USA > Missouri > Carroll County > History of Carroll County, Missouri : carefully written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, cities, towns and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri ; the Constitution of the United States, and State of Missouri ; a military record of its volunteers in either army of the Great Civil War ; general and local statistics ; miscellany ; reminiscences, grave, tragic and humorous ; biographical sketches of prominent men and citizens identified with the interests of the country > Part 52
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STATE OF MISSOURI COUNTY OF CARROLL. SS. - [Signed]
Be it remembered that on the 20th day of March, A. D., 1877, before the undersigned, a justice of the peace within and for the county of Car- roll and state of Missouri, personally came - who is personally known to me to be the same person whose name is subscribed to the fore- going instrument of writing as a party thereto, and acknowledged the same to be her act and deed for the purposes herein mentioned. And the said - - -- being by me first made acquainted with the contents of said instrument, upon an examination separate and apart from her hus- band, acknowledged that she executed the same and relinquishes her inter- est in the said child therein mentioned, freely and without fear, compul- sion or undue influence of her said husband. In testimony whereof I have set my hand at my office the day and year above mentioned.
J. P.
As magistrates since the organization of the county, the following named persons have served in Eugene township: 1842, John Cooley, Robt. Shannon, Philip Winfrey; . 1846, Thos. Hardwick; 1848, John Cooley; 1852, J. D Staton; 1855, S. Winfrey; 1856, S. Winfrey; 1860, W. O. P. Thomas; 1862, W. O. P. Thomas; 1865, Jackson Thorp; 1870, James M. Staton; 1871, Jackson Thorp; 1872, W. A. Finnell, Lemuel Jones, Jackson Thorp; 1873, W. A. Finnell, Jackson Thorp, S. Winfrey; 1875, W. L. Simms, W. A. Finnell; 1877, Thos. M. Gray; W. A. Finnell, Jackson Thorp; 1878, I. N. Vinson, F. M. Murphy; 1881, Jackson Thorp, Geo. W. Latham.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
CARROLL CITY.
As early as September, 1857, a site locating the whole southwest of sec- tion 26 as a town, was seriously considered, and some expense incurred in laying it out, making improvements, etc. High hopes were entertained by those who had an interest in the prospective wonder that was to spring up, as if by magic, on the banks of the great river. A company was formed, with Wm. Hill as president, and the city platted into thirty-six full, and twenty fractional blocks, with streets and alley-ways, parks and squares, gardens and drives, and all the other necessities to constitute a great place. The area, one hundred and sixty acres, upon which the city was to be built, and the contemplated improvement projected, is some little evidence of the aspirations of its founders. Whether for the want of proper management, judicious advertising, or other causes, the city was never built, we, in this late day do not know; one thing, however, is true, it never reached even the shadow of a village, much less a city, and well it is that it did not, for the site on which it was to be built, has long since disappeared under the waters of the treacherous river that was to lave its base, and the city can be considered another of the "lost ones" of Carroll county.
EUGENE CITY.
Eugene city was laid out in June, 1869, by the N. M. R. R. and Daniel H. Cary, and is located on the east one-half, southwest quarter of section 16. It embraces twenty irregular blocks, and lies on the north side of the railroad. Daniel H. Cary, Esq., donated the land for the town site, on condition the railroad company would establish a station. The town, although small, does a good trade in shipping, lying as it does in the midst of the rich bottom lands between the Missouri river and the Wakanda, the former river traversing the whole line of the township, and the latter running through the township from east to west.
The town will not in any reasonable time attain the proportions of a city of any magnitude, yet its location in the rich agricultural bottoms will guarantee it a good, substantial and healthy trade.
Most of the trade is from the immediate vicinity of the village, and of course those engaged in business are limited in the amount of stock required.
During the war Bill Anderson made several raids through this town- ship. On his first raid he killed two men, Griffith and Scaggs, about one mile east of the town of Eugene, and on the farm of Asa Brookover. One Benj. Manning and a man named Arterburn were also killed by Anderson's men, about three fourths of a mile south east of the town. Dick Wilson was killed about half a mile east of the place, on section 14 or 15.
Anderson's second raid was more a quick march through the county,
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
apparently to strike some important point, or re-inforce some threatenend place, than a raid to kill or destroy.
In October 1864 he again passed through this part of the county, killing Bill Etter somewhere on the location of what is now the town of Eugene. Ivory Burkhardt, son of Geo. Burkhardt was captured, and hung, but his mother ran out after they had left, cut down her son in time to save his life.
