History of Caldwell and Livingston counties, Missouri, written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Caldwell and Livingston counties--their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens; general and local statistics of great value; incidents and reminiscences, Part 79

Author: Pease, Ora Merle Hawk, 1890-
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: St. Louis, National Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1260

USA > Missouri > Livingston County > History of Caldwell and Livingston counties, Missouri, written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Caldwell and Livingston counties--their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens; general and local statistics of great value; incidents and reminiscences > Part 79
USA > Missouri > Caldwell County > History of Caldwell and Livingston counties, Missouri, written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Caldwell and Livingston counties--their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens; general and local statistics of great value; incidents and reminiscences > Part 79

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In 1865, when the slaves were freed, the majority of them left their masters and mistresses and set about doing for themselves. Very many went to the cities and towns, preferring town life to rural life. Hundreds left the State, many going to Iowa and Illinois, where were plenty of anti-slavery people from whom they expected much sub- stantial sympathy and assistance - but they did not receive it. Num bers believed that not only were they to receive their freedom, but that in some way the Government was to compensate them for their term of servitude. A few are said to be yet looking for the " forty acres of land and a mule."

Slavery received its death blow when the Civil War began - so it turned out. As elsewhere stated numbers of slaves left their masters in 1862 and 1863. Even the slaves of Unionists ran away. When in 1865 by Legislative enactment and the adoption of the XIII. Amend- ment all slaves in this State were set free, there was a great deal of discontent in this county. Men declared rashly that they would not rent a negro a foot of land, or render him any sort of aid in his efforts to make a living, but in time this feeling passed away, the situation was accepted, and now there is but the merest handful of persons who would re-establish slavery if they had the power.

THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN OF 1860.

In very many respects the Presidential campaign of 1860 was the most remarkable, not only in the history of Livingston county, but of the United States. Its character was affected not only by preceding but succeeding events. Among the former were the excited and exciting debates in Congress over the repeal of the Missouri Compro- mise and the Kansas-Nebraska controversy ; the passage by the Legislatures of various Northern States of the " personal liberty bills," which rendered inoperative in those States the fugitive slave law ; the John Brown raid on Harper's Ferry, in the fall of 1859, and

742

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

various inflammatory speeches of prominent leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties in the North and in the South.

There was the greatest excitement throughout the country, and when it was in full tide the Presidential canvass opened. The slavery question was the all-absorbing one among the people. The Republican party, while it had not received a single vote in Livingston county, had carried a large majority of the Northern States in the canvass of 1856, and every year since had received large accessions to its ranks, and under the circumstances, there being great dissensions in the Democratic party, prognosticating a split, bade fair to elect its candi- dates. The Democratic Convention at Charleston, South Carolina, April 23, after a stormy and inharmonious session of some days, divided, and the result was the nomination of two sets of candidates - Stephen A. Douglass and Herschel V. Johnson for President and Vice- President, by the "regulars," and John C. Breckinridge and Joseph Lane by the Southern or State Rights wing of the party.

The " Constitutional Union " party, made up of old Whigs, Know Nothings, and some conservative men of all parties, nominated John Bell, of Tennessee, and Edward Everett, of Massachusetts, on a plat- form composed of a single line - " The Union, the Constitution and the enforcement of the laws."

The Republican party was the last to bring out its candidates. It presented Abraham Lincoln and Hannibal Hamlin, on a platform declaring, among other things, that each State had the absolute right to control and manage its own domestic institutions ; denying that the constitution, of its own force, carried slavery into the territories whose normal condition was said to be that of freedom. Epitomized, the platform meant hostility towards the extension of slavery, non-inter- ference where it really existed.

It was to be expected that Missouri, being the only border Slave State lying contiguous to the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, should be deeply concerned in the settlement of the slavery question. Her people or their ancestors were very largely from Kentucky, Ten- nessee, Virginia and other slaveholding States, and many of them owned slaves or were otherwise interested in the preservation of slav- ery, to which institution the success of the Republican party, it was believed, would be destructive. There were many of this class in Livingston county. There was not only a selfish motive for the friendliness toward the " Peculiar Institution," but'a sentimental one. It was thought to be unmanly to yield to Northern sentiment of a

743

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

threatening shape or coercive character. If slavery was wrong ( which was denied ) it must not be assailed at the dictation of Northern Abolitionists.

The canvass in the State was very spirited. The division in the Democratic party extended into Missouri. The Democratic State Convention nominated Claiborne F. Jackson, of Saline county, for Governor. The Bell and Everett party nominated at first Robert Wilson, of Andrew, and on his withdrawal, Hon. Sample Orr, of Greene county. Judge Orr was selected in the room of Mr. Wilson by the central committee.

