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 48
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 48
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73
In 1846 Messrs. McMahan and Parrott and James McCorkle were duly elected justices by the people, the election of that year being the first ever held in the county. They served until 1850, at which time a new court, composed of Eli Hewitt, John T. Baker and Hugh R. Hodge, was elected. The succeeding offi- cers of the court, from time to time, are given on another page. [See county officers. ]
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
Official dignity in the early days of De Kalb County was of a homely kind, and it required no great expense to provide appro- priate surroundings. The first building in which the circuit court convened, or, in other words, the first courthouse, if the term is not too dignified to be applicable, was the log residence of John Buckingham, which stood about one and three-quarter miles southeast of Maysville. This building was a rude affair, and was used for court purposes but a short time. The next house, as already stated, was the dwelling of Walter A. Doak, situated a short distance west of the county seat, which answered the pur- pose of a temple of justice during the fall term of 1845. The following year it was determined to provide a house especially for court purposes. Accordingly Walter Doak erected a small log structure on the east side of the public square in Maysville, which was purchased by the county, and to which the different county officers were moved early in 1847. Descriptively, this building was a very primitive affair, constructed of logs, and con- tained two rooms; each about fifteen feet square. The interior of
336
HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
the building was in harmony with its outward structure, and pre- sented a striking contrast to the elegant temple of justice which now adorns the public square. Court was first held in this prim- itive building in the spring of 1847, and such was the spirit of economy by which the early officials were actuated, that a num- ber of years passed ere a movement for a house more in keeping with the dignity of the growing county took definite shape. The great increase in business, however, in due time foreshadowed the necessity of a building of enlarged proportions. Accordingly, in 1849, a petition was circulated and presented to the county court, asking that one be erected. The court took no decisive action upon the matter, further than to appoint John F. Doherty agent to purchase a building suitable for county purposes. What Mr. Doherty did in the premises is not now known, but certain it is that no such building was procured, and the old courthouse con- tinued to be used to the great chagrin of the more progressive citizens of the county. The matter was again agitated in the fall of 1850, and on the 3d day of March, 1851, a second petition, asking that a brick courthouse be erected, was put in circulation, receiving a large number of signatures. This paper appears to have been a little more effective than its predecessor, but it was not until the presentation of an additional petition, on the 7th of April, that the court decided to take any definite action. An order was made to borrow $2,000 from the internal improvement fund of the county, and appropriate it toward the erection of the proposed buildings, plans and specifications for which were in due time presented for consideration. Abram Barger was ap- pointed superintendent, with directions to submit plans and let contract to the lowest responsible bidder. The plan adopted by the court was submitted on the 5th day of May, 1851, and in- cluded, among other items, a cupola, which the economical solons considered entirely too extravagant; accordingly the worthless ap- pendage was dispensed with.
The appropriation for the building was raised from $2,000 to $3,750, and in July, 1851, the contract was awarded to G. W. McPherson for $5 less than the last named sum.
Mr. McPherson pushed forward the work as rapidly as cir- cumstances would admit, and by the fall of 1852 the building
337
STATE OF MISSOURI.
was completed as per agreement and received by the court. The house was 55x30 feet in size, substantially constructed of brick, with courtroom and two offices below, and other county offices on the second floor. All in all, it was a very creditable building, and would have answered all county purposes for years to come, had it not been destroyed by fire on Christmas night, 1878. When discovered, the flames had made such headway that sav- ing the building was impossible, and all that could be done by the excited citizens was to rescue the contents of the different offices. This was attempted, and, while only partially successful, many valuable records and documents were fortunately rescued before the flames reached them. The records in the county clerk's office, however, were entirely consumed, entailing a loss upon the county the extent of which is still difficult to realize. Some of the other offices suffered severely, the records and papers burned being very valuable, and impossible to replace.
