USA > Missouri > Buchanan County > St Joseph > History of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, Mo. : from the time of the Platte purchase to the end of the year 1915 biographical sketches of noted citizens, living and dead > Part 2
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Sterling Price presided over the convention. Buchanan County was represented by ex-Governor Stewart, ex-Congressman Willard P. Hall and Robert W. Donnell. Secession was defeated, the con- vention declaring that there was "no adequate cause to compel Missouri to dissolve the connection with the federal Union." The convention perpetuated itself, after a session of twenty-three days, by adjourning subject to the call of the executive committee.
A measure making provision for arming the state militia was defeated in the legislature, and that body adjourned without making arrangements for war. In fact, neither war nor armed neutrality were desired by the people.
When Fort Sumter fell, on April 13, 1861, President Lincoln called for 75,000 troops. In response to a requisition for four regi- ments, Governor Jackson replied that Missouri would not furnish a man to "carry on an unholy crusade upon the seceded states."
In the meantime Captain Nathaniel Lyon and Francis P. Blair were preparing for trouble at St. Louis. Captain Lyon, a West Point graduate, had enlisted and drilled five regiments and armed
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them from the St. Louis arsenal. General Frost, who had returned with 700 state troops from the Kansas troubles, was quartered at the edge of St. Louis, in Camp Jackson.
When the call for troops came Lyon and Blair were to a con- siderable extent prepared for business. Under a special order from the Secretary of War to enroll ten thousand loyal citizens of St. Louis and vicinity, five new regiments were formed, known as the "Home Guards." The first five regiments were known as Missouri Volunteers. Of the ten regiments, nine were made up largely of German-Americans.
There was a government arsenal about four miles south of Liberty, in Clay County. It was in charge of Major Nathaniel Grant and two other men and contained about 11,000 pounds of powder, about 1,500 guns and twenty or thirty small cannon. On April 20, 1861, two hundred men, under Colonel H. L. Routt, most of them from Clay and Jackson counties, quietly took possession of this arsenal, without interruption. The guns and ammunition were removed, some of the supplies being brought to St. Joseph and ulti- mately reaching the Confederate army. General Lyon drove through Camp Jackson, disguised in female attire, and convinced himself that some of the supplies had been brought there. He had been hoping for an opportunity to break up General Frost's com- mand, and lost no time in setting about his work.
Camp Jackson was attacked on May 10th, and General Frost surrendered without a struggle. It was a case of 700 to 7,000, and he did the best he could. General Lyon's troops were frightened by a mob of citizens while returning with their prisoners, and fired several volleys into the crowd, leaving some forty people dead and wounded in the streets.
General Harney, who was in command at St. Louis, justified the attack upon Camp Jackson, but many people disagreed with him, and the breach between the Union and Secession classes was at once widened. Among those who differed with General Harney was General Price, who now offered his services to Governor Jack- son for what he declared to be in defense of the state, and he was at once appointed major-general of the Missouri state guards.
On June 11, 1861, Governor Jackson and General Lyon met in a conference at St. Louis to agree, if possible, upon a plan for the restoration of order. No agreement was reached, however, after five hours, and General Lyon, who was an impetuous man, suddenly broke up the conference and gave the governor an hour to get ready to be conducted out of his lines.
General Jackson hastened to Jefferson City and issued a proc- lamation, calling for fifty thousand volunteers "for the purpose of repelling the attack that has been made on the state, and for the protection of the lives, liberties and property of her citizens." On the following day he and General Price, together with the state officers and state papers, left for Boonville.
Here the first battle of the rebellion in Missouri was fought, on June 17, 1861, between the forces of General Lyon and Colonel John.
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S. Marmaduke, resulting in a victory for Lyon. Marmaduke had two killed and five wounded, while Lyon's loss was two killed and nine wounded.
Jackson retreated southward with an army of 7,000 men, so poorly organized and wretchedly equipped that it was little better than a mob. At Carthage General Sigel was encountered, with a loss to Jackson of ten killed and sixty-one wounded, and to Sigel of thirteen killed and thirty-one wounded; but Jackson carried the day and Sigel retreated to Sarcoxie.
Governor Jackson went to Memphis and induced Governor Polk to send General Pillow with 6,000 men to Missouri, but General Fre- mont checked this invasion at Bird's Point, on the Mississippi. It was planned that Pillow should co-operate with General Jeff Thompson, who had gone from St. Joseph.
