History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 104

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: St. Louis, Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1220

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" The fifth township to be denominated Perche. Beginning at the northwest corner of Missouri township, on the old St. Charles road ; thence northeastwardly with the dividing line between the counties of Boone and Howard to the northern boundary of the county ; thence east with the said boundary to the western (boundary) of Rocky Fork township ; thence south with the said boundary to the northeast corner of Missouri township ; thence west with the northern boundary of said township to the point of beginning. And it is ordered that all that section of country lying and [being] north of the said Perche township, and not included in any other county, be, and the same is hereby, attached to and made part of said Perche township."

The Perche, or Roche Perche creek, or river, after which this sub- division of Boone county takes its name, runs through the township from north to south, the course being a little east of south. In ad- dition to the Perche, the township is watered by Silver's Fork, Lick Fork, Reeder's Creek, Prairie Fork, Slack's Branch and the Callaham - mis-spelled, of late years, " Callahan." This stream and the Hinkson are usually mentioned apart from the parent stream. The other tributaries of the Perche are always spoken of in connection with the main stream. In addi- tion to the Callaham, which heads in Perche township, there is also an important tributary to that stream called Barclay's Fork, which heads in the neighborhood of the "Model Farm," and flows southeast in- to the Callaham, about four miles above the confluence of that stream with the Perche. This, and Sexton's Branch, are the only tributa- ries of the Callaham worthy of mention. The name Roche Perche, or more properly, Roche Perce, is French, and signifies pierced rock.

EARLY SETTLERS.

The Prairie Fork, Silvers, Squire Schooling and Kincaid settlements date back as remotely as the most primitive elsewhere in the county. There were settlements on Prairie Fork as early as 1816 of the pioneers of this section of Perche township. Silas and Jesse Richard- son, Daniel and Samuel Hodge, Jerre Biswell, John Stephenson,

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Andrew and David M'Quitty, Parker Sneddigor and Samuel Fulcher, were among the first. In the Kincaid neighborhood were John, Matthew, Lewis, Joseph and William Kincaid, Amos Barnes, Samuel Belcher, John Reeder, after whom Reeder's Creek was named, and Mr. McDaniel. Hugh Silvers settled what is now known as the Stice farm, near Dripping Spring church. He gave his name to Silvers Fork, one of the most beautiful streams in Boone county. From Perchetown north, along the Perche, the first settlers were John Leftler, George Sexton, Wilford Stephens, John, Caleb and James Fenton, William Goslin, Fountain Toalson, David Prowell, Nicholas and Bartlett Gentry, Robert and John Barclay, John Corlew, senior, and John Corlew, junior, Jonathan Graham, John and Thomas Ander- son, Bird Wilburn, Aquila Barnes, Presley Wilkinson and John Evans. Robert Schooling setttled the farm now occupied by Daniel Hall, in the neighborhood of Union church. In the neighborhood of Perche meeting house were Sinclair Walden, George Lawrence, Elder White and Eli Lyon. In the Everett neighborhood : Joshua and Jonathan Barton, first cousins of Senator David Barton. In the Wilhite neighborhood : Paris Ellison, Ben Ferguson, Thomas and | Berry Workham. Among the early settlers must not be omitted the names of Capt. Woodruff and Lemuel Searcy, Henry and Allen Coats, Solomon Mordecai, Thomas Croswhite, Thomas Wingo, Enoch C. Orear, John Connelly, Lemuel Batterton, James Hawkins, Zachariah Jackson, Isom Kilgore, Smith Turner and William McCarty. Jesse Dale was a pioneer preacher of the Old School Baptist church. Henry Cave and Isaac Newman were pioneer teachers. One of the first children born in the county must be accredited to Perche township. India Ann Corlew, daughter of John Corlew, junior, was born March 1st, 1818. She was the first female child born in Perche township. The first male child born in the township is believed to have been Mastin Corlew, son of John Corlew, junior, born February 11th, 1821. A biographical sketch of Mr. Corlew may be found elsewhere in this volume.

The first marriage known to have taken place in the township was that of Philip Barnes and Jane Corlew. The ceremony was performed by Esq. John Slack, November 11th, 1823.

The first regular physician was Dr. John W. Roberts, who came from Virginia and settled in Perche township. He died in 1875.