Very soon the politicians began a series of maneuvers designed to develop Jackson's views on the main question before the country, and especially as to which of the two Democratic Presidential candidates he favored. For a long time the wily Saline county statesman suc- ceeded in evading the question and defining his position ; but at last the Missouri Republican and other Douglass organs " smoked him out." He announced in a well written communication that he was for Douglass, because he believed him to be the regular and fairly chosen nominee of the party ; but at the same time he announced himself in favor of the principles of the Breckinridge party. He was called by some who disliked him, " a Douglass man with Breckinridge tendencies," " a squatter sovereign on an anti-squatter sovereignty platform," etc.

When Jackson's letter appeared soon thereafter, the Breckinridge men called a State convention and put in nomination Hancock Jack- son, of Howard, for Governor, and Monroe M. Parsons, of Cole, for Lieutenant-Governor.

Being encouraged by the feuds in the Democratic party, the Bell and Everett men had high hopes of electing their gubernatorial candi- date at the August election, and carrying the State for " Bell, of Tennessee," the ensuing November. To this end they did everything possible to foment additional discord and widen the breach between the two wings of their opponents ; but they overdid the business. The Democrats saw through their tactics, and agreeing to disagree as to Presidential candidates, practically united in the support of Jackson and Reynolds at the August election, and triumphantly elected them by a plurality of about 10,000. The vote stood : C. F. Jackson, Douglass Democrat, 74,446 ; Sample Orr, Bell and Everett, 64,583 ; Hancock Jackson, Breckinridge Democrat, 11,415 ; J. B. Gardenhire, Republican, 6,135.

744

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

Following was the vote in Livingston county : -

Governor - C. F. Jackson, 840 ; Sample Orr, 583 ; Hancock Jack- son, 37. 1

Congress- John B. Clark, Sr., Dem., 806; M. C. Hawkins, Bell- Everett, 646.

The vote, by townships, for the leading county officers is herewith appended. The regular Democratic nominees are marked D; the Bell-Everett or " Union " candidates are marked U. For county judges, Hon. J. A. Davis was an independent candidate, and received the votes generally of the Bell-Everett men.

REP'SNTIVE.

SHERIFF.

CO. JUDGE.

TOWNSHIPS.

A. J. Austin, D.

L. McDowell, U.

W.C.Norman, D.

S. L. Harris, U.

J. A. Davis, D.

J. Blackburn, D.

Chillicothe

266

307

174

421

395

209

Cream Ridge

Monroe

Blue Mound

Grand River

105

101

Jackson

188

151

250

195

132

Greene

143

124

106

102

Total

878

656

642

911

892

627

Vote for Governor by townships can not be found.

Other county officers elected were G. W. Knox, assessor ; J. B. McDonald, treasurer ; A. Bargdoll, school commissioner.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

Nothing daunted by their defeat in August, the Bell and Everett men in Missouri kept up the fight for their Presidential candidates, and came within a few hundred votes of carrying the State for them in November, the vote standing: -

For the Douglas electors, 58,801; for the Bell electors, 58,372 ; for the Breckinridge electors, 31,317; for the Lincoln electors, 17,028 ; Douglas' majority over Bell, 429, over Breckinridge, 27,484.

It is said that many Democrats voted for Bell because they thought he was the only candidate that could beat Lincoln. In the October

745

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

elections the Republicans had carried Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana. and Lincoln's election was almost inevitable. Fusion tickets against the Republicans had been formed in New York, New Jersey and other States, and many thought the Tennessee statesman might be elected after all.

Following was the vote in this county at the Presidential election, 1860: -

Brecken-

Townships.

Bell.

ridge.

Douglas. 194

Lincoln.

Chillicothe

236

189

....

Cream Ridge

.....

Grand River

.....

Monroe

Greene

113

Jackson

144

111

Blue Mound

Total

578

470

401

. .

AFTER THE ELECTION OF LINCOLN.

The news of the election of Lincoln and Hamlin was received by the people of this county generally with dissatisfaction; but aside from the utterances of some ultra pro-slavery men, there were gen- eral expressions of a willingness to except and abide by the result - at least to watch and wait. A number of citizens avowed themselves unconditional Union men from the first. Upon the secession of South Carolina and other Southern States, however, many changed their views. Indeed, there was nothing certain about the sentiments of men in those days, but one thing - they were liable to change ! Secessionists one week became Union men the next, and vice versa. There was withal a universal hope that civil war might be averted.