Immediately after the fire, arrangements were made to hold circuit court in different buildings, among which was Glazier's hall, while the county and circuit clerks' offices were moved to rooms over the Maysville Bank. The office of the probate judge was moved to a room over Allen's drug store, the county treas- urer had his office wherever it suited his convenience, while the sheriff, in the language of another, "was allowed to run at large." The insecurity of the above places gave rise to much dissatisfac- tion and uneasiness, and it was not long until the necessity of a new courthouse began to be discussed. The project met with much opposition on the part of citizens living in the southern part of the county, and it was soon ascertained that a bitter fight would be necessary in order to secure the requisite two-thirds majority. After considerable agitation, which continued until 1880, an election was ordered to decide the matter, the result of which was a total defeat of the project. In the meantime the cit- izens of the southern part of the county inaugurated a movement to change the county seat from Maysville to Stewartville. This gave rise to considerable excitement, and caused no little ill feel- ing between the citizens of certain sections. The matter was in due time submitted to the people, the majority of whom voted to retain the seat of justice at its original location.
22A
338
HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
In 1881 the advocates of the courthouse presented a second petition, signed by a large number of citizens, asking that another election be held to decide whether or not the building should be erected. An election was ordered accordingly, and took place in November of the same year, with a sufficient number of votes cast against the measure to prevent the court from taking any action toward the building of the house. Nothing daunted by their successive defeats, the courthouse faction, by a third petition properly signed, induced the court to order another election, which was held in 1882, with results the same as before. More determined than ever to secure the building, and nerved to re- doubled exertion by their former defeats, the friends of the build- ing in 1884 presented to the court, at the August term. a fourth petition, the result of which was the following order by the court: " Now comes T. G. McCrosky and more than one hundred others of the resident tax payers of the county, and present their petition, asking that the proposition to incur a county indebted- ness of $40,000, to build a courthouse and jail on the public square in the town of Maysville, be submitted to the decision of the qualified voters thereof, in the manner provided by law, and said petition having been heard and duly considered, it is ordered by the court that the prayers of the petitioners be granted, and that said proposition be submitted to the qualified voters of the county in the manner provided by law at a special election, to be held in and for this county on Tuesday, the 4th day of November, 1884.
" That for such indebtedness (if the same shall be voted on at said election) the bonds of this county shall be issued for said indebtedness, bearing interest at the rate of six per cent per an- num, payable semi-annually, and by the terms of said bonds one- third of said $40,000, together with accrued interest on the same, be due and payable at the end of one year from date of said bonds; one-third of the same at the end of two years from said date, together with accrued interest, and the remainder of said sum, together with the interest thereon remaining unpaid, be due and payable at the end of three years from said date; and for the purpose of paying the interest on said bonds as it becomes due, and to create a fund for the purpose of paying said bonds as they
339
STATE OF MISSOURI.
severally become due and payable, the tax levy of said county shall be increased forty cents on each one hundred dollars valua- tion of the taxable property of said county, subject to taxation for county purposes, and that said amount of forty cents, as afore- said, in excess of the amount allowed by law for the ordinary current expenses of said county, be annually levied on all of said taxable property for the payment of said indebtedness and the interest on the same, until all of said indebtedness is paid off and discharged."
The election which followed this order called out very nearly the entire county vote, and its result was awaited with great in- terest. The following is an abstract of the vote by townships, showing a bare majority of three in favor of erecting the build- ing :
For voting indebtedness.
Against.
Camden
400
5
Adams
229
9
Colfax.
188
150
Dallas
210
23
Grant
284
37
Grand River.
180
82
Polk
183
172
Sherman
199
130
Total.