However, Price received aid from McCulloch and Pearce, who were stationed in the Indian Territory. On August 10, 1861, was fought the terrific battle of Wilson's Creek. Lyon was at Spring- field and Price and McCulloch were pressing him. He felt that his only chance was to turn and fight. The armies met nine miles southeast of Springfield. A hill that rises from the ford of Wilson's Creek was the scene of action, and this has since been known as "Bloody Hill." Of the 5,400 Union men who took part in the fight 1,317 officers and men were killed, wounded or missing. General Lyon was killed, and every Union brigadier-general and colonel engaged on Bloody Hill was either killed or wounded, and the de- feated Union forces were led off by a major. The total loss to the Confederate and state troops was 1,230 killed, wounded and missing.
Price pleaded with McCulloch to follow up the attack. but McCulloch argued that he was a Confederate officer, in command of a Confederate army ; that he had been stationed in Arkansas to defend the Indian Territory ; that it was his duty to defend, not to attack; that he had aided in repelling General Lyon because Lyon was about to invade the Indian Territory ; that having done this, his mission was ended. Price was unable to alone follow the retreating troops, and before he could undertake it the Union army had increased to many times larger than his own.
CHAPTER IV.
SECOND SESSION OF THE CONVENTION .- HAMILTON R. GAMBLE MADE GOVERNOR, WILLIARD P. HALL, SR., LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR, AND MORDECAI OLIVER SECRETARY OF STATE .- BATTLE OF LEXINGTON .- GOVERNOR JACKSON CONVENES THE LEGISLATURE AT NEOSHO .- SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES TO THE CONFEDERATE STATES CONGRESS .- BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE .- PRICE'S RAID .- LAWRENCE MAS- SACRE AND ORDER NO. 11 .- McNEILL AT PALMYRA AND ANDERSON AT CENTRALIA.
The convention which had met at St. Louis in March and adjourned subject to call, met at Jefferson City on July 22, 1861. General Robert Wilson of Andrew County, who at that time lived on his farm at "Jimtown," three miles northeast of St. Joseph. was elected president in the place of Sterling Price. The convention declared the offices of governor, lieutenant-governor and secretary of state vacant, and selected Hamilton R. Gamble of St. Louis to succeed Governor Jackson. Willard P. Hall of St. Joseph was elected to succeed Lieutenant-Governor Reynolds, and Mordecai Oliver of Springfield was appointed secretary of state. The con- vention also declared vacant the seats in the legislature, and for seventeen months it exercised the duties of the general assembly.
The next battle of importance in Missouri was fought at Lex- ington, where Price besieged General James Mulligan, commanding three thousand men, one-half from Missouri and the other half comprising the "Irish Brigade" of Chicago. After fifty-two hours, Mulligan surrendered.
Governor Jackson issued a proclamation at New Madrid de- claring the independence of Missouri. He also issued a call for the general assembly to meet October 1, 1861, at Neosho. The legisla- ture, or a part of it, at least, met and declared that Missouri had withdrawn from the Union. John B. Clark, Sr., and R. L. Y. Pey- ton were elected senators to the Confederate States senate. Senator Peyton was succeeded by George G. Vest. Eight members of the lower house were also elected. The Confederate Congress, which met at Richmond, Va., recognized these proceedings and admitted Missouri to the Confederacy. But the United States Congress rec- ognized the convention in all future dealings, and thus Missouri remained a Union state.
Governor Jackson went south after this and died at Little Rock, December 6, 1862. Thomas C. Reynolds, his lieutenant-gov- ernor, continued to act, however, in dispute of the right of Gov- ernor Gamble, until the election of Governor Fletcher in 1864. But
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he was governor in name only. He was killed by falling through an elevator shaft at St. Louis, March 30, 1887.
The next important battle in which Missouri figured was at Pea Ridge, in Arkansas, about thirty miles from Cassville, Mo. Price, McCulloch and Pike had a combined force of 20,000 men, who were placed under the command of General Van Dorn. The Federal forces were under Curtis. It was a desperate battle, skill- fully fought on both sides, and continued for three days. Victory finally fell to the Federals. Over thirteen hundred men were killed or wounded on either side. Generals McCulloch, McIntosh and Slack fell, and Price was wounded. After this engagement, which opened early in the morning, March 16, 1862, and closed on March 19, Price, with about 5,000 state troops, joined the Confederacy and his command was transferred to the east side of the Mississippi.