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History being a statement of facts it is essential that they be perpetuated. Not to laud the prominent actors or perpetuate their acts as examples for our following-not to transmit to those who may follow us, scenes and incidents that will not bear the scrutiny of civilized warfare-not to make heroes, and patriots of men, who in the mad excitement of revolution and bloodshed, forget not only the principles of modern warfare, but even for- got the dictates of humanity itself, but to recall to the remembrance of those who were then and are now living, scenes and incidents that time may in a measure have clouded, and to coming generations impartial accounts unbiassed by political feeling either for or against one side or the other, and uninfluenced by any motive save that of truth.
MOSS CREEK TOWNSHIP.
Moss Creek township embraces thirty six full sections of six hundred and forty acres each. With the exception of the extreme north eastern corner of the township where the bluffs of the Wakanda overlook the stream of that name, the township is level bottom lands, well watered with streams, lakes and sloughs, and rich as the famed valley of the Nile. `Moss Creek, a stream of clear water, fed wholly from springs, runs in a north easterly course through the township, emptying its waters into the sluggish Wakanda three miles above Carrollton. Moss Creek derives its name from the green moss that every spring covers the surface of its waters. It is of such nutritiousness that stock seek it as a sweeter morsel than the rich pastures that abound through the township, aad hundreds of head of cattle can be seen at times standing in its waters and enjoying the rich food it affords. The stream is the home of some of the gamest of the finny tribe, bass, croppy &c., and thousands of pounds of fish have been taken from its waters in a single season. The winters of 1879 and 1880 being more severe than usual, tons of fish died from the exclusion of air by the hard freeze, and yet the supply has not been exhausted. The Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific railroad traverses the township from east to west, and with the single exception of Smith township, Moss Creek is the only one through which the railroad passes, that has no local town.
Among the oldest settlers were Stephen Woolsey, from Tennessee:
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
John A. Austin, Virginia; Dr. W. W. Austin, Virginia; Col. W. W. Aus- tin, Saul Gilmartin in 1837; A. C. Blackwell located on section 30 in 1839, and was made postmaster, the office being named Round Grove. Mr. Blackwell was also the first justice of the peace of the township. R. B ... Hudson came in 1849; John Alt came in 1849 also, but did not locate per- manently until 1852, where he resided till August, 1881, when he was gathered to his fathers. Ed W. Turner, in 1842, came to the county with his family and located on what was known as Round Grove farm. Being settled on the direct stage road to St. Joseph, and the west, he opened a house of entertainment for travelers. It became a place of note to all who traveled over the road, and was known as the best feeding place in the western country. Moss Creek was a splendid fishing stream and these considerations induced these commercial tourists to while away sev- eral days at a time, enjoying the sport of fishing, and eating the splendid meals provided by the host and hostess of Round Grove farm. The lat- ter part of his life Mr. Turner spent in Carrollton where he died on the 17th of March, 1879, honored and respected for his integrity and unflinch- ing honesty.
Among the early marriages in Moss Creek were Howell L. Heston and Miss Esther Austin, November 14, 1843, at the residence of John A. Aus- tin, the ceremony being performed by Rev. John Yantis, a Presbyterian preacher. About the 4th of June, 1844, at the same place by a Metho- dist minister, name unknown, Wm. C. Price led to the altar Miss Sarah M. Austin, and about the same time, Holman Snead married Miss Susan C. Austin, the ritual being said by Rev. Yantis.
In the winter of 1842 was born to Dr. Ed and Susan Arnold, a daugh- ter, Bettie, and in 1845 a son named John. These were probablythe first in the township.
The first death was that of W. W. Austin, who died in 1843, and was buried in what was known as the Austin graveyard. He was the first regular physician who located in Moss Creek, having located there in 1836, on his arrival from Bedford county, Virginia.
Moss Creek township has had the following named persons as magis- trates since the organization of the county: 1839, A. C. Blackwell; 1841, A. C. Blackwell; 1842, Wm. W. Austin; 1844, C. P. Caton; 1848, C. P. Caton; 1853, John S. Cox; 1873, David Hudson, J. P. Lindsey; 1875, John Alt, C. C. Graves; 1878, C. C. Graves; 1881, F. M. Lemons, Mora Wilson.