Already the best men of the country feared for the fate of the republic. Northern fanatics and Southern fire-eaters were striving to rend it assunder. The former did not want to live in a country (so they said ) whereof one-half depended on the begetting and bringing up of children for the slave market, and so the constitution which permitted slavery was denominated an instrument of infamy, and the flag of the stars and stripes denounced as a flaunting lie. The fire- eaters of the South were blustering and complaining that their "rights" had been or were about to be trampled on by the North, and therefore they were for seceding and breaking up the govern- ment, which they could not absolutely control.

A majority of the people of the county, it is safe to say, believed that the best interests of Missouri were identical with those of the

746

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

other slaveholding States, but they were in favor of waiting for devel- opments of the policy of the new administration before taking any steps leading to tule withdrawal of the State from the Federal Union. " Let us wait and see what Lincoln will do," was the sentiment and expression of a large number. A respectable minority were in favor of immediate secession, and so declared publicly.

" Missouri is a peninsula of slavery running out into a sea of free- dom," said Gov. Rob Stewart, 1861. It was bounded on three sides by Free States, and " Black Republican " States at that - Kan- sas, Iowa and Illinois. Should she secede and become a part of a foreign nation her condition, as suffering from Northern Abolitionists and slave liberators, would be aggravated. Where one negro ran away while the State remained a part of the Union, ten might be expected to " skedaddle " if she seceded. Thus argued certain Pro- Slavery men at the time.

THE CASE OF REV. J. E. GARDNER.

One of the 20 men who voted for Lincoln in Livingston county, at the Presidential election in 1860, was Rev. J. E. Gardner, a minister of the M. E. Church, who some time previously had been sent into this county, and who had located at Utica. "Northern Methodists," as they are sometimes called, were few in number and in bad odor at that day in Missouri. As a rule they were opposed to slavery, though but few openly demanded its abolition, and the people generally were very sensitive on this subject. (See Caldwell County History, Chap. XVII.)

At this time (fall of 1860) Utica contained about 600 inhabitants, two dry goods stores, two groceries, one drug store, one hotel, two saloons, a school-house, and one church. The latter was owned by the Baptists, but the use of it was allowed to all other denominations except the " Northern Methodists," who occasionally held services in the school-house. Public sentiment in the town was largely against Mr. Gardner. He was denounced as a "North Methodist," a " Lincolnite," an Abolitionist, and was accused of tampering with the slaves, treating them as his equals, etc. A few weeks after the election he was presented with the following communication : -

UTICA, MO., December 20, 1860.

MR. GARDNER - Sir: - At a meeting of the citizens of Livingston Co., Mo., it was unanimously resolved that notice be given you that your longer residence in our county is not desired by our citizens,

747

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

and that you be required to leave this county within three days from this date. (Signed )

Charles Cooper,

G. A Stone, Jr.,

Joseph Reeder,

Henry L. Todd,

S. M. Maxy,

Isaac W. Gibson,

Robert Frazer,

David Martin, G. P. Foor,

P. D. Smith,

G. W. McMillen,

W. T. Bramel,

Geo. Stone, E. Histed,

John Lowe,

T. T. Dannell, J. F. Foor,

B. P. Wiley,

John N. Stone,

J. C. Lukins,

C. Black,

Saml. D. Shaffer,

A. J. Austin,

R. Matson,

John A. Schmitt,

Thos. Holt,

M. Black,

Oliver Wells,

W. R. Wood,

T. F. Prewitt,

Wm. Frazer, Jr.,

Albert Myers,

Wm. Frazer,

R. W. Todd,

Alex. Mellon,

H. W. Broughton.

W. F Bramel,

It is worthy of note that some of the signers afterwards became themselves strong anti-slavery men, and were regarded as truly loyal during the Civil War.

A few days later another meeting was held to consider Mr. Gard- ner's case, he having protested against being driven away. The meeting was held in the school-house and addressed by Mr. Black and Hon. A. J. Austin. A committee brought Mr. Gardner before the meeting, where the following written charges were presented against him : -

Charge 1. You are a preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church North, sent among us without our consent and supported by Northern money, sent out by a religious denomination, whose doc- trine is to war upon the domestic institutions of the South.

Charge 2. You are the only man in our community who voted for Lincoln, and you have publicly declared that you would glory in making yourself a martyr to the cause of Abolitionism.

Charge 3. You have had frequent interviews with the slaves of this county, and you invited a number of them to the country and gave them a dinner, after preaching, as your equals.