The slaughter of ten innocent men by General John H. McNeill at Palmyra on October 8, 1862, is classed as one of the horrors of the civil war. Some of the troops of Colonel Porter, a Secessionist marauder, had captured one Andrew Allsman, a disabled Union soldier, and doubtless put him to death. McNeill notified Porter that if Allsman was not safely returned in ten days he (McNeill) would put to death ten citizens of that section whom he held in cap- tivity at Palmyra upon the suspicion that they were in sympathy with the South. Allsman was not returned and, at the end of ten days, McNeill fulfilled his threat. The ten victims, some of whom were connected with the best families of the community, were taken from the Palmyra prison and placed in wagons, each man sitting upon his coffin. Half a mile east of town they were shot, each victim kneeling beside his coffin.
It is not within the scope of this brief history to present the details of the numerous clashes at arms during the war period ; however, some mention of the sacking of Lawrence and General Ewing's consequent "Order No. 11" should be made. But a short digression is necessary.
The border troubles that arose over the Kansas question are well remembered by older people who lived in Platte and Buchanan counties before the war. Both the North and South wished to be triumphant in Kansas, and the Missourians who desired that Kan- sas be admitted as a slave-holding state took an active part in regu- lating the affairs of the neighboring territory. In order to carry the state for abolition, Massachusetts sent out men under the aus- pices of "Emigration Aid Companies," "Kansas Societies," and the like. These men brought more guns and powder than agricultural implements. Missouri formed "Blue Lodges," to counteract the Massachusetts companies.
In 1855 the pro-slavery party elected the territorial legislature in Kansas, and it was charged that 5,000 Missourians had crossed the border from Buchanan, Platte, Jackson and Cass counties. and voted. As a counter charge, the pro-slavery people claimed that a company of immigrants had voted at Lawrence on the day of their arrival. The election of six pro-slavery candidates was contested
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and sustained by the territorial governor, who gave certificates to the anti-slavery candidates.
But the anti-slavery men were still dissatisfied. They refused to acknowledge the authority of the legislature or to obey its laws. Active troubles now began, and the contending factions soon learned to rob each other, burn each other's houses, and destroy property. The inhabitants of Missouri border counties now began to suffer severely also.
John Brown of Osawatomie instigated raids and headed some of them himself. In one of these raids, made in December of 1858, he carried off eleven slaves. The general assembly of Missouri appropriated $30,000 to be used by Governor Stewart as he thought best. He offered $3,000 as a reward for John Brown, all of whose raids into Missouri were marked with blood.
The efforts put forth by the legislature, the governors of Mis- souri and Kansas, and the United States army, partially quieted the "Jayhawkers," as these marauders were called, for two years, but in 1860 they broke out afresh, under the leadership of a des- perado named James Montgomery. Governor Stewart sent General Frost with 7,000 men to the border, but General Harney of the United States army had preceded him.
Historians declare that. the depredations of the "Jayhawkers" and other raids of Kansas troops and freebooters into Missouri led to the destruction of Lawrence by Quantrell and his band of guer- rillas on August 21, 1863. Stores, banks, hotels and dwellings were sacked and burned, and one hundred and eighty-three men, women and children were killed. It was a most cruel and inhuman deed, even in warfare.
General Ewing, stationed at Kansas City, issued Order No. 11 on August 25, four days after the massacre. All persons then living in Jackson, Cass and Bates counties, except those dwelling in the principal towns, were ordered to remove from their places of abode within fifteen days. Those who could show that they were loyal were permitted to remove to the military stations or to Kan- sas. All others were to remove entirely out of these counties. Their grain and hay were to be taken to the nearest military sta- tion, where the owners were to be granted certificates showing their value, and all produce not so delivered was to be destroyed. The whole district soon presented a scene of desolation. In 1866, when the inhabitants returned, they found their homes destroyed by fire, with nothing left but the blackened chimneys. Thus did General Ewing square up accounts for the sacking of Lawrence.
That Missouri was the scene of much bloodshed during the war is easily proven by the fact that 450 battles and skirmishes were fought from the time of the capture of Liberty Arsenal until . the end of the great struggle. It is estimated that Missouri fur- nished to Governor Jackson and the Confederate service about 40,000 men. The number of Union enlistments reaches nearly 110,000, of which number about 8,000 were negroes.
That feature of the war in Missouri known as Price's raid began in September of 1864. Price entered Southeastern Missouri
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with a large force and was making for Jefferson City, where the Union forces from every part of the state were rapidly concentrated to defend the capital. Price evaded Jefferson City, upon informa- tion of the formidable resistance to be made there, and moved toward Boonville and Lexington, hotly pursued by Generals A. J. Smith and Pleasanton. At Independence he was defeated by Pleas- anton and retreated to Arkansas.