The first religious service was held in the southeast quarter of section 34, in a log cabin, by Rev. Ellington, a Methodist, in 1845. Here also was the first school taught, the teacher, an Irishman, named O'Risdon. He had about fifteen pupils for which he received a compensation of one dol- lar a month per head. The first school house was a small frame that cost
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
about $100, built by the citizens on land owned by Clark Lindsey. To Mrs. Sarah Austin, wife of Peter Austin, and mother to John A., belongs the honor of having done the first weaving of cloth, carpets, etc. At this time a sack of corn was thrown across a horse and a ride of sixteen miles to mill, and grinding your corn by horse power, was a necessity, or you had no grist, the road to mill being simply a deer trail.
WILD MOSS MILLS.
These mills are located on Moss creek from which the mill derives its name, and was in 1865 enlarged and improved under that " boss " miller, Jas. F. Lawton, proprietor.
The main building is 40x50 feet and two and a half stories high, and has three run of four feet burs. The engine room is 26x26 feet, with an engine of eighty horse-power and a water wheel of forty five horse power capacity.
Connected with this fine property are three dwellings, barns, fences, houses, etc., requiring the investment ot a capital of $5,000. The ma- chinery, all new and of the very best, costing about $12,000, and inci- dental necessities to the amount of about $3,000, or an aggregate of about $20,000 invested in the property. From eight to twelve hands are em- ployed in and about the premises, and a business amounting to from seventy to one hundred thousand dollars for the past year has been the result. Its trade is almost exclusively local, and so popular is the " Wild Moss Flour" brand of flour that the demand is almost always in excess of the supply. . If the capacity of the Wild Moss Mills was five times greater, its popularity would increase correspondingly. Its trade being strictly local its popularity is circumscribed as a matter of course, to the country contiguous to the mills.
Notwithstanding all this the mills and proprietor are known not only in our own country but in most of the countries of Europe, and even in re- moter Asia. They are known from the fact that at these mills, and under the proprietorship of James F. Lawton, an experiment was tried and tried successfully, in baking bread in a quicker space of time from wheat growing in the field, than was ever before accomplished by any other mill or miller in this or any other age, or in this or any other country.
In 1876 James F. Lawton conceived the idea of an experiment in pro- ducing bread in the quickest possible time from growing wheat, and, on trial, in eight and a quarter minutes from the time the reaper struck the grain, Mrs. Lawton had bread from the wheat. Not satisfied with this feat, Lawton two years afterwards determined to beat his own time, mak- ing preparations accordingly. Inviting about fifty of the best citizens to witness the operation, Lawton had every thing ready on the day of trial
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
and the fun began. At 4 o'clock, 6 minutes and 10 seconds, the reapers, struck the grain, and in 1 minute and 15 seconds a peck of wheat was in a sack and on the horse, and the horse on its way to the mill 16 rods away, the wheat being cut, threshed, bagged, and on its way to mill in this space of time. In one minute and 17 seconds the flour, ground and bolted, was in the hands of Mrs. Lawton, and in 1 minute and 23 seconds more, or in just 3 minutes' and 55 seconds from the starting of the reaper, the first griddle-cake was being devoured by a dozen men. In just four minutes and 37 seconds from the time the reaper entered the wheat, a pan of hot biscuit was delivered to the crowd of invited guests.
A certificate of the truth of the above was at once circulated and every guest present signed, among whom was Gen. Jas. Shields, Col. J. B. Hale, Col. M. C. Shewalter, H. David, J. J.Farly, John R. Kerby and forty- one others, among the best and most reliable men in the community.
Gilead Missionary Baptist Church .- This organization was effected on the 5th of April, 1867, with John Kelly, T. A. Welch, Mordecai Wilson, Carter Booker, Mary Kelly, C. C. Emmerson, E. Welch, E. Dunkle, Bettie Wilson, M. Winkler and S. Haines as original members. Their church building is a fine frame, splendidly located, and cost about $1,450, and was dedicated on the fourth Sunday in May, 1876, by Rev. G. W. Hatcher. At the altar have officiated Revs. W. H. Durfey, W. S. Huff, C. Bullock, Thos. Graves, G. W. Hatcher, T. Menefee and B. Beau- champ. The congregation for a number of years and until the erection of their church house met in the old Moss Creek church, located on sec- tion 28. Present membership, eighty-five.
