History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 108

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

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The wagon and horses, guns and ammunition, all fell into the hands of the bushwhackers. They carried the wagon a short distance back, and burned it, together with fourteen of the guns. They retained the horses. Both horses and wagon belonged to Judge Vanhorn, of Co- lumbia. After leaving the wagon, the escort came on to Columbia. There were too few soldiers there to make any attempt at pursuit. The affair occasioned considerable excitement.

The wounded soldiers eventually recovered. Conrad, after falling from his horse, eluded the bushwhackers and reached the house of Mr. Spence, some three miles distant, and was brought in in a car- riage. Harris, though more severely wounded, rode the whole dis- tance in with the escort.

SKIRMISH WITH BUSHWHACKERS.

September 7, 1864, a Federal scout from Columbia, under Lieut. S. W. Hopkins, of Company F, Third M. S. M., came upon about a dozen bushwhackers in the timber, in the southwestern part of the township, about eight miles north of Columbia, and a brisk little skirmish ensued. The bushwhackers were soon routed. The Feder- als captured four horses, some shot guns, and some clothing. Two

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bushwhackers and one Federal were wounded. The bushwhackers were supposed to have been commanded by Jim ( or Tom) Carter.

ATTEMPT TO ARREST JOHN WEST BY SHERIFF BAKER - LIEUT. WILLIAM M' CLINTOCK SHOT - WEST ESCAPES.

Indictments for murder having been found by the grand jury of Audrain county against John West, a notorious desperado and bush- whacker, an attempt was made by John F. Baker, sheriff of Boone county, and a posse of four men, to arrest him at James Chiles's, his father-in-law, eight miles north of Columbia, about the 1st of Octo- ber, 1865. The sheriff's posse consisted of Lieut. Wm. McClintock, of Mexico, James A. Rogers, James Shanks and Henry Bryan. They arrived at Chiles's after bed-time, dismounted, disposed of themselves very judiciously to effect the arrest, the sheriff being the first to ap- proach the house. To omit details - Mr. Baker aroused the occu- pants, became certain that West was there, when Lieut. McClintock and others came to the house, whereupon West with a shot gun, through a crack in the wall, shot Lieut. McClintock in the abdomen, very badly wounding him. From another " port hole " on the other side of the house, another shot was discharged, inflicting a slight wound in the pantaloons of Mr. Bryan. The dangerous wound in- flicted on Lieut. McClintock and the confusion which ensued afforded West an opportunity to escape, and he was soon at large.

NOTED TRAGEDIES - KILLING OF PETER EVANS BY DR. KEENE, AND KILLING OF DR. KEENE BY DR. AUSTIN.

In December, 1869, Dr. Thos. H. Keene, a practicing physician of Hallsville, shot and killed one Peter Evans. The affair was the cul- mination of a bitter feud between the parties, and there were two opinions as to the justification of the killing. The cause and origin of the trouble need not be stated in this history. Evans was killed in Hallsville. Dr. Keene was arrested and tried on preliminary examina- tion before Justices R. J. Smith and Lewis G. Berry, the trial lasting eight days, when he was held to bail in the sum of $8,000, for his appearance at the March term of the circuit court, 1870.

At that term, and on an indictment for murder in the first degree, Dr. Keene was found guilty of a lesser offence and sentenced to six- teen years' imprisonment in the penitentiary. His counsel appealed his case to the district court and he was released on $15,000 bail. While the case was pending in the district court, the court was abol-

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ished by an amendment to the constitution adopted by a vote of the people. Proper steps not having been taken, after the abolition of the district court, to get his case into the supreme court, on Wednes- day, February 21, 1872, Keene was arrested on a warrant issued by the Boone circuit court, and the Friday following the verdict of the. jury was confirmed, and on Wednesday, February 28, 1872, he was sent to the penitentiary. At the July term, 1872, of the supreme. court his case was remanded to the Boone circuit court for a trial de novo, and on Monday, August 19, 1872, Keene was taken out of the- penitentiary, and admitted to bail in the sum of $6,000, to appear at the next succeeding term of the circuit court. At the October term,. 1872 ; also at the February, June and October terms, 1873, the case was continued by the defendant ; and at the February term, 1874, a change of venue was granted to Pike county, where, in September,. 1875, he was tried and acquitted.