1,960
983
When the result of the election was made known, the court authorized the creation of the indebtedness, and preliminary steps were at once taken toward the erection of the building. Plans and specifications were prepared by Messrs. Eckel & Mann, architects of St. Joseph, and bids for the contract were made by the follow- ing parties. W. A. Demund, $37,985, James Patton, $34,486; Switzer Richards and Nesbit, $32,497.87}; John Volk & Co., $38,350; John Griffith, $33,450; B. Edwards, $34,416.25; J. W. Trickett, $33,098.80; P. H. Meyer, $38,700; R. K. Allen, $35,- 400; Abercrombie & Co., $38,450. Messrs. Switzer & Co., be- ing the lowest bidders, were awarded the contract, and work com- menced on the building soon afterward under the efficient super- intendency of W. S. Gourley, one of the finest practical builders in the State. On the 27th of August, 1885, the corner-stone was laid, under the direction of the Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri, G. Y. Russell Acting Grand Master, officiating, and be-
340
HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
fore the close of the year the house was completed and formally received by the county court. The seating and furnishings of the courtroom, and the different offices, formed an additional cost to the original contract sum, and, taken all'in all, the house is one of the most convenient, beautiful and imposing temples of justice of its size and cost in the State. It is built of brick, constructed after a fine Gothic model, and from its elevated location on the public square commands an extensive view of the surrounding country for many miles. On the first floor are the offices of the county clerk, collector, treasurer, probate judge, recorder of deeds, sheriff, grand jury and county court rooms, all well finished and, furnished, and county clerk's office supplied with a commodious fire-proof vault. There are two wide halls running through the building below, from which a large pair of stairs lead to the sec- ond floor, where are the circuit court room, two petit jury rooms and the circuit clerk's office, all finished in the same manner as the offices below. In the rear of the main building is the jail containing ten cells, eight of which are so constructed as to re- volve, being the patent revolving cage, while two cells are in another part of the building, and devoted to the exclusive use of female prisoners. Above the cells are two rooms for hospitals, each supplied with comfortable bunks and other appliances nec- essary to the comfort and convenience of any prisoner unfortunate enough to require such accommodations. One of the most pleas- ing features of the structure is the graceful tower, which rises to a considerable height, and in which large dials have been placed so that at any future time the citizens can, if they deem fit, place in the necessary machinery for a town clock. The building is conceded by all who have seen it to be one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in Northern Missouri, and although erected at considerable cost, the debt has been scarcely felt by the citi- zens of the county, but few of whom now regret the erection of the house.
JAILS.
The first jail in De Kalb County was erected in the year 1858 by Andrew Sherard, and stood on the northwest corner of the public square. It had a deep cellar under it called a dungeon, walled up with large stones, the only entrance to which was
341
STATE OF MISSOURI.
through the lower floor of the jail by a trap door and ladder. The latter was movable, and was always drawn up after a prisoner had been incarcerated. The dungeon was ten feet deep, and served as a foundation of the jail proper, which was con- structed of oak logs hewn and squared, about fifteen inches, and securely fastened together with heavy iron bolts. These bolts were placed about ten inches apart, thus making the walls very secure, rendering escape well nigh impossible. The jail proved a secure prison pen, and answered the purpose for which it was intended, until condemned and sold by the county court in 1873. From the latter date, until the erection of the present jail, the prisoners of the county were incarcerated in the jails of neigh- boring counties.
PAUPERS.
Prior to the year 1874, the poor and indigent class of De Kalb County were supported by private individuals at so much per pauper. In that year, however, a tract of land of eighty acres, three miles southeast of Maysville, in Adams Township, was purchased for a poor farm, the necessary buildings upon which were subsequently erected. The expense for maintain- ing paupers has never been very great, the county having been re- markably free from that unfortunate class.
EARLY RECORDS.
As already stated, nearly all the early records of De Kalb County were destroyed when the courthouse burned in 1878. The records and papers of the circuit clerk's office were pre- served, however, as were also a few from some of the other offices. The first record of deeds bears date of 1845, and is. written in a plain, legible hand, which shows the recorder to have been a man of good clerical ability. The first deed upon record was " made and entered into on the 27th day of August, 1845, between Charles Pryor and Catherine, his wife, of the county of Gentry, and State of Missouri, of the one part, and John Mont- gomery, of the county of Jackson, Mo., on the other part, for all that tract or parcel of land situate, lying and being in the county of De Kalb, etc., known and described as follows, to wit: the E. ¿ , N. E. ¿ of section number 27, township 58, north of the
342
HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
base line and west of the fifth principal meridian, and range number 36, containing on the whole eighty acres more or less. * Consideration one hundred and fifty dollars. Acknowledged on the 27th day of August, 1845, before John J. Bays, justice of the peace, Grand River Town- ship."
The next instrument of writing is a deed, by John A. Will- iams and Nancy, his wife, to Levi B. Cope, for forty-one and fifty-two hundredths acres of land, situated on the east half of Lot 2, and the southwest quarter of Lot 1, Township 58, Range 30, Daviess County. Date of deed, December 2, 1839; filed for record September 1, 1845.
