USA > Missouri > Bates County > History of Bates County, Missouri > Part 25
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HISTORY OF BATES COUNTY
Hugh Gailey, Jeremiah Rankin, William and Judge D. V. Brown, Jamies Pilgrim, William Rodgers, David Braden, and Judge John A. Lefker, who erected a saw mill on the Marais des Cygnes river in 1870, at what is now known as Hawkins' Ferry, and in 1875 he made it a grist-mill as well.
About the year 1867 the government established a postoffice at Mulberry, on Mulberry creek, at the home of Robert Leech, and soon became and continued for some years to be, quite a trading post, store, blacksmith shop, school, etc., but as to the village it may now be said to have taken its place among other promising villages and towns of the early days, which are now extinct.
Amoret is situate on the Kansas City, Ft. Scott & Gulf railroad, and was laid out in 1890 by the Missouri Coal & Construction Com- pany. It has a bank, several stores, other shops, an elevator and warehouses. It is just one mile from the state line in the south-central part of the township. The great Darby orchard of 800 acres comes right up to the city limits and the fruit industry affords employment for many laborers. It ranks among the best business towns on what is called the Kansas City Southern railroad in this county.
Walnut Township.
Walnut is a border township, with Kansas on its west, Homer and Charlotte townships on the north, New Home on the east and Howard on the south.
With the Marais des Cygnes river forming the division line most of the distance between it and the two townships to the north, Wal- nut has much valuable timber and large rich bottom lands. The land not timbered is rolling prairie and splendid agricultural land. Mine creek comes out of Kansas and waters the extreme northwest part, and Walnut creek enters the township in the southwestern corner and flows in a northeasterly direction entirely through the township and enters the Marais des Cygnes river in the northwest part, of New Home ; with its tributary streams it waters and drains almost the whole town- ship. The township and creek derive their names from the enormous black walnut trees that grew in the bottoms and valleys. In 1880, before there was any railroad in Bates county, except the Missouri, Kansas & Texas at Rockville, D. W. Laughlin, an old citizen of Walnut township, sold six great walnut trees for fifty dollars each to be cut and floated down Walnut creek, thence down the river to the Osage,
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thence to the Missouri river. Our informant says he counted 384 annular rings on one of the stumps, which would make the tree sprout in A. D. 1496, or just after Columbus discovered America. A Mr. Cox, on Walnut creek, made a record in the early days by splitting 1,250 ten-foot rails out of the big walnut trees. There were numerous fords across the river: the government ford and ferry in section 33; Gritton ford, north of where Foster now is; Whitewash ford across Walnut in the center of section 11. The Government road from Lex- ington, Missouri, crossed here on its way to Ft. Smith, Arkansas. Goods were brought up the Missouri river to Lexington and then freighted along this road to supply the country which could not be reached from the White river in Arkansas. Marvel bridge was the first bridge built across the river, in 1879, in section 1. Since then a number of sub- stantial bridges have been built across the main streams and the river in the township. Abundant coal exists in this township, and coal mining is one of the chief industries.
One of the earliest settlers was Hon. John McHenry. He was a Kentuckian and a Democrat. He came to Missouri in 1840, and was elected the first representative to the General Assembly in 1842. A year later, November 15, 1841, his son, James McHenry, came to Walnut township. James Goodrich, a nephew of the elder McHenry, came about the same date, but went to California in 1844. William Cooper came from Pettis county in 1840. One of the pioneers of the county was Lewis Gilliland, who settled in Walnut some time prior to 1840. He went, with others, to California in 1850. Mark West, the father of Gentry, was an early settler, and died in 1851. Thomas Woodfin and his sons came from North Carolina to Johnson county, Missouri, and thence to Bates in 1839 and 1840. Shelton and Gilliland were the only settlers who preceded the Woodfins. Cooper, McCall and Hedges came soon afterward. Judge Edward Bartlett came to Walnut township in 1844. Under Order No. 11, Bartlett went to Kan- sas but returned in 1866.
Marvel was first located on the Marais des Cygnes river in section 1, but was moved to section 2, and later abandoned or discontinued. The first postmaster was in 1846. A small stock of goods was opened at Marvel in 1868 at the residence of James Campbell by Kincaid & Park. The first store in the township was established in section 1, by a Mr. Jewell before the Civil War. James McDaniel also sold goods before the war at a little place called Louisville in section 5, near the
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mouth of Mine creek. Both Marvel and Louisville belong in the extinct village class.