August 29, 1876, Dr. Keene was shot and killed by Dr. Benjamin. Austin, in front of his (Dr. K.'s) stable, in Hallsville, and near- where he had killed Peter Evans, seven years before. For some time previously the personal and professional relations of Drs. Keene and Austin had been of a very unfriendly character, to an extent that pre- cluded all personal intercourse between them. A few days before the. tragedy there was received at Hallsville, through the mails, and at other places in the county, an anonymous publication, in circular- letter form, very scandalous in its character, and very defamatory and abusive of Dr. Austin, both as a citizen and physician. No name was attached to the circular, though it was scarcely doubted that Dr .. Keene was not only the author of it, but that he had it printed - where, it is not known. This publication was thought to have been the immediate cause of the fatal encounter. The killing was done by Dr. Austin with a double-barrelled shot gun, about fifteen buckshot. taking effect in Keene's face and head and killing him instantly .. After the death of Keene, a young man by the name of Baker Batter -. ton, a son of Mr. Samuel Batterton, and who was living with Keene, came out of the stable, ran to where Keene was lying, got his pistol,. and commenced firing at Austin and at Mr. J. O. Pierce, a son-in-law of Mr. R. P. Waters, and a clerk in Jones's store. Neither shot took effect. The firing having ceased and the train for Columbia being about due, Dr. Austin left for Hickman station, about a half mile- distant, got on the train, came to Columbia, and surrendered himself to the officers of the law. He underwent a preliminary examination

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before Esq. T. B. Gentry, and was by that magistrate discharged. Esq. Gentry said : -

I find the case to be one of justifiable homicide. The dangerous and desperate character of the deceased, as proven, his known habit of going armed, his threats to take the life of Austin, his declaring that he would kill him even if he had to do it in ambush; and these things all being known to Austin - the threats having been communicated to him - living in the same neighborhood and liable to meet Austin at any time, I think gave him reason- able cause to apprehend a design on the part of Keene to do him some great bodily harm ; · and gave him reasonable cause to apprehend immediate and constant danger of such design being accomplished. The killing under such circumstances, even though Austin sought and advanced upon Keene, was done in the lawful defence of Austin's person.

Dr. Keene was a man of remarkable person, and experienced an eventful and remarkable career. With prominent features, a nose very long and quite thin, and thick, sandy-colored beard, that floated from his face and chin like a banner, he attracted attention wherever seen. He was born in Boone county in 1831. He was a man of un- controllable feelings and prejudices ; had many implacable enemies and strong friends, and was often involved in serious criminations and troubles. Dr. Benj. Austin has lived in Boone since 1860, having come to this county from Bath county, Kentucky, where he was born.

CHURCHES OF ROCKY FORK TOWNSHIP-RED TOP ( CHRISTIAN).

The Christian church at Red Top is one of the oldest churches in this part of Missouri. The germ or parent organization was founded October 5, 1822, with the following members : Elders - Wm. Rob- erts, Thos. W. McBride and Richard Cave. Deacons - Nathan Roberts and Isaac Davis. Members - Peter Stice, Richard Wainscott,. Richmond T. Roberts, James Roberts, Priscilla Roberts, Sally Davis, Nancy Wainscott, Charlotte Caldwell, Charlotte Stice, Mary Turner. This organization was before the formation of the Christian or Disci- ples church. The members took for a guide and were ruled by the Bible, and by the Bible alone. They subscribed to no creed or con- fession of faith. They recognized the elders of the church as pastors, and to them all questions of difference were referred. Afterwards the organization was merged into the Christian church.

The first church building used by this congregation was a log house, built in 1822. The present house of worship was built in 1867, at a cost of about $3,200. It is a frame, and stands on section 15, town-' ship 50, range 12. John O. White did the first preaching therein.

The pastors of the church have been Thos. McBride, Richmond T. Roberts, Joel Hayden, Richard Cave, Thos. M. Allen, M. Wills, Wm. White, Thomas Thompson, Elder Davis, Elijah Chrisman, John T.

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McCune, T. J. Marlow, M. M. Davis, Joel A. Heddington, and others. The present preachers are L. L. Norton and Elijah Chrisman. The number of members is very large - 330.

PLEASANT GROVE -MISSIONARY BAPTIST.

This church was constituted April 18, 1853, by Elder Wm. Thomp- son. The first members were Wm. James, Margaret James, Isabella P. James, Wm. K. Sturgeon, Margaret Sturgeon, James M. Wilhite, Sarah W. Wilhite, Pleasant Bush, Edward Silver, George W. Silver, Thos. J. Jennings. The present church building was erected in 1855, the members performing nearly all the necessary work. It is a frame, and stands on the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of sec- tion 3, township 50, range 11. It was dedicated in 1855 by Rev. W. R. Wigginton. The pastors of the church have been Wm. Thomp- son, W. R. Wigginton, Pleasant Gentry, James Jackson, J. M. McGuire - the latter the present pastor. The clerk is M. A. Silver ; deacons, Geo. W. Silver, Shelton Quisenberry and R. P. Waters. Present number of members, about 85.