The Centralia massacre, which also lives in history as a war horror, occurred on September 27, 1864. Bill Anderson, a notorious guerilla and a band of two hundred cut-throats, surrounded a train aboard which were some twenty-five Federal soldiers who were on furlough and unarmed. Anderson's men opened fire and the soldiers made desperate efforts to escape, leaving the cars and running, only to be shot down. Some sought protection under the depot platform, others in outhouses and barns, but the ferocious guerillas permitted none to escape. On the same day, in a battle between Major John- son's forces and Anderson's band, sixty-eight of Johnson's men were killed. Johnson's forces scattered and were pursued, seventy more being killed by the guerillas before these terrors ended their bloody work. A month later Anderson was killed in Ray County.
CHAPTER V.
LAST SESSION OF THE CONVENTION .- DEATH OF GOV- ERNOR GAMBLE .- WILLARD P. HALL AS GOVERNOR. THOMAS C. FLETCHER AS GOVERNOR .- THE DRAKE CONSTITUTION AND TEST OATH .- GOVERNOR Mc- CLURG .- THE LIBERAL REPUBLICANS .- B. GRATZ BROWN FOR GOVERNOR .- REPEAL OF THE TEST OATH .- GOVERNORS WOODSON AND HARDIN .- THE NEW CONSTITUTION .- GOVERNORS PHELPS, CRIT- TENDEN, MARMADUKE, MOREHOUSE, FRANCIS, STONE AND STEPHENS.
The famous "convention of '61" met for the last time in June f 1863, and among other work, passed an ordinance providing for the emancipation of slaves after July 4, 1870. This was accom- lished earlier, however, by another method, as will be seen below. The convention adjourned sine die on July 1, 1863.
Governor Gamble died on January 21, 1864, and Lieutenant- Governor Hall of St. Joseph became governor and served about one ear, when he yielded to Thomas C. Fletcher, the first Republican governor elected in Missouri, who had received 71, 531 votes, over Thomas L. Price, Democrat. Mr. Fletcher was born in Jefferson County, Mo., January 22, 1827, and was serving as brigadier- eneral under Sherman in Georgia when elected. At the same ime Francis Rodman of St. Joseph was elected secretary of state. Ie served six years.
At the election of 1864 the people had voted for a convention to mend the constitution, and sixty-six delegates were elected. These elegates met in the Merchants' Library Hall at St. Louis in Janu- ry of 1865, and adopted what is known in history as the "Drake Constitution," from the fact that Charles D. Drake was the leading pirit in the convention and practically the author of the law.
This convention, on January 11, 1865, passed an ordinance bolishing slavery. Governor Fletcher did not wait to have this atified, but on the following day issued a proclamation that "hence- orth and forever no person shall be subject to any abridgement of berty, except such as the law shall prescribe for the common ood, or know any master but God." Buchanan County was not irectly represented in this convention. Each senatorial district as entitled to two representatives. This county was then in the welfth senatorial district, composed of Buchanan, De Kalb, Gen- y and Worth counties. Dr. L. H. Weatherby, of De Kalb, and li Smith, of Worth County, represented the district in the con- ention.
The Drake constitution soon became odious because of the
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test oath, which declared that no person should vote or hold off who had "ever" engaged in hostilities or given aid, comfort, cou tenance or support to persons engaged in hostilities against t government of the United States," etc. By this oath one-half of t people were prevented from voting until 1872, and many mc doubtless would have been had they told the truth.
In 1868 Joseph McClurg of Camden County, Republican, ( feated John S. Phelps of Springfield, Democrat, for governor, 19,000, out of a total vote of 145,000. E. O. Stannard of St. Lol was elected lieutenant-governor. Under the Drake constitution t term of office of the governor was two years.
In 1870 an effort was made to have a new constitution. T Republican party was divided upon the subject into "Liberal" af "Radical" factions. The liberal element believed in repealing t test oath, and the radicals declared for its perpetuation. The latt nominated Governor McClurg for re-election. The liberals wit drew from the convention and nominated B. Gratz Brown of Louis, who was elected by 41,000 majority. The people voted repeal the test oath by a majority of 111.000. At the same time t Liberal Republicans and Democrats obtained control of the legisla ture. As soon as possible all obnoxious laws were repealed and disabilities removed, as a result of which the vote in 1872 w. 112,276 greater than in 1870.
