson, Henry Rob- inson, Nathaniel Redman, P. F. Ross, William Rogers, Henry Ritchey, John O. Reed, Ashford Roberts, John B. Sharp, John S. Sullivan, Charles Sullivan, Thomas Slaughter, John L. Son- nam, William Shelton, Nicholas Shaw, O. Snead, Thomas Smith,
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Andrew Sherard, William Sherard, James Sherard, A. H. Skid- more, James M. Skidmore, John Stout, John M. Smith, Oliver Smith, Josiah Spencer, Nancy Sherard, Daniel Shambaugh, Isaac N. Shambaugh, George Smith, George W. Shaw, Neville Stevens, James Shaw, Roland Stark, Samuel Shaw, James Shaw, Edward Smith, Anderson Smith, Thompson Smith, John Thornton, Jesse Todd, Irab Todd, William T. Thornton, Jeptha Thornton, David Todd, Samuel Turner, William Thornton, David Thompson, Henry Turner, Jos. Taylor, Wright Taylor, William Taylor, Ben- jamin Taylor, Edward Trotter, Mary Venable, John Venable, Joseph Venable, Jesse Vines, Jacob Vance, Benjamin Wheadby, John Whiteley, Elias Williams, George Ward, Joseph Williams, Andrew Wood, Samuel Wood, Jesse Weatherly, Mary Waters, Harrison P. Ward, David Whiteacre, James Whiteacre, A. B. Youngblood, T. M. Youngblood, J. M. Youngblood, Thomas C. Yallale, John Yates, Thomas Yates, David S. Young.
COUNTY ORGANIZATION.
When Missouri was admitted into the Union as a State, in 1821, the territory embraced within the present limits of De Kalb County was included within the county of Ray, which at that time comprised all that portion of the State lying north of the Missouri River and west of the eastern line of Mercer, Grundy and Livingston Counties. From this territory, in Janu- ary, 1822, was created Clay County, out of the northern part of which the county of Clinton was organized on the 15th day of January, 1833. The latter county at that time included with- in its boundaries the present counties of De Kalb, Gentry and Worth, and was reduced to its present limits by the organization of Gentry on the 12th day of February, 1841. The boundaries of De Kalb were established by an act of the Legislature, bearing date of January 5, 1843, and on the 25th day of February, 1845, an act was passed providing for the organization of the county. This act named Henry Brown, Peter Price and Martin M. Nagh, of Andrew, Daviess and Clinton Counties, respectively, commis- sioners to locate the permanent seat of justice, and designated the dwelling of Henry Hunter, about two miles southeast of the
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present site of Maysville, as the place of holding courts until the county should otherwise direct. Pursuant to arrangement, Messrs. Brown and Price met at the appointed place, but the other commissioner, Mr. Nagh, failing to appear, Charles J. Hughes, of Caldwell County, was chosen to fill the vacancy. After view- ing a number of eligible sites, and carefully considering their ad- vantages and disadvantages, the commissioners finally concluded to locate the seat of justice upon the northeast quarter of Section 34, Township 59, Range 31, it being near the geograph- ical center of the county and admirably situated for a town. They gave the name of Maysville to the new county seat, and made a formal report of their proceedings, which was duly ap- proved by the county court, on the 18th day of August, 1845. The tract of land thus selected was subsequently entered for the county by Thompson Smith, in the land office at Plattsburg, and a patent for the same obtained from the Government, on the 1st day of June, 1848.
In the meantime, May 25, 1845, the county court of De Kalb was formally organized at the residence of Thomas Hunter, upon which occasion there were present Elias Parrott, James McMa- han and Harvey Ritchey, justices; Charles H. Allen, sheriff, John F. Doherty, clerk, and others who were appointed to differ- ent positions after the county machinery had been duly put in motion. The several officers had been previously recommended by a primary meeting of the citizens, held for the purpose, and appear to have been chosen on account of their peculiar fitness for the positions. It is stated that, with a single exception, all the men who participated in the county organization were Ten- nesseeans, the exception being one Andrew Hamer, a native of Ohio, who was honored with the office of treasurer. Mr. Allen, who had been previously chosen sheriff, refusing to qualify for the position, Andrew H. Skidmore was appointed in his stead. James McKowen was appointed assessor, and Charles H. Allen, elisor, both of whom at once qualified for the duties of their re- spective positions. John F. Doherty was appointed clerk of both courts, but held the position for only a limited period, the of- fice being filled the following year by the election of James M. Arrington.