. Walnut Postoffice, located on section 16, came into existence in 1872. Berry kept a drug store there in 1879. Lee Peak sold dry goods in 1878. A. H. Lloyd and John. Craig were the blacksmiths and Dr. Splawn the physician. When Foster, or Walnut, grew up in a night, just two miles away, Walnut Postoffice went out and took its place in the extinct class.
Worland was laid out September 4, 1888, by Arch L. Sims and James M. Tucker, and took its name from Harry Worland, a druggist, who did a flourishing business there. It has at this time, about 100 population, and is situate about a mile from the Kansas-Missouri state line in section 7, on the St. Louis & Eastern railroad, often called the Madison branch of the Missouri Pacific railway and near the cross- ing of the Kansas City, Pittsburg & Gulf railroad.
Foster was born in 1884. It was a typical western boom town, and within a few months had a population of 2,000 people, and was a hustling driving place. It went up like a rocket and came down like a stick. We cannot go into its wonderful history at this place, designed for mere mention of the upstanding facts of each township. The Wal- nut Land & Coal Company, with a million dollars capital, was indirectly behind the boom, and the town was first called Walnut, but when the people asked for a postoffice they had to change the name, as there was already a postoffice of Walnut about two miles away. In due time. the town-it was really a small city by this time-was re-christened Foster, after Governor Foster, then everywhere known as "Calico Char- ley" of Ohio who was secretary of the Walnut Land & Coal Company. Two years after it was founded what is now known as the Inter-State, or Madison branch of the Missouri Pacific railroad, was builded to and through the town. After a sensational and precarious career it soon settled down into the village class and its glory departed. At this time it has a population of about 400, has a bank, lumber yard, depot, express office, two blacksmith shops, and seven stores, and does a healthy country business, the surrounding territory being a fine grain and stock growing country. Much coal has been mined all about the town, and the vast coal deposits yet await the call of labor and capital. The town of Walnut (Foster) was laid out by E. A. Henry as trustee for Thomas M. Nichols, Phil L. Spooner, Jr., Charles Foster, Amos Town- send, J. Warren Kiefer, Warner Miller, B. J. Waters, J. L. Pace, and John Scullin, on July 3, 1883.
CHAPTER XXI.
TOWNSHIPS, TOWNS AND VILLAGES-CONTINUED.
NEW HOME TOWNSHIP-NEW HOME VILLAGE-SHOBETOWN AND RIVELY- CORNLAND-LONE OAK TOWNSHIP-PERU AND ATHOL-PLEASANT GAP TOWNSHIP-PLEASANT GAP VILLAGE-STUMPTOWN-HUDSON TOWNSHIP- HUDSON-LAHIA-ROCKVILLE TOWNSHIP-ROCKVILLE TOWN-PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP-HARMONY MISSION-PAPINSVILLE-PRAIRIE CITY-OSAGE TOWNSHIP-HOWARD TOWNSHIP-SPRAGUE-HUME
New Home Township.
The Marais des Cygnes river finds its tortuous way entirely through this township in a general southeasterly direction. Its bottoms are wide, rich and largely covered with valuable timber-oak, hickory, pecan. elm, sycamore, cottonwood, etc. The only tributaries worth mention- ing are Burnett's branch, Island slough, and Cottonwood branch. For- merly there were numerous lakes in the bottoms, but many have been drained and are no more.
Mark West appears to be the oldest settler. He came in 1834, and bought a claim in section 6, from Daniel Woodfin. Mrs. West was a daughter of Col. James Atten, who came to Harmony Mission in 1834. She died in 1842 while struggling with her husband to establish a pio- neer home in an unsettled country. Mrs. Charlotte Miller was among the pioneers, settling in New Home in 1841. Jackson Wall came into this township some time prior to 1843, and located near the center of the township on a high mound, and died there in 1849 or 1850. George W. Turner, of Virginia, came in 1843, and died before 1860. Jere- miah Burnett came in 1849. Daniel settled here before 1843, went west to California in 1849, and died there. Lewis and Levi Deweese came from North Carolina and settled in the township about 1841. The brothers both died and their widows returned to North Carolina. James Poag opened a claim prior to 1843 and O. H. P. Miller and Will- iam Powers were early settlers.
A man named Haymaker built a mill-saw and grist-on the Marais des Cygnes river about 1870, in section 6. It washed away in 1880 and nothing is left to mark the spot.
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HISTORY OF BATES COUNTY
The village of New Home was founded in 1869, on the southwest quarter of section 20, township 39. range 32. Colonel, afterward Judge, Samuel F. Hawkins owned the town site, and built the first house in the town in 1870. J. E. Thomas built the first business house in the town in 1870. Hiram Slater was the blacksmith. Dr. P. E. Calmes was the first doctor. Dr. R. F. Hulett, now living at Galena, Mis- souri, came and opened an office in 1875. Edmond Cope was the first postmaster in 1873. Other merchants were Morlan Brothers, Fisher & Givens, and Fisher & Thomas.