FRIENDSHIP CHURCH ( CHRISTIAN ).

An old organization of this church was effected in 1837, one mile south of the present church building, with nine members, all of whom are now dead but one - Mrs. Sophia Hoffman. . It was disorganized in 1876, the members going into other organizations. The present church was formed in 1878. The original members were John W. Ridgeway, wife and daughter; W. Hulett, wife and two daughters ; Wm. Pigg, wife and son; James Noe and wife; Wm. Goslin and wife ; Maria Turner and son ; Cyrus Turner and wife ; James A. Ste- venson, wife and son ; Harrison Croswhite and wife; Edmond Brat- ton and wife ; Marcus Palmer, wife, son and daughter ; John Williams and wife ; John S. Hoffman and Mary Crump. Elder Wm. Mason had charge of the work of organization. The church building was erected in 1878, at a cost of $950. It is a frame, and stands on the southwest quarter of section 20, township 50, range 12, on a portion of what is known as the Bratton farm. The first sermon preached in it was by Joel Heddington, in October, 1878. Among the pastors have been Elders Mason, Heddington, Cave, Burton, Roselle, Burnam, and Elijah Chrisman. The latter preaches once a month, although he is seventy-nine years of age. The present membership is 83. James A. Stevenson, John W. Ridgeway and Josiah Jones are the elders, and

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Willis Robinson and Cyrus Turner are the deacons. The congregation meets for worship every Lord's day.

GILEAD ( REGULAR BAPTIST ) CHURCH.

It is located on the southwest quarter of section 12, township 50,. range 12, in Rocky Fork township. Rev. James T. Barnes organized the church in 1832, and became its first pastor. The first members of this flock were Thomas Turner and wife, Taylor Hulen and wife, John Davenport and wife, James Williams and wife, Macon Purcell and wife, Thomas Owens and wife, Thomas Croswhite and wife, James Croswhite and wife, and Elias Newman and wife. The first church edifice was a log structure, erected in 1832, and served the purpose of a meeting-house for the congregation for several years, having been built at the economic cost of $125. The present building was put up in 1876 at a cost of $1,200, and is a neat frame structure. It was dedicated the same year by Elder John Burnam. The following gen- tlemen have served the church as pastors since it was organized : Jas. Barnes, Thomas P. Stephens, Allen McGuire, Benjamin Jenkins, Peter Kemper, John Burnam, Edward Burnam, Ben. Owens, James Atkin- son, Berry Wren and W. H. Powell, the present pastor. The present membership is about forty souls.

An incident connected with the labors of " Uncle Jimmy " Barnes, in this township, will bear relating. At an early day he was baptizing a number of converts in Bear creek. There was a large crowd present to witness the ceremony. A number of young men crawled out on the limb of a sycamore tree that overhung the water, to get a good view of the proceedings. Suddenly the limb broke, and all of them were precipitated into the water and involuntarily immersed. The accident was laughable, even if the occasion was a serious one.

MT. ZION CHURCH - M. E. SOUTH.

This church is located on the south half of section 32, township 50, range 11. The first organization was in 1843, and some of the original members were John Reed, Sr., John Reed. Jr., Prudence Reed, Joseph Points, S. C. Points, Wilson Grady, M. A. Grady, R. A. Younger, Edith Younger, Thos. Karnes, Betsy Karnes, and A. J. Younger. The first church building, a frame, was built in 1848, and stood until it was burned by a detachment of the Third Iowa cavalry, under a Lieutenant Hartman, September 22, 1863. The same soldiers also burned, at the same visit, a number of dwelling houses

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in the neighborhood. Lieut. Hartman said that the reason he burned the church was because it had ceased to be a church and had. become a " bushwhackers' nest." Another account, said to have- been furnished by D. M. Finley, who claims to have been a sergeant of the Tenth Missouri State Militia, is to the effect that that regiment burned the church, but the reports of the adjutant-general of the State do not show that such a regiment ever existed. It was at this church where the battle between Gen. Prentiss's Federals and Col. Dorsey's Confederates took place, December 28, 1861, a full account of which engagement is to be found on other pages of this history. The present church was built in 1867 at a cost of $2,000, and dedi- cated by Rev. J. D. Vincil, in 1872. The first church was dedicated by A. Monroe, in 1848. The pastors of Mt. Zion church have been Anthony Seares, P. M. Pinkard, W. Toole, Wm. Sexton, Jesse Fau- bion, John F. Young, Preston Phillips, George Smith, Geo. Sexton, Wm. Sutton, Thos. DeMoss, Joseph Metcalf, Hiram Groves, D. H. Root, F. A. Savage, Wm. Rich, Walter Toole, and Robert White. The present membership is large for a country church, numbering 256. All of the original members of Mt. Zion are gone, except the follow -. ing : John Reed (from whom much of this information has been obtained ), S. C. Points, M. A. Grady and A. F. Younger and wife. 1

HICKORY GROVE CHURCH.