When confidence had been restored an era of prosperity fo lowed, and on every side the people began to efface the traces of t war. The Liberal Republican movement, which began in 187 continued until 1874. In 1872 the Liberal Republicans and Dem crats met in convention at Jefferson City. The Democrats non nated Silas Woodson of St. Joseph for governor; also candidat for treasurer, attorney-general and auditor and eight of the pres dential electors. The Liberals nominated Charles P. Johnson of S Louis for lieutenant-governor, candidates for secretary of stat register of the land office and seven presidential electors. Th ticket was elected and the entire electoral vote cast for Greeley al Brown. The regular Republicans had nominated John B. Hende son for governor.
In 1874 the Democrats nominated Charles H. Hardin Audrain County for governor and Norman J. Colman of St. Lou for lieutenant-governor. The Republicans did not make any non- inations, but William Gentry of Pettis County was nominated H the People's party, which had grown out of the Granger movemen This party was organized on the basis that nearly all of the fina cial troubles that followed the crash of 1873 were due to bad legi. lation, and its mission was to unite farmers, laborers and mechan ics in an attempt to repeal all bad laws and make good ones. Bi Governor Woodson's administration had forestalled the Grange by passing the desired laws and cutting down expenses. Governo Hardin was elected by a majority of 37,463.
At the same election the people voted for a constitutional com vention. James C. Roberts was elected to represent Buchana
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County in this convention, which met at the Capitol May 15, 1875. The new constitution went into operation on January 1, 1876. By this constitution the terms of the governor and nearly all of the state officers and many of the county officers were lengthened to four years.
. In 1876 John S. Phelps of Springfield and Henry C. Brock- neyer of St. Louis were elected governor and lieutenant-governor by 50,000 majority over G. A. Finkelnburg of St. Louis. At the same time Colonel Elijah Gates of St. Joseph was elected state reasurer.
In 1880 Thomas T. Crittenden, Democrat, of Warrensburg, was ·lected governor, over D. P. Dyer of St. Louis, Republican. Robert 4. Campbell of St. Louis was elected lieutenant-governor. Under the last Cleveland administration ex-Governor Crittenden was con- sul-general at the City of Mexico. It was during his administration hat the James and Younger bandits, who had made Western Mis- ouri infamous for some years, were broken up, Jesse James being killed in St. Joseph by Bob and Charley Ford, who were soon after- zard pardoned by the governor.
In 1884 John S. Marmaduke of St. Louis, Democrat, was ected governor, and Albert P. Morehouse of Maryville was elected utenant-governor. The Republicans nominated ex-Congressman Icholas Ford, who at that time lived in Andrew County. During overnor Marmaduke's administration St. Joseph became a city of le second class, and he appointed the first local board of police mmissioners.
Governor Marmaduke died on December 28, 1887, and Lieu- enant-Governor Morehouse served the unexpired term. Ex-Gov- ernor Morehouse committed suicide at his home in Maryville Sep- :ember 31, 1891.
In 1888 David R. Francis, Democrat, of St. Louis was elected sjover E. E. Kimball of Nevada. Stephen Claycomb of Jasper County was elected lieutenant-governor. William J. Stone, Democrat, of te Nevada, was elected governor in 1892, over Major William Warner of Kansas City, Republican. John B. O'Meara of St. Louis was elected lieutenant-governor. Lon V. Stephens of Boonville, the selected lieutenant-governor. Lon V. Stephens of Boonville, who had been state treasurer under Governors Francis and Stone, was gelected governor in 1896, over Robert E. Lewis of Henry County. August H. Bolte of Franklin County was elected lieutenant-gov- mernor. Alexander M. Dockery was elected governor in 1900 ; Joseph bW. Folk in 1904; Herbert S. Hadley in 1908, and Elliott W. Major min 1912.
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CHAPTER VI.
MISSOURI'S REPRESENTATIVES IN THE UNITED STATE SENATE FROM BENTON AND BARTON TO THE PRES ENT .- FIRST MEMBERS OF THE LOWER HOUSE O CONGRESS .- MEMBERS WHO HAVE REPRESENTE THE DISTRICT TO WHICH BUCHANAN COUNTY WA ATTACHED FROM HALL (1846) TO COCHRAN (1898) . STATE SENATORS FROM VARIOUS DISTRICTS T WHICH BUCHANAN COUNTY HAS BEEN ATTACHE SINCE 1840 .- BUCHANAN COUNTY'S REPRESENTA TIVES IN THE LEGISLATURE FROM 1840 TO TH PRESENT TIME.
The first two men to represent Missouri in the United State senate were David Barton of Howard County, who served 1820-3 and Thomas H. Benton of St. Louis, who served 1820-51. The were elected by the legislature, which met in its first session at S Louis in September of 1820, but were not permitted to take the seats until 1821, because the state was not yet formally admitte into the Union.
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