Shobetown and Rively, once active mining towns, have passed away and are now enjoying the obscurity of all extinct villages.
Cornland, once an important trading point, on the Marais des Cygnes at the iron bridge on the road to Rich Hill, has ceased to be of commercial importance since Athol, a short distance away, became a stopping place for trains on the Missouri Pacific railroad.
Lone Oak Township.
Lone Oak township is irregular in shape and is bounded by its sister townships as follows: On the north by Summit and Mt. Pleas- ant, on the west by New Home, on the south by the Marais des Cygnes river and on the east by Prairie and Pleasant Gap.
Lone Oak has abundant water and timber, and a variety of soil from low bottoms to bluffs, from bluffs to high prairie land, all good grass, grain and stock lands. The principal tributaries of the Marais des Cygnes in this township are Miami, Mound branch, Double Branches creek and Willow creek, with smaller streams tributary to these. For- merly some large lakes were along the river, but with the recent drainage projects they are nearly all dry land now.
Among the pioneer settlers of Lone Oak was Dr. William C. Requa, who bought out a Mormon fugitive from Jackson by the name of Daniel Francis, in 1837, just before that part of the county had been surveyed and sectionized by the government and he continued to reside there with his family until he died, about 1886 at the ripe age of ninety-one. The story of Doctor Requa will be found elsewhere in this book. William R. Thomas located in section 11, township 39, range 31, in 1844, and died there. Abraham Towner and Daniel Francis, Mormons, who had been driven out of Jackson county, came in 1835. Francis died here before the Civil War and Towner moved to California some time in the fifties. Philip Stanford lived north of Doctor Requa. He went to
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HISTORY OF BATES COUNTY
Texas. George Requa settled in the township in 1834. He was one of the Union missionaries in 1820. He died here before 1860. He left the following children and his widow: William, Austin, James, George, Cyrus J., Martha J., and Lucy E., several of whom, and possibly all, are now dead. James H. Requa opened a farm in 1840, and he was probably the first school teacher in the township.
Enoch Humphreys, A. G. Ellidge, Lindsey Wine, John H. Thomas, Joseph Jones, John and C. Columbus Blankenbaker, John O. Starr and John Daniel were all pioneers and good men and farmers.
The first apple orchard in the township was set out by Dr. W. C. Requa and it was probably the first one in the county after the one set by the missionaries at Harmony, a few miles south of Prairie township.
W. R. Thomas erected a windmill in 1856 which ground corn and wheat. He operated it until the war came on and it was destroyed.
Lone Oak has never had a town or village, but Peru is the com- munity center of the township. Athol is a railroad coal station, and while several families and a club house are near the stopping-not a station-of the trains, it has never been laid out into lots or become a village.
Pleasant Gap Township.
The topography of Pleasant Gap township is broken, mostly what is called locally, high prairie; but it is good agricultural land. It is watered principally by Double Branches and Willow creeks. Some timber is along the creeks.
History has written that those who settled in this township prior to 1839 were: the Osbornes, a large family from Illinois; two families of Requas in the southwest: Daniel Francis and two sons-in-law, Arthur and Constable; and Abram Towner, these latter being refugees from Mormon settlements in Jackson county, Missouri. Two families named Harris and Collins lived near the center of the township, Jimmy Ridge, the Walker family, and a family named Beatty. William Harvey came in 1842 from Texas and left for California in 1849. William Hagan located two miles north of the village of Pleasant Gap and went to California in '49. His brother who came at the same time, and at one time county surveyor, left for California in 1852. Joseph Wix located, where his son now lives, in 1843. James Cockrell came some time prior to 1843, also James Cockrell, Jr. and also Larkin Cockrell and James, Jr. All went to California in '49. Henry Beaver came from Kentucky and went with the others, William Deweese and his sons, Jesse, Evan
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HISTORY OF BATES COUNTY
and Eliph, came from Illinois in 1844. Evan was killed in the battle of Lone Jack.
For further mention of Joseph Wix see chapter on Biographies. Among other old settlers entitled to mention were: Dr. John H. and R. W. McNeil from New York, Peter Trimble, Horace Milton, Cor- nelius Nafus, S. S. Burch, George M. Requa, John Dillon, W. H. Pitts, J. M. Rogers, William Campbell, Jesse Rinehart, W. B. Young, John Haskins, Philip Standford, James Coe, W. L. Campbell, and John Sis- son. The old settlers were generally from Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee.