The Hickory Grove Christian church is located on the north side of the northwest quarter of section 2, township 49, range 11, just across the Callaway line, though its membership is sufficiently large from Boone county to warrant its being mentioned in this work. It was- organized in 1856, and the first members were John E. Chappell,. Daniel Mourning, John Gay, Sr., John D. Gay, Margaret Chrisman,. Curtis P. Gay, Catherine E. Gay, Parlee Chappell, John D. Bratton, Sr., Elijah E. Chrisman, Jane A. Chrisman, Laura F. Chrisman, Mary J. Gay, Ida Bratton, and Nancy Riggs.

The church building, a frame, was erected in 1857, at a cost of about $1,000. The first preacher was Rev. Elijah E. Chrisman, who was followed in turn by Thomas G. Marlow, E. C. Gill and E. B. Cake, the latter being the present pastor. The membership now numbers about twenty-five.

HALLSVILLE.

This town was named for Hon. John W. Hall, who kept a post-

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office near where the place was afterward laid out. The town was never platted. It was a cross-roads, where a store was built and a blacksmith shop started, and other houses were added from time to time until it reached its present proportions. The first store was kept by a man named Leach. When the railroad was built the town of Hickman was platted and a depot established half a mile south of Hallsville, but the new town has persistently refused to grow to this day. Hickman is the station where the Hallsville people take and leave the cars.

Hallsville contains five stores (two dry goods, one hardware, one drug, and one grocery and confectionery store ), one harness shop and two blacksmith shops. Population 65. There is a daily mail from the north and the south. W. W. Roberts, postmaster. There is no church or school house in the little village.

MASONIC LODGE - HALLSVILLE.

This lodge, number 336, A. F. and A. M., was instituted by W. W. Garth, of Columbia, the date of dispensation being October 11, 1877, and the charter bearing date of October 17, 1878. The charter members were W. F. Roberts, Enoch Hulen, W. T. Summers, John W. Parish, R. P. Roberts, T. T. S. Kemper, Thomas Barnes, Josiah Hall and W. W. Roberts. The first officers upon the organization of the lodge were Wm. F. Roberts, W. M .; Enoch Hulen, S. W .; W. T. Summers, J. W. ; John W. Parish, treasurer ; W. W. Rob- erts, secretary ; T. T. S. Kemper, S. D. ; Josiah Hall, J. D., and R. P. Roberts, tyler. The present officials are J. T. Henry, W. M .; R. P. Roberts, S. W .; W. H. Brink, J. W .; John A: Elkin, treasurer ; Josiah Hall, secretary ; W. F. Roberts, chaplain ; R. F. Hulett, S. D. ; Thomas Hulett, J. D. ; Isaac L. McCaslin, tyler ; J W. Horner and W. W. Roberts, stewards. None of these are as yet grand lodge officers. The membership at this time numbers about forty. The hall is a frame structure, built jointly by the Masons and Grangers, at a cost of about $500, each of these orders owning a one- half interest. It was commenced in 1876, and completed 1877. The lodge is in good working order, and peace and harmony prevail.

LEBANON.

The town of Lebanon was laid out on the southwest quarter of section 36, township 50, range 11, about 1836, by John W. McBride. He was the first post-master. There was a blacksmith shop and a

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family grocery in the place. The first lot sold in the town was bought. by a man named Hewlett. He paid $30 for it. He built a house on: the lot and afterwards sold out to John M. McGee. There is no. store or post-office kept there now, and the town is extinct.

BIOGRAPHIES.

ELDER JAMES BARNES.

Of the many brave, generous, self-sacrificing ministers who came at an early day to the frontier wilderness of Missouri, bringing the- glad tidings of salvation to sinful men, none were more loved and respected than Elder James Barnes, who was first in the presence and first in the hearts of the primitive settlers of Boone county. His was a three-fold mission. . He was a soldier of the cross, a soldier of war and a teacher. He was neither learned nor brilliant, but for the age in which he lived, and the field in which he toiled, he was well- fitted. The fruits of his labor survive him, and will remain through untold ages yet to come.