The first minister remembered was Rev. James Barnes, a Primitive Baptist. " Uncle Jimmy," as he was familiarly called, was one

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among the first sheriff's of Boone county. He was also a teacher. He lived to a good old age, loved and respected by all who knew him. It is stated that Revs. A. P. Mussett and Matthias Barron were the first Cumberland Presbyterian ministers in Perche. Rev. William Douglass was the first Methodist, and Elders John C. McCune and William Patton the first Disciples.

The first school house in Perche township was built on section thirty-five, township fifty, range thirteen, and William Corlew taught the first school therein.

John Slack was the first justice of the peace for Perche township. He was the father of Gen. William Y. Slack, of the Confederate army, killed at the battle of Pea Ridge, Arkansas, March 6th, 1862. Squire Slack was a potter by trade .. He had been one of the justices of the peace in Moniteau township, Howard county, out of which territory Perche was created, and he was continued in office by order of the Boone county court. Samuel Beatie was the first constable, receiving his appointment from the county court.

MANSLAUGHTER.

It is said that the first case of manslaughter in Boone county oc- curred at Perchetown, in which Daniel Coil was the victim and Amos Barnes the individual who struck the fatal blow. A party had gath- ered at the village store and were drinking pretty freely, and at the same time discussing a chase in which a number of them had partici- pated. Coil possessed a well-trained pack of hounds of which he was very proud. A disparaging remark from Barnes, relative to his dogs, was met by a blow in the face from Coil's heavy wool hat, which caused the blood to flow in a stream from Barnes' nose. Coil, evi- dently, did not mean to hurt Barnes, but the blow proved a severe one, and aroused his fiercest indignation. Barnes sprang to his feet, and clenching his fist, struck Coil a fierce blow in the stomach, killing him almost instantly. Barnes surrendered himself, was tried and ac- quitted, it being evident that the murder was wholly unintentional.

" BLACKFOOT."

Thirty years ago the good people of Perche, a portion of Missouri, Rocky Fork and Bourbon, resented the sobriquet of " Blackfoot " as a slur at their section of the county, but happily for the impartial his- torian, whose duty it is to deal in facts, they have not only become reconciled to the inevitable appellation, but glory in the name. There

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are three or four traditions relative to the origin of the name " Black- foot." Gen. S. B. Hatton, the oldest citizen living in that section, says the name originated at Perchetown, and grew out of a general fight, in which nearly all the male members of that community parti- cipated. The victorious party raised the war-whoop, declaring that they were the " Blackfoot tribe, from the headwaters of the Perche." The name was remembered, as well as the sore heads inflicted upon the defeated party. One side applied the term in a boasting spirit, the other as an epithet, and between the two factions the name was fixed upon that region of the country for all time to come. Another tradi- tion attributes the origin of the name to a dance which occurred in the Schooling neighborhood, where the boys and girls danced bare- footed, and bantered each other on the comparative blackness of their pedal extremities. Gen. S. B. Hatton was the first man to call pub- lic attention to the name, having many years ago published the follow- ing announcement in the Columbia Statesman: " We are authorized to announce Gen. S. B. Hatton, of Blackfoot, a candidate for the office of judge of the Boone county court at the ensuing August elec- tion." Notwithstanding the fact that he had previously represented the county in the legislature, and was personally very popular, this an- nouncement caused his defeat by six votes. His enemies had tickets printed for Perche township headed "Blackfoot," and represented them to be Hatton's tickets, declaring with affected indignation, that they would not vote for a man who would thus wantonly perpetrate a slur upon his neighbors. It had the desired effect ; the general's opponent was elected by six majority.

PERCHE TOWNSHIP VILLAGES.

PERCHETOWN.

Perchetown, or " the town of Persia," as it is spelled in the record of deeds in the clerk's office, gave promise at one time of becoming a place of considerable importance. The town was laid off and a very comprehensive map made and entered into the record of deeds, April 2, 1821, but the entering is made in the name of the corporation, without mention of the individuals composing the corporation. The record shows that John Lefler sold to the corporation of the town of " Persia," nine and one-ninth acres of land in section eight, township forty-nine and range thirteen, for which he received ninety-one dollars