Following the above is a deed for a parcel of land lying in the northeast quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 2, Township 57, Range 32 (Clinton County), sold by Harvey Ritchey to Aaron Clouse, for $50. Recorded September 26, 1845. The next record is as follows:
STATE OF MISSOURI, Sct.
COUNTY OF DE KALB.
I, Andrew H. Skidmore, Sheriff of the County of De Kalb, in the State of Missouri, do certify that in pursuance to an order of the county court of the county and State aforesaid, "for the purpose hereinafter stated, did on the 27th day of October, A. D. one thousand, eight hundred and forty-five, at the (tem- porary) Court House door, and while the Circuit Court for said county was in session, sell at public auction certain school lands situate and being in the county and State aforesaid, known and designated as the east half, southeast quarter of section number 16, township 57, in range 32, containing eighty acres, for the sum of one hundred dollars, to John F. Doherty as principal, and Charles H. Allen as his security, payable to the County of De Kalb, aforesaid, to the use of the inhabitants of said township aforesaid, and payable one year after date. Given under my hand and seal this 27th day of October, A. D. 1845.
A. H. SKIDMORE.
Filed for record January 1, 1846.
EARLY MARRIAGES.
The following were some of the earliest marriages solemnized in De Kalb County :
This is to certify that Alfred Babcock and Keziah Wood was married by me on the 12th day of October, 1845, both of Camden Township, De Kalb County. The above is a true copy of my rec- ord.
Z. BABCOCK.
343
STATE OF MISSOURI.
Married on 18 inst. [no date ], by Rev. Robert Scott, Henry M. Cochran to Miss Elizabeth M. Venable. ROBERT SCOTT.
This is to certify that on the 19th day of August, 1845, I joined together in matrimony William Hudson and Martha Redman, both of De Kalb County. THOMAS WOLVERTON.
I do hereby certify that on the 30th day of December last, I joined and in wedlock bound Charles McGlothlin and Mary Smead. Given under my hand this 27th day of March, 1846. NATHAN REED, M. G.
This is to certify that on the 31st day of March, 1846, I joined in matrimony John Stout and Minerva Smith, of De Kalb County. BONHAM STOUT.
This is to certify that on the 5th day of February, 1846, I joined together in wedlock, by virtue of my office as a minister of the gospel of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Simon Holmes, of Clinton County, to Miss Nancy Ann Hixson, of De Kalb County. Given under my hand and seal this 6th of February, 1846.
M. DANIELS.
This is to certify that Stephen Maret and Nancy Sherrard was married on the 4th day of September, 1845, both of Camden Township. Z. BABCOCK, J. P.
The following couples were united in the holy bonds of wed- lock in an early day: Alvey Graves and Jane McMahan, G. W. Smart and Nancy M. Shaw, Samuel O. Shaw and Elizabeth A. Smart, Jeremiah Peavely and Roday Morgan, Walter Burris and Martha Dalton, William W. Ferguson and Sarah Gray, William Newman and Susan Powell, James M. Youngblood and Elizabeth Sharp, Baker Hayter and Elizabeth Kerns, Andrew J. Potter and Rebecca Smith, Riley Anderson Holmes and Margaret H. Yal- lalee, F. S. Wilson and Harriet Litzenberg, William Mathews and Frances Deshazer, Edward Robison and Susan Smith, Jesse C. Means and Margaret McMahan, Samuel D. Rogers and Jemima Whittaker, Richard Connell and Eliza Sharpton, John Meeks and Susan Jones, Thomas Thornton and Emaline Crowley.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
In the spring of 1872 the Legislature enacted what is known as the township organization law, which was presented to the
344
HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
people of the county at the general election of that year, and adopted by a vote of 1,012 against 657. Some doubts having arisen touching the validity of the law, the county court, acting under the advice of the prosecuting attorney, took no steps toward organizing the township under its provision, and at the May term, 1873, entered an order declaring it void. This order was subsequently rescinded under stress of an opinion of the supreme court, declaring the law valid, after which the several townships elected their respective officers and formally effected the organization. The same year the county court ordered the county divided into four judicial districts as provided by amend- ment of 1873, said districts to be formed as follows: No. 1, Grand River and Colfax Townships; No. 2, Adams and Camden; No. 3, Washington and Sherman; No. 4, Dallas and Grant. A special election was then ordered for county judges, resulting in the choice of the following: William H. Sifus, A. T. Downing, John F. Doherty, I. V. Smith and H. C. Burnham. The town- ship organization is still in force, and although in favor with the majority of the people of the county, its advantages as an economic measure are seriously questioned.