The first postoffice in the east part of the county was established in 1840, near where Pleasant Gap village now is and an old man named Anderson Cockrell was the first postmaster. A mail route was estab- lished from Boonville, Clinton, Pleasant Gap to Balltown, on the Little Osage river near where Horton now is.
The first store in Pleasant Gap village was opened by Joseph Smith about 1850. It becaïne quite a business center before the war, and when the county was re-organized after the war Pleasant Gap was the temporary seat of government until it was finally moved to Butler. Pleasant Gap continued to be a good business point for many years and is still a community center.
Stumptown, formerly called Lone Oak Postoffice, was established in 1854 in the central western part of the township near the confluence of the north and south branches of Double Branches creek. W. B. Young was the father of this village and opened the first business house in 1854. History records that he carried a stock of general merchan- dise, the predominating articles, however, being tobacco and whiskey ; the latter being almost universally used as the matutinal drink of the old pioneer. Young was noted for his bonhomie and was the recognized fiddler of that vicinity. In addition to being the life of every rural gathering, day or night, he was the sole editor and proprietor of the "Stumptown Clipper," which appeared at regular intervals in manuscript form. The happenings, the doings, the sayings of the neighborhood were all faithfully gathered by this original chronicler, who read his "Clipper" aloud to his own admirers in his own inimitable style. So the historian has set it down, and it is to be regretted that nothing fur- ther is known of the "Clipper." It seems it had no circulation except vive voce, and no files were ever put up or preserved, so it is lost to the world.
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HISTORY OF BATES COUNTY
Hudson Township.
Hudson township is fairly watered and drained by Panther creek and Camp branch and their tributary streams. Timber is along the creeks. It is a fine agricultural township.
Rev. Israel Robords, a Missionary Baptist, came in the spring of 1843 and settled near the then town of Hudson. He was a New Yorker, from Saratoga county. Col. George Douglas came to America from Scotland, and settled in the northwest part of the township in 1837. Before the war he owned eight thousand acres of land in one body, and was one of the largest stock raisers in the state. He was one of the first judges of the county court. When the war came on he went to Texas and took with him forty-five slaves. He died there in 1869. George Rains was an early settler, but we have been unable to learn the date. John D. Myers came to Hudson township in 1842, and he became one of the forceful men of the early building days of the county. Hence larger mention of Judge Myers will be made elsewhere. The Gilbreaths, William, Simeon and Stephen came and settled in Hudson in 1840. John Gilbreath, the father of the three sons, died in 1865, aged eighty years.
The town of Hudson was located April 10, 1867 by Judge Charles I. Robards who purchased the land for a company of twenty-one men. The first building was a general store, erected by Smith Brothers of Clinton, and William E. Brinkerhoff and V. A. Wallace put in charge. The second house was a residence erected by Judge Robards. Then a business house owned and operated by James Hodkins and E. M. King. The first blacksmith was Alexander Gordon. Joel Pratt was the first postmaster. The ambitious little village had visions of greatness, but when the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad went by and Appleton City was started three and one-half miles east its dreams faded, and the village has for years been only a memory. Its fate was only typical of many others-predicted too much upon what never occurred, and hence death. In 1877 a postoffice was established called Lahia which was discontinued after four years. John W. Brown was the first post- master and Clark Wix the second and last ..
Rockville Township.
Rockville township is in the southeast corner of Bates county. It is mostly rolling to level, and is watered and drained by Panther, Camp and Shaw branches, flowing into Osage on the south line. Plenty of timber and fine soil. It is, according to the government soil surveyors
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HISTORY OF BATES COUNTY
elsewhere quoted in this work, the lowest area of the county, being about four hundred feet lower than West Boone township in the extreme northwest part of the county.
Robert Belcher settled in Rockville township in section 11, in 1838 and he died in 1856. A man by the name of Bridges, a blacksmith by trade, settled on the Osage river south of the town of Rockville about this time. William Anderson settled two and a half miles west of Rockville in 1837, and died in 1858. Berry Hunt, the first shoemaker, came in the fall of 1838, and settled on the river in the southeast corner of the county and township. Matt Millering and John N. Belcher came respectively in 1856 and 1855. William and Wiseman Hollingsworth were early settlers before the war, in the eastern part. David O. Deever, and his father and family; Frank Logan, John H. Walker. Thomas Belcher and William Shaw were all old settlers, and all came before the war.