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and fifty cents. Of same date, Obadiah Babbitt sold to same parties, fifty-eight acres, both tracts being within the limits of the town, as . shown by the map which is entered of record. It was on both sides of the Perche, situated at the point where the old Boone's Lick road, connecting St. Charles and Old Franklin, in Howard county, crossed that stream. Babbitt and Ludlow threw a dam across the stream and erected a saw mill. Several shops were built, among others, a cabinet shop, by Lemuel Batterton, and a store of general merchandise was opened for the accommodation of the local trade. Perchetown was much talked of and much visited by the rural popu- lation. Whiskey was cheap and plentiful, and the village became famous for its fights, horse-races, shooting matches, indeed, for many things, except that substantial growth which its founders had vainly hoped to realize. About the year 1825, Wilfred Stephens, of Ken- tucky, the father of Benjamin Stephens, of this county, came to Perche- town and opened a store. George Sexton had also settled in the near vicinity of the place. He had the contract for several thousand miles of mail routes. Upon the main lines he ran stages and hacks, and the amount of rolling stock necessary to carry on his business was immense. He built carriage and repair shops, harness, shops, stables, sheds and granaries, giving a wonderful impetus to this primi- tive town and the surrounding country, but with the expiration of the mail contract and the removal of the Sextons, and the washing away of the mill, commenced the decay of Perchetown, and now not a vestige of the pretentious village remains. Strange as it may seem, the neighborhood of this town contained a third more people a half century ago than it does to-day.

HARRISBURG.

Harrisburg, situated on the northwest quarter of section 11, town- ship 50, range 14, in the northwest corner of the township, was named in honor of John W. Harris, deceased, late proprietor of the Model Farm. It was laid off soon after the survey of the Chicago and Alton railroad, and gave promise of soon becoming a town of considerable importance. Work was actively going on all along the line of the proposed railroad, which was actually graded and made ready for the rails. The town prospered in anticipation of the early completion of the road ; but, to the surprise and disappointment of the people of Harrisburg and Perche township, the road was suddenly abandoned,

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but afterwards completed on a line farther north. This proved almost a death-blow to the ambitious hopes of Harrisburg. With better facil- ities this village would have been a place of no little importance. It is beautifully located on the divide between the Perche and the Moni- teau, six miles north of the Model Farm, on the main road leading from Rocheport to Sturgeon. The Callaham, which flows into the Perche, heads in this vicinity. Prairie Fork, named from Thrall's prairie, also heads in this vicinity, and flows west into the Moniteau. Harrisburg contains three stores, a confectionery shop, church, mill, blacksmith and repair shop, a fine public school building, with Masonic hall above. Dr. Haller, a practicing physician, Hersman, a justice of the peace, and S. O. Puller, constable, reside in the village. The post-office is in Gentry's saddler-shop. Rev. Green Carey, of near Harrisburg, came to the neighborhood in 1834, and has preached for the people since 1836. He was a member of the first church or- ganized in this portion of the county, Bethlehem by name, which he served for thirty-one years. He has joined in marriage more than five hundred couples. Revs. Thomas Fristoe, Fielding Wilhite and Green Carey dedicated the last Bethlehem church building.

EVERETT.

This little hamlet, now almost extinct, is situated on section 2, town- ship 49, range 14. It was laid out in the year 1860 by Charles Sexton, a son of George Sexton, already mentioned in connection with Perche- town. Charles Sexton was to Everett what his father had previously been to Perchetown-the leading spirit in the enterprise-and but for the war he would have given such an impetus to the place as would probably have secured its future growth and prosperity. In partnership with Mckinney and others, he established an extensive plow factory, man- ufacturing the " Peeler plows." Parks started a large tobacco fac- tory, and Dr. Dynes opened a store. There was also a planing machine for dressing lumber. The Methodist denomination erected a nice church edifice, and, in addition to improvements already mentioned, there were over a dozen private residences. Dr. John W. Roberts was the resident physician ; Dr. J. M. Shock lived near by. The surround- ing country was very rich and productive, and the little town sprung into existence with the brightest hopes of future prosperity. It now contains a mill and carding machine, owned by. Wilson Nicholson ; a blacksmith shop, public school building, and church.

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HISTORY OF BOONE COUNTY.

EVERETT CHURCH.

This church is situated on a lot containing five acres, the property of the Methodist denomination, having been deeded to them for church purposes. The church was organized September 2, 1859. The church edifice, a frame building, was erected in 1860, at a cost of $1,500. It was dedicated by Dr. McAnally, of St. Louis, May 12, 1860. Since its dedication the church has been served by R. H. Jordan, J. S. Smith, Tyson Dynes, T. J. Starr, D. R. Shackleford, B. F. Johnson, James Pritchett, William Rush, T. Ellington, R. White and W. Penn. The present membership is sixty-five. When this church was first organ- ized, meetings were held at the residence of J. A. Points. The first quarterly meeting was held at his house, December 11, 1852, E. M. Marvin, presiding elder, Walter Toole, circuit rider. The official mem- bers were John W. Denny, J. A. Points, Matthew Richards, John W. Walton, Thomas Wright and John Reed.