Moss Creek Church, M. E. South .- Moss Creek church was organ- ized in 1853, with the following original membership: Col. Zachariah Moorman, Captain John A. Price, George Moorman, Wm. and John Haines, Stephen Mosby and Abraham Haines. The first church house was a frame located in section 28, and cost about $800, and is supposed to have been dedicated by. Rev. Joseph Devlin. Their present church building is an improvement on the first in every respect, and is located on the southeast quarter of section 27, costing $1,500. It was built the present year, and has not yet been dedicated. The pastors who have administered to the flock are Revs. Jos. Devlin, R. A. Austin, D. T. Bone, J. F. Sheres, B. F. Johnson, B. J. Warren, C. W. Hesley. The present membership is about one hundred.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
COMBS TOWNSHIP.
Combs township derives its name from Col. Howard T. Combs, son of the late Gen. Leslie Combs of Kentucky. Howard T. was county clerk of Carroll county at the first adoption of township organization, and when the court met to adopt names for the townships, on the suggestion of some friend to the court they adopted the name of Combs.
The township embraces thirty-six full sections of 640 acres each, and is bounded on the north by Ridge, on the east by De Witt, on the south by Eugene, and on the west by Carrollton townships. The character of the land is rolling, partly timbered, but the greater portion prairie. Big Creek, the only stream, traverses the northern part of the township, and empties into Grand river close to the line between De Witt and Rockford.
Stephen Parker was the first permanent settler in the township, having located in 1824. He held a warrant from the government for the south- east quarter of section 20, but sold it in 1820. Geo. Ward, the purchaser of the warrant, not taking possession of the purchase at once, Stephen Parker went on and improved it, but on demand being made by Ward, Parker gave it up. Parker's name was given to the grove in the vicinity, which it still retains.
Wm. Hill located on section 4 about 1835, Robert Gentry about 1833, A. T. Cooper, 1829, Reuben Staton, 1836, Peter Baugh, 1835, Wm. Sin- nard, Hardin Simpson, James and - Boley and James Walden located on section 4 about 1836, Wm. Staton, 1839, C. G. Merrill and Rudolph Thomas about 1836, Stephen Hancock of Tennessee, 1837, George Adkins, 1838. From Virginia in 1839 came David Russell, locating on section 19, due west from Parker's Grove. John Creel, the first sheriff of Carroll county, improved the farm now owned by Thomas O. Goodson, this in 1834.
Turpin Thomas erected the first mill in the township, about the year 1836, and in 1838 James Lucas left Hurricane township and located in Combs, buying the old mill and building a new one on the old site, being now known as Baum's Mill. In 1842 the father of Walter O. Squires located on section 36, being one among the early settlers. Powhattan Darr was also one of the early settlers of the township, and died about 1865. Mark Halsey, of New York, located in the spring of 1839, in what-is known as Guinea Grove. There being several persons by the name of Tom Phillips in this section, to distinguish one from the other they were nicknamed, one being called Guinea Tom Phillips, from this fact the name " Guinea Grove " is derived.
From Uncle Stephen Hancock we gather the facts that the first mar- riage consummated was that of Alfred F. Cooper and Miss Mickie Gen- try, by James M. Walden, justice of the peace.
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
The first birth was that of Minnie Gentry in 1838, to Sampson and Sallie Gentry. The first death, that of. Robert Gentry, was during the year 1835, the body having been taken to Adkins graveyard in Wakanda Township for interment
In 1849 Dr. Albert G. Taylor, from Ohio, located and practiced his profession until 1858, when he left for Chariton county, where he died.
Rev. Abbott Hancock, a Cumberland Presbyterian, held the first religious service in the Township, at the residence of Stephen K. Han- cock.
The first school was taught in a log house at Parker's Grove by Henry Roy, he had about twenty pupils at 75 cents per head, and the first school house was built on the south-east quarter of the north-east quarter of sec- tion 29. It was constructed of logs and was thrown up by the neighbors in and about the Grove.
Baum's Mill is located on Big Creek on the north-east quarter of sec- tion 15, and at present is owned by Baum & Steinitsky; having been rebuilt and remodeled in 1869 by the present owners.
Some hopes were entertained at one time of building a town at the Mill, and a name, "Millford," had already been selected. But besides the Mill and one little store, no other improvements have been made.
Combs, like every other Township in the county, has its own war his- tory. Although not so elaborate as some others, it makes up in the fiendishness of the crimes perpetrated.