To these charges Mr. Gardner replied : -

1. I am not a preacher of the M. E. Church North, as there is no such church in existence. Neither am I supported by Northern money, but by the people to whom I am sent to preach. Our doc- trine is not to war upon the domestic institutions of the State, for in our Book of Discipline we acknowledge ourselves obedient to the laws of the land.

2. I did vote for Mr. Lincoln, but did not, either publicly or pri- vately, declare that I would glory in making myself a martyr to the cause of Abolitionism.

748

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

3. I never had an interview with slaves, or gave them a dinner, making them my equals. I therefore challenge the proof, as the onus probandi tests on you; and until you bring that I stand with the law to defend me.

J. E. GARDNER.

Gardner then retired and in a short time a committee of two waited on him and presented him the following, in writing, as the action of the meeting: -

SATURDAY, December 22, 1860.

The committee, on due deliberation, passed the following resolution unanimously : That Mr. Gardner be notified, for the welfare of this community, to leave our county three days from and after Monday next, which time will expire on Wednesday next at 6 o'clock p. m.

WM. E. MEAD, Secretary. To Mr. J. E. GARDNER, Utica, Livingston county, Mo.

There was great excitement throughout the town. Many of the citizens wholly disapproved the action of the lawless element. The same night a meeting of the conservative men of the town was held. The proceedings of the would-be regulators were denounced, and even Mr. Austin, the Representative elect, was censured for having countenanced and advised them. An organization of " law and order " was effected. A constitution was drawn up, signed by many, declaring a determination to " discountenance and put down mob violence, and to persist in the maintenance of the laws of the State, as the only hope for the protection of civil citizens." This organi- zation took Mr. Gardner's case in hand, and a compromise was at last effected, whereby he was given ten days in which to leave.

Meantime the minister's wife, Mrs. Amanda Gardner, was furnish- ing the organ of the M. E. Church, the Central Christian Advocate, with communications descriptive of the situation at Utica. Her let- ters were published and copied into other journals, and, of course, commented on throughout the North. Copies of Mrs. Gardner's printed letters are before the writer, having been preserved by cer- tain citizens of the county. Of the mobbing of Mr. Gardner, after the compromise referred to, and of the preceding circumstances she gives the following account : -

* The settlement had been made on condition that we were to leave in ten days ; but this compromise was not made known to us, and therefore we were unprepared to meet it. We had just returned from holding watch meeting, where we entered upon the year 1861 with new resolutions to live for God and the interests of the church.

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY. 749

Thursday, January 3d, we were preparing to start on the next day to another protracted meeting, which was to be held seven miles from Utica. Mr. Gardner was butchering, and I was engaged with my housework, when one of our friends hastened to inform us that the mob was then collected and would be on us in five minutes. We could scarcely 'credit the report ; but he had hardly got out of sight when from my window I saw the rabble coming. They were armed with rifles, shot-guns, revolvers and knives. I called to Mr. Gard- ner; he hastened into the house, bolted the door and chose a posi- tion where he could defend himself and family.

They surrounded the house, some rushing to the doors and others to the windows. Jack Stone ( constable) rapped at the door. I asked, " Who is there?" He answered, " A friend," and said that he wished to speak with Mr. Gardner. I told him they could not see him until they came in a different manner, and asked, as a favor, that they would withdraw and not disturb our peace. At this they shouted like demons. Some cried, "Burst the door!" Others, " Break in the windows !" One Cooper gave ten minutes by his watch for Mr. Gardner to promise to leave the country within 24 hours, or have the house burned down over our heads, and ordered a bunch of hay brought to kindle the fire.

They' declared they had given us ten days to leave the county, and the time was up, and now they were determined that Mr. Gardner should give them a pledge to that effect, or they would hang him. I endeavored to reason with them from my window, and told them that according to their own arrangement they were one day before their time, which would not expire until Friday, Jan- uary 4, at 6 o'clock p. m., and that we intended going to the country at that time, as Mr. Garduer had an appointment and the friends would be in for us ; but I only received curses in reply. They appeared, however, to be somewhat confused, some declaring that they were before their time, while others thought not. At length they agreed to leave, and gave us until noon the next day for our exit, declaring that if we were not gone at that time they would accept no compromise.

When they had gone Mr. Gardner proceeded to finish his work, and we thought we would get out of the place as soon as possible, as it was anything but desirable to live in such a state of things.