DRIPPING SPRING.

The hamlet and post-office known as Dripping Spring is on the southwest quarter of section 27, township 50, range 13, and is situated about twelve miles northwest of Columbia. It derives its name from a spring near by that drips from the rocks into a large branch which empties into Silver's Fork of Perche creek, about fifty rods from the spring. There are several mineral springs in the neighborhood, said to possess medicinal virtues. It is alleged that some cases of rheu- matism and kindred diseases have been cured by the free use of these waters.

The place contains a store and post-office. The latter was estab- lished June 13, 1873, and Col. Garnett Duncan commissioned post- master. He died in January, 1880, and February 13th following Dr. John H. Stover was appointed, and still holds the position. Mail semi-weekly from Columbia. There is also near by a handsome church building, with cemetery grounds adjoining, the site being on a rolling elevation, neatly enclosed and ornamented with evergreens, flowers and shade trees. The church is controlled by the Christians. There are two flourishing public schools in the vicinity, with good frame houses, well furnished. It is stated that in these schools, with some assistance from the University, there have been fitted for the ministry four young men, and for the medical profession six others. Two of the latter returned to the neighborhood after receiving their

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diplomas and engaged in the practice. One has since died ; the other is still actively and successfully engaged.

The Methodist Church South has an organization of some sixty members, but as yet no church building. They worship at an arbor at a point called Red Rock, two miles northwest of Dripping Spring. In the winter they meet at Prowell's school-house near by. They have considerable money and material subscribed for building a church and the day is probably not far distant when they will be able to worship under their own vine and fig tree.

CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

The Dripping Spring Christian church is situated on section 34, township 50, range 13. It was organized in 1858, by Elder John O. White. Some of the original members were John O. White, Jemima. White, James and Paulina Hoffman, Wm. and Mahala Evans, James and Susan Kelly, Thomas, Paulina, Mary J., and A. C. Robinson, Sarah A. Corlew, Miriam Brink, Polly March, Isaac Oliver, Amanda. Akeman, Caleb Davis, R. J. and Elizabeth Wade and about thirty others. The first church building, a frame, was built in 1860. The building committee was Wm. Evans, David Prowell, Sr., and Samuel - Copher. It was remodeled in 1881. The total cost of the building was about $1,200. It was dedicated June 26,, 1860, by Elder John O. White. The pastors of this church have been Elder White, Ste- phen A. Bush, Hockensmith, J. T. Burnham, the latter the present pastor. Elders Bedford, Chrisman, Cake and Hoffman have labored in the church at different times and to them, in part, belongs the honor of the upbuilding of the church to its present proportions. The number of members on the roll is about 150.

AMMON.

About three miles northwest of Dripping Spring is a country vil- lage called Ammon. A steam saw-mill was the principal impetus to. the growth of this hamlet, which contains some twelve or fifteen houses. A vast amount of lumber was manufactured at these mills and shipped to all .parts of the country. Since the removal of the mill, a few years ago, the place has ceased to be a point of interest and impor- tance to the community in which it is situated.

GERMANTOWN.

Old Germantown, situated in section 5, township 49, range 13, was

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laid off in 1858, by Schultz & Fretter, two enterprising Germans. They erected a large, substantial store building which they filled from cellar to garret with all kinds of merchandise. In addition to the store they erected a large two-story warehouse. They bought all kinds of produce in exchange for goods and soon established a flour- ishing trade. "Boss " Forche kept a saloon and lunch house. There were some six or eight buildings in all, including a shoe shop. The town was burned during the war and was never rebuilt.

WOODLANDVILLE.

Woodlandville is situated in section 5, township 49, range 13, being the southwest portion of Perche township. It is in that region of country known as the Thrall's prairie district. There is but one store and a blacksmith shop. The post-office is kept at the store. A great deal of business is transacted by W. B. Campbell, proprietor of the store, who keeps a general assortment of dry goods, groceries and notions, and exchanges goods for produce.

INCIDENTS OF THE CIVIL WAR.

FIGHTS AND SKIRMISHES.

The desperate fight between George Todd's and John Thrailkill's Confederate guerrillas and Capt. McFadden's Federal train, in Gos- line's lane, September 23, 1864, is fully described in the general his- tory.