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Owing to the unfortunate destruction of the early records by the burning of the courthouse, in 1878, but little is now known of the proceedings of the first session of the county court. Af- ter the reorganization was effected, however, business began flowing through its legitimate channels, and ere long the county legislation became of the usual practical nature. One of the first actions of the court was the division of the county into five municipal townships, to wit: Camden, Dallas, Polk, Grand River and Washington. Camden was laid out in the central part of the county, with boundaries as follows: "On the north by a line running east and west between Congressional Townships 59 and 60; on the east by a line dividing Ranges 30 and 31; on the south by section lines passing through the middle of Congres- sional Township. 58, and on the west by a line passing through the middle of Section 32." The other townships were of nearly equal size and occupied the four corners of the county ; Polk the northwest, Dallas the northeast, Grand River the south- east, and Washington the southwest. "They were divided from each other by lines running north and south on section line one mile east of the line dividing Ranges 31 and 32, and east and west on the section line one mile north of the south line of Con- gressional Township 59." The county remained as orig- inally divided until 1870, when the townships of Adams, Grant, Colfax and Sherman were created, making the county consist at this time of nine civil divisions. The better to dispense the ends of justice, the county court in the summer of 1845 appoint- ed the following justices of the peace for the different townships: Camden Township, Zabina Babcock and G. W. McPherson; Polk, Russell Moore and Newton Cowan; Dallas, B. Stout and Andrew Sherard; Grand River, John R. Bays and . Charles Morris; . Washington, John W. Kirkpatrick and Robert E. Doherty.
G. W. McPherson, in 1845, was appointed commissioner of the seat of justice, with authority to lay off the town into lots, and offer the same for sale. This he accordingly did, and as early as that year quite a number of persons purchased real estate in the new town.
It was related that at the organization of the county no paper or stationery had been provided for the purpose of recording the
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proceedings; accordingly Mr. Doherty made a trip to Liberty, Clay County, for the purpose of procuring the necessary supplies. He purchased a merchant's small account book, bound in leather, and also three steel pens; and, upon the next assembling of the court presented his bill for the articles. The amount paid for the record was allowed with no dissenting voice, but the needless extravagance of steel pens was such as to call forth a strong and indignant remonstrance on the part of the court. Mr. Doherty attempted to justify the purchase upon the ground that he had not been able to procure any quills; whereupon his Honor, Judge McMahan, informed him that he could furnish those articles at the next term of court. The bill for the pens was, after consid- erable discussion, reluctantly allowed, but, to prevent a further useless expenditure of the "people's money" in that direction, the judge, true to his word, at the ensuing term presented to the court a large bundle of neatly prepared quills.
The expenditures of the county for the first year were less than $300.
The first justices of the county court, although men of no previous judicial experience, pleased the people by looking after their interests in a painstaking and economical manner. By no means above criticism in their proceedings, it is doubtful whether the county has since enjoyed the services of a more impartial and in every way conscientious body of officials.
Elias Parrott was a native of Roane County, Tenn., and an early pioneer of De Kalb, locating here when the first settlements were but niches in the surrounding forests. He was a man of little or no scholastic ability, but, being possessed of excellent judgment, his brief record as a member of the court was one to which the early residents of the county were wont to point with honest pride. He subsequently represented De Kalb in the State Legislature, and was an honored resident of the county until his death, which occurred a few years ago.
Harvey Ritchey came to De Kalb County from Tennessee in a very early day, and settled about three miles south of the present site of Maysville. He was a true type of the pioneer of fifty years ago, plain, industrious, intelligent and thoroughly honest, traits which caused him to be chosen a member of the county
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court, in the proceedings of which he took no insignificant part. After the expiration of his term of service Mr. Ritchey retired to his farm, and it is not known that he ever again held or pre- sented his name for official position.
James McMahan, like his associate justices, was a Tennes- seean, and an early comer to De Kalb County, locating here prior to 1844. He possessed a high character for personal integrity, and as a member of the court was untiring in his efforts for the people's best interests. His rigid economy, however, subjected him to much criticism, but the honesty of his purposes was never questioned by any one.
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