ELECTIONS.
Owing to the destruction of the early records by the burn- ing of the courthouse in 1878, but limited satisfaction was derived in tracing the election returns of De Kalb County. The first recorded vote in the county was the presidential contest of 1848. At that time the violent debates in Congress on questions growing out of slavery attracted universal attention and interest. In 1846, David Wilmot, of Pennsylvania, introduced in Con- gress what became known as the "Wilmot Proviso, " which prohibited slavery in any territory which might be thereafter acquired. Though the measure was defeated finally, some of the most eloquent and passionate speeches in American history were delivered in Congress while it was pending.
The interest in Northwest Missouri led to the partial organ- ization of a Free Soil party in several counties, a number of citizens of De Kalb joining its ranks.
The Whig candidates were Zachery Taylor and Millard
345
STATE OF MISSOURI.
Fillmore. The nominees of the Democratic party were Lewis Cass and William O. Butler, while the Free Soilers put in nom- ination Martin Van Buren. Unfortunately but a partial record of the vote of De Kalb County at this election was preserved- that giving the votes for the Democratic and Republican nom- inees. The vote was as follows: Taylor, 37; Cass, 146.
The presidential election of 1852 has gone into history as a very animated contest. The question of the admission of Cali- fornia into the Union had come up, and had stirred to intense bitterness the sentiment of both parties in Congress, and in all portions of the country, and when Henry Clay came forward with his celebrated compromise, which provided among other things for the admission of California as a free State, and for the return of fugitive slaves to their masters, both Clay and his compromise were hailed by all except the abolitionists with universal joy. The Whigs that year nominated Gen Winfield Scott, and the Democratic standard bearer was Franklin Pierce. De Kalb County, at that time, though very sparsely settled, took an active interest in the contest, the result of her vote being as follows: Scott and Graham, 66; Pierce and King, 167.
The year 1856 was the first year the abolitionists had ever attempted seriously to extend their peculiar views touching slavery into anything like national proportions. The "Fugitive Slave " law was intensely odious to all the North, except a few who were in sentiment favorably disposed toward slavery. The Republican party sprang into existence, and conducted one of the most exciting campaigns in the history of the nation. They called a national convention, and placed in nomination John C. Fremont for President, and - Dayton for Vice-President. James Buchanan and John C. Breckinridge were the names presented by the Democratic party, while what was known as the Ameri- can party nominated as their candidates Millard Fillmore and - Donaldson. Settled as it had been chiefly by Southern men, Northwest Missouri gave very little support to the Republican party, the vote of De Kalb showing no ballots cast for its leaders. This was the last election prior to the recent contests in which all the conflicting elements of the Democratic party were thor- oughly united. The vote of De Kalb County was as follows:
346
HISTORY OF DE KALB COUNTY.
Fillmore and Donaldson, 172; Buchanan and Breckinridge, 336; Fremont and Dayton, 0. The result of the election, and the great questions agitated during Mr. Buchanan's administration, are well known to all readers of American history.
The presidential canvass of 1860 was contemplated from the beginning by all men of reflection with the most profound solici- tude. For a few years preceding 1860 the sentiment on both sides had become so bitter, and the North and especially the Re- publican party had been so outspoken against slavery, that the South instinctively felt that the election of Mr. Lincoln meant serious interference with that institution. The November elec- tion was scarcely over, and the fact of Lincoln's election assured, ere ordinances of secession were passed and preparations for war begun on both sides. The sentiment in De Kalb County, while not in favor of war, was antagonistic to Republican ascendency, as witness the following vote: Bell, Breckinridge and Douglass, 695; Lincoln, 7.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.