Elder Barnes was born in Madison county, Kentucky, September- 18, 1788. He made a profession of religion when but fifteen years. old, and was baptized and admitted a member of the Yates Creek church, the denomination being that of the Old School, or Regular Baptist. In the year 1800 Elder Barnes emigrated to Missouri, making Fort Hempstead the objective point of his journey. In this fort, which was situated in Howard county, he was afterwards married. He proved a useful member of the little band gathered for mutual protec- tion, within the four walls of this rude stockade. When assailed he- took his rifle and helped defend the fort. When the storm of battle was over, and the yell of the merciless savage no longer called the vigilant pioneers to the ramparts or the port-holes, Elder Barnes turned his attention to other, and more congenial, tasks. He preached and prayed with all the fervor of his ardent, God-fearing nature, for the salvation of those whom a special providence seemed to have placed. within reach of his warning voice. Another duty he found both leisure and opportunity for, and he discharged it faithfully. He became their temporal as well as spiritual teacher. His pupils were eager to acquire the rudiments of education, and thankful for this their first and, perhaps, only opportunity of learning to read.

The fertile valley of the Missouri soon attracted sufficient popula-

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tion to defend it against all threatened danger, and the forts, once the pride and hope of the pioneer, must henceforth remain only as so many relics of other and darker days. When once assured of safety, the pioneers left the forts and betook themselves to the choice lands of the surrounding country. Elder Barnes came to Boone county and was soon identified with all the best interests of the people, who showed their appreciation and gratitude by making him their sheriff. When the country became more densely populated and he found that he could well be spared from the temporal walks of life, he devoted all his time, thought and energy to his real calling, that of preaching the gospel. Being a man of much physical strength he was equal to all the hardships and trials incident to his ministerial labors, and never under the most trying circumstances did he falter or com- plain. He travelled a great deal, but always found a hearty welcome whenever he crossed the humble threshold of the pio- neer, be he Christian or infidel, Baptist or Methodist. They all knew and loved " Uncle Jimmy Barnes," and his " God bless you ! " when once heard was seldom forgotten. In his old age he narrowed his field of labor, and for many years seldom went beyond the limits of Rocky Fork, Perche and Bourbon townships. He organized many churches in an early day, old Gilead, in Rocky Fork township, being one among the number. While venerable and dignified in bearing, he yet possessed a jovial disposition, and was never so happy as when promoting the happiness of others. He lived to have his second eye- sight, but was blind when he died. He scarcely knew, from his own experience, what it was to be sick. When death came at last, it was painless. Like the orb of day, this noble life went down to us, only to rise on other shores. He died February 6, 1875, in the eighty- seventh year of his age.

DR. BENNETT H. CLARK, SR.

The subject of this sketch was born in Howard county, Missouri, May 25th, 1825. He is the son of Bennett H. and Susan H. Clark, the latter a daughter of Gen. Stephen Triggs, who came to Missouri about 1815. His parents were natives of Clark county, Kentucky, but were reared in Montgomery county, that State. Dr. Clark was raised on the farm, and acquired his education in Howard county, being placed in the Fayette High School at the age of seventeen, and remaining there till he finished his course. He began the study of medicine in Fayette under Dr. Charles R. Scott, in 1846, and read

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there about two years. He then went to the medical college at Louisville, Kentucky, and graduated there in 1849. Immediately on returning to Missouri, he began the practice at Fayette. The next year, however, (1850), he was borne off with the gold excitement, and went to California, where he spent a year. Returning to Missouri in 1851, he located at Buena Vista, and was there married in May, 1852, to Miss Elizabeth Winn, daughter of Charles H. and Eliza Winn. Mrs. Clark was born February 1st, 1837, on the farm where her father still resides. Subsequently she and Dr. C. moved to the farm where they now reside, at Middletown, in Rocky Fork township, and here the doctor practices medicine and operates the farm conjointly. Five out of seven children that were born to Mr. and Mrs. Clark still survive. One son, Bennett H., Jr., is a graduate of the medical department of the University, but is now settled on a farm in Boone county, as is also his brother. During the civil war, Dr. Clark enlisted in the Confederate army, in 1861, in the company commanded by Captain Hicks. He was in the battle of Boonville, under Gen. Marmaduke. In September, 1861, he was commissioned surgeon of the 6th regiment of infantry, Missouri State Guards, his regiment being in the third division commanded by his cousin, Gen. John B. Clark. In 1862 Dr. Clark was put into the regular. Confederate service and appointed assistant surgeon, and served for a time under Gen. Hindman in Arkansas. He was then sent to Gen. Price, in Missouri, and in 1864 was appointed regimental surgeon at Richmond, Virginia, and remained till the close of the war. He surrendered at Jacksonport, Arkansas, and returned to his farm, where he has ever since been engaged in the practice of his profession.

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History of Boone County, Missouri., Part 108

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