In the afternoon Mr. Gardner had business in town which he could not well put off. On stepping into a store he was asked in reference to the truth of the matter, when a conversation arose respecting the unlawfulness of such a course. There was present a Mr. Austin, who slipped out, unnoticed by Mr. Gardner, and informed the rabble where he was. Ere he was aware, he was surrounded by the mob, insulted and abused, and preparations immediately made to take him.

Mr. Gardner, seeing no chance to defend himself, endeavored to get home by going out of the store through the back way, but no sooner. was he out than he was surrounded on all sides by the mob, who came upon him with drawn revolvers. He was violently seized,

750

HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.

a " Lincoln rail " was ordered, upon which they forced him, and pro- ceeded to rail-ride him. Tumultuous shouts of " North Peacher," " Lincolnite," ". Nigger thief," etc., were raised. While some were clamorous for " tar and feathers," others shouted for a rope !

Thus was a minister of the gospel insulted and abused in a land of Bibles and Christian institutions ! Mr. Gardner let no opportunity slip, but as they carried him through the streets he exhorted the rabble and those who thronged about him to flee the wrath to come. Above the clamor of the mob was heard his voice as he held up the cross of Christ and His sufferings for a world of sinners, and that His servants should not be ashamed to suffer reproach for His name's sake. After he had finished his exhortation he sang :

" Children of the Heavenly King, As we journey, let us sing," etc.

' [A strange spectacle, truly. A minister of the gospel being ridden on a rail and exclaiming, " As we journey, let us sing !"]

Some tried to mock. One by the name of Schaffer swore he would " make him shut his mouth;" at the same time striking him on the shoulder-blade with a large ball of ice, crippling him for the time being. They shortly called a halt and let Mr. Gardner down to con- sider what further measures to take.

By this time I had got our little Allie (who was taken sick that morning) in the care of a lady friend, and made my way through the snow, which was eight inches deep, to where they had him in custody. I walked into their midst and demanded the deliverance of my husband, informing them that I would die with him or have him released. Through the interposition of Mr. John Harper and Mr. Wm. Wells, Mr. Gardner was permitted to go home, accompanied by them, who advised us to leave as soon as possible, as we would not be safe. We assured them we would go if possible - not because it was just, but as the only hope of sav- ing our lives. They told us that unless they could take a pledge to that effect to the mob we would not be safe until morning; we gave it and were then left to ourselves.

Friday, January 4, we were taken to the country by Brother P. Rudolph, where we were kindly treated. We have been received into the house with Brother and Sister Dalton, and have once more got through with the labors of another move. While I write for the Central, under the excitement of the occasion, I have also a sick child on my hands. * * Mr. Gardner commenced suit in Chillicothe against the leaders of the mob, but a mob was raised there and compelled 'Squire Hughes, before whom the case was 10 be tried, to burn the papers. So, it is evident that there is no law, either in Utica or Chillicothe, to protect persons belonging to the M. E. Church.

AMANDA GARDNER.

UTICA, Mo., January 15, 1861.

CHAPTER VI.

LEADING EVENTS OF THE YEAR 1861.

The Missouri Legislature of 1861 - Election of Delegates to the State Convention Called to Consider the Question of Secession -Up to the Firing on Sumter - After - Preparing to Fight - Gen. Slack's Cannon - The Missouri State Guards - The Federal Troops Appear - The Secession Forces Disappear - Federal Military Movements - Trouble in " The Forks " - The Skirmish at Hale's Branch, Etc. - First Union Military Companies Raised in the County - The Home Guards, " Mer- rill's Horse," the 23d Missouri, etc. - Lewis Best's Exploit - " Prentiss' Pets," - Three Noted Tragedies in 1861 - Killing of Kirk and Curtis - Murder of Wm. Avery -The McWilliams and Snead Tragedies.

THE LEGISLATURE OF 1861.

On the last day of December, 1860, the Twenty-first General Assembly of Missouri met at Jefferson City. The retiring Governor, " Bob" M. Stewart, delivered a very conservative message, taking the middle ground between secession and abolition, and pleading strenuously for peace and moderation. He declared, among other things, that the people of Missouri " ought not to be frightened from their propriety by the past unfriendly legislation of the North, nor dragooned into secession by the restrictive legislation of the extreme South." He concluded with a thrilling appeal for the maintenance of the Union, depicting the inevitable result of secession, revolution, and war. Many of Gov. Stewart's predictions were afterward fulfilled with startling and fearful exactness.

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Author: Pease, Ora Merle Hawk, 1890- Publication date: 1886 Publisher: St. Louis, National Historical Company Number of Pages: 1260

Author: Pease, Ora Merle Hawk, 1890-
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: St. Louis, National Historical Company
Number of Pages: 1260