The fight between Capt. Cook's Ninth M. S. M. and Jim Carter's. bushwhackers in February, 1865, is also noted elsewhere. It may be added that after the fight and dispersion of the bushwhackers, one of them made his way to the house of a lady in " Blackfoot," and by her was put to bed, arrayed in a white garment and passed off upon a troop of pursuing militia as the lady's sister, whom it would be cruel to disturb, as " her " baby was but three days old !

The fight at Dripping Spring between the Federals and Holtzclaw's, Frost's and Todd's commands, September 16, 1864, is also narrated elsewhere. During the fight a Federal soldier named James Canada, belonging to Company H, Seventeenth Illinois cavalry, accidentally shot himself while in Col. Garnett Duncan's watermelon patch. The shot proved fatal.

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KILLING OF MR. DRAKE.

About the 1st of September, 1864, a man named Drake, who had recently come into the township from Sullivan county, was shot from the bush as he was passing along the road. Eight buckshot entered his body. The bushwhackers who did the deed gave information at a- house near by that the dead body might be cared for.

GUERRILLA DIABOLISM.

In 1864 some guerrillas killed a Federal soldier in the " Blackfoot " country, cut off his head, passed a piece of bark through the mouth and throat and tied it to one of the saddles. The guerrillas rode for - some time thus bearing their horrible trophy, but at last grew tired of it and threw it away by the roadside. Dr. Davis, of Sturgeon,. now has the skull in his possession.

KILLING OF WILLIAM RUMANS.

In the fall of 1864 Major Jacob Pugh, of the Fiftieth regiment,. Enrolled Missouri militia, from Knox county, Missouri, made a raid through Boone county. On coming in sight of the residence of Wil- liam Rumans, who lived in the neighborhood of Dripping Spring, three bushwhackers, Mat. Evans, Sam Rowland and Abe Rumans, the latter a son of William Rumans, were seen to hurriedly leave the place. The Federals pursued them and shot Rowland through the body, but he escaped and afterwards recovered. The Federals re- turned and burned Rumans' house, and, placing him upon an old, jaded horse, started in the direction of Columbia. The horse soon gave out, and Rumans was made to run in front of his captors, who. spurred their horses on to him, wounding his feet and legs with the- shod hoofs of their horses. On reaching a point about four miles north of Columbia Rumans gave out and was shot to death by his- captors. In connection with this incident it is worthy of note that Maj. Pugh was afterwards dishonorably discharged from the Federal service. Joseph Graves, of Perche township, was also killed by this- command about the same time, and under circumstances not less re- volting to humanity and justice.

TWO MEN HUNG.

In the fall of 1864 two Federal soldiers, disguised as Confederates, came to the house of Silas Davenport. There happened to be five

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armed " rebels " at the house when they came in. The Federals were taken into the woods and hung. The men who committed this act . are said to have been a portion of Capt. Farley's command.

SHOOTING OF . BATEY.

In 1863 a scouting party captured a half-witted Englishman named Batey, at Kincaid's mill. He was armed, and frankly admitted that he had been with the "rebels." His associations had been such that he knew nothing of the war save what he had seen and heard of it in his own neighborhood, and had been led into the struggle wholly from a. sense of duty. Without the least investigation he was shot dead.

DIMMITT'S FIGHT WITH GUERRILLAS.

In the early part of 1865 four men, supposed to be bushwhackers, visited the house of Mr. William Dimmitt, who lives near Everett, for the purpose of robbing him, as he was known to have received a sum of money the day before in payment of some corn sold by him. The robbers came at night, and, being refused admittance, broke the door down with a rail taken from the fence. Mr. Dimmitt, being a man of courage, resolved not to submit to the demands of the thieves without resistance. After breaking down the door one of the robbers entered the room, firing as he advanced. Dimmitt returned the fire, wounding one of the robbers in the side. Another of the party was wounded in the head by a pistol shot fired from a comrade's pistol. The firing was sharp on both sides, but without fatal results to any one. A member of Mr. Dimmitt's family was slightly wounded in the melee, but he came out of the fight without a scratch, saving his money and vanquishing the enemy, though out-numbered four to one. The parties making the raid were unknown to Mr. Dimmitt, but the motive for making the assault was quite evident.

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History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 104

Author: Publication date: 1882 Publisher: St. Louis, Western Historical Company Number of Pages: 1220

Author:
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: St. Louis, Western Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1220