The town of Rockville was laid out July 29, 1868 by William L. Hardesty on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad, and it has always enjoyed a good trade. It is the shipping point for a wide territory. The township and town seem to have derived their name from a great sandstone quarry which was largely worked in an early day not far from the town. It is excellent building stone and formerly was shipped all over the country ; but in recent years seems to have been neglected. The town was incorporated in 1878, the first board of trustees being J. M. Boreing, chairman : A. C. Wood, W. F. Fiquet, L. Johannes, and W. A. Cooper. It now has two banks, a high school, churches, a mill and elevators, and is a thrifty little town, largely surrounded by a good class of good American German farmers.
Prairie Township.
In Prairie township the Osage and Marais des Cygnes rivers, with their tributaries afford abundant water and also, the means of drain- age. Abundant and valuable timber along the rivers and smaller streams Large, fertile bottoms-somewhat subject to overflow-and rich, rolling uplands.
Excluding the settlement of Harmony Mission from the discus- sion of this place and in this connection-because any adequate story of this township's historical worth requires a separate chapter-we endeavor at this place to treat Prairie as other townships are treated.
Among the early settlers outside of Harmony Mission, was John
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HISTORY OF BATES COUNTY
B. Chorette, a Frenchman, who built a mill about two miles up the Marais des Cygnes river from Harmony Mission in 1833 or 1834. The precise date of his settlement is not known. He operated the mill for several years and sold it to another pioneer by the name of John M. Parks and while he owned it, sometime during the Civil War, it was destroyed. This was doubtless the first mill in the county, other than the one at the Mission.
Freeman Barrows settled near the Mission in 1838. coming from Middleboro, Massachusetts. He came about the time Harmony Mis- sion was discontinued, and worked in the store of Capt. William Waldo at the Mission until he was appointed county clerk upon the organiza- tion of the county. Freeman Barrows was so connected with the early history of the county that he will receive further mention in the proper chapter. Mr. Barrows settled about a mile and a half southeast of what is now the village of Papinsville, or about two and a half miles southeast of Harmony Mission. About a mile further in the same gen- eral direction was his nearest neighbor, Peter Colin (said to be pro- nounced Colee), a Frenchman: and still about two miles further south- east Melicourt Papin and Michael Geraud, two Frenchmen, had settled, on the bank of the Osage river at a place known as Rapid de Kaw, because the Kaw Indians were in the habit of crossing the Osage at that point on their hunting trips. The place is now known as Colin's Ford. Papin and Geraud came from St. Louis and were connected with the American Fur Company and were Indian traders. It is certain they settled there as early as 1834, and probably earlier. Other settlers were R. A. Baughan, G. R. Garrison, John Zimmerman, Thomas Scroghern, George W. Hopkins, Daniel Jolinson. A. Goodin, John Hart- man, A. B. Bradley, Phillip Zeal. James McCool. Maj. J. N. Bradley, H. A. Thurman. D. A. W. Moorehouse. Thurman & Moorehouse were attorneys-at-law. Alexander Waddle was another old settler and set- tled in the northeast part of the township.
The history of Harmony Mission requires a separate chapter, and hence we merely mention here that it was the first American settle- ment in all this section of Missouri, and occurred the year that Mis- souri became a state of the Union.
The village of Papinsville was laid out in April, 1847. and was named after Melicourt Papin, a French Indian trader. The owner of the land was George Pierce who settled. or "squatted" there about 1844, and was a farmer.
Dr. Samuel Hogan was among the early settlers in the new town.
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HISTORY OF BATES COUNTY
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The first drug store was opened by Dr. Zachariah Anderson in 1854. Augustine Deville, a Frenchman, was the first blacksmith. Benjamin Richardson operated the first mill in 1853. It was a portable ten-horse power, but afterward located on the bank of the Marais des Cygnes and improved by substituting steam for horse power. It was destroyed by fire in 1861. Thomas Burnside was the pioneer attorney-at-law. S. H. Loring opened the first merchandise store; F. F. Eddy, the sec- ond. Each of these men moved their stock of goods from Harmony Mission in 1848, when the county seat was located at Papinsville. The first postmaster was Dr. Z. Anderson. F. F. Eddy kept the first house of entertainment. Wiseman Hollingsworth, Preston Denton and Jonathan Kemper, a Baptist minister, were early residents. From 1852 to 1855 Papinsville was the center of much business and was a flourish- ing town. In the early days small steamboats came up the Missouri and the Osage to Papinsville and brought merchandise. During the years mentioned Papinsville had five general stores, and other business and trades in proportion. It was the center of a large circle, and men came many miles to mill and to trade in the most important town in the country at the time.
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