Bill Anderson the Guerrilla murderer, raided the Township about the 27th of August 1864. He captured a German boy about 18 years old named Solomon Baum, who had been out buying mules for his brother and hanged him on a tree on the south-west quarter of section 11. The boy had never taken any part in the war, and doubtless knew but little of politics and cared less. This mattered little to the inhuman butcher Anderson and the band of outlaws who rode at his heels. Blood was the only thing that would satiate the appetite ot the monster, and little cared he whether it was the innocent or the guilty who suffered, so that blood flowed.
The same day on the north-east quarter of section 11, they shot Cyrus Lyon, - Matthews and John Henry, these latter belonging to the Militia. Lyons was at work in a well when Anderson came up, ordering him out of the well they took him close to his own door and shot him dead. Matthews was in the road in front of Lyons' house when he was shot, and Henry a few rods north of Lyons' house when they killed him.
If anything, there is less extenuation to be offered for the following crimes than for those already mentioned, for the reason, that it has been and is now contended that the institutions of the south were barbarous and demoralizing because of the ignorance of her people, while the north was
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. HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
living under the civilizing influences of a higher law than that of statutory enactment. If this position be a correct one, as many contended, what excuse can be offered for the cold-blooded murders that were committed in the name of "loyalty to the government."
What apology is to be offered for the killing of poor old Benjamin Win- frey by the Militia, in February 1865. It appears that in that month two Militia men called at Winfrey's house in the night and represented that they had orders to take him to De Witt. Winfrey was sick in bed at the time, but got up and clothed himself, believing that he had been sent for by Captain Morris Schnapp at DeWitt. When they got about three hundred yards east of the house, without a word of warning they shot him four times before he fell. After he fell they fired five more shots a his head as they supposed, but when the wounded man was found by his friends, it proved that the shots that were fired after he fell went through Winfrey's cap that had fallen and dropped close to his head, it being night they mistook the cap for his head. Winfrey lived four days after being wounded. He was an inoffensive old gentleman about fifty years of age and badly crippled with the rheumatism. Captain Schnapp hear- ing of the affair investigated the case and found it was not his men who had murdered Winfrey. Had it been, Schnapp would have arrested them and had them tried by drum-head court martial.
The following named persons have served as magistrates in what is now Combs township, since the organization of the county: 1837, Wm. Staton; 1844, Wm. Staton and P. B. Darr; 1846, B. D. Lucas; 1848, A. Stephenson; 1850, P. B. Darr; 1852, Wm. A. Darr; 1854, Wm. A. Darr; 1857, J. R. Findley; 1858, J. R. Findley and W. A. Darr; 1862, R. P. Scott, J. R. Findley; 1863, J. H. Henderson; 1870, J. H. Henderson; 1871, W. A. Darr; 1872, A. C. Brummer; 1873, A. C. Brummer; 1875, W. A. Darr; 1877, Thos. A. Orr, W. A. Darr; 1878, J. R. Finley; 1881, Thos. A. Orr, J. R. Finley.
Missionary Baptist .-- This organization was effected on the first Sun- day in June, 1844, with John, Joseph, Willis, Emily, Polly, and Abram Riffe, John Cooley, Nancy Curl, Anna Elliott, and Mahala Cooley. Their first meeting-house was made of logs, and put up about 1841, costing but a nominal amount. Their present house is a brick, conveniently located, and of large enough dimensions to accommodate the neighborhood. The pastors who have officiated thus far are Rev. Jas. M. Goodson, Wm. C. Ligon, Geo. T .. Kinnaird, W. A. Durfee, W. S. Huff, C. Bullock, G. W. Hatcher, and F. Menafee, present pastor. The Sabbath school con- nected with the church was organized in the month of April, 1868, with John F. Brandom as superintendent. There are about eight teachers and seventy-five children enrolled as members. Mr. Brandom has remained
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HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY.
superintendent since the organization of the school. The present mem- bership of the church is 261.
FAIRFIELD TOWNSHIP.
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Fairfield township embraces thirty full and six fractional sections, and is one of the extreme western townships of the county. The soil is magnfi- cent, being mostly rolling prairie, with sufficient timber along the Wakanda and Turkey creek, for all necessary purposes. Probably, the first settlement took place in 1839, by Henry Brewer, of Ray county, who put up a shanty on section 32, remaining but a short time. A. F. Rhoads, now living on section 20, John Rhoads and Turner Elder came in the spring of 1840, being the first permanent settlers of the township. Irvin Brewer, in 1841, settled on section 32. Chas. Lowery came in 1841 also; settling in section 10.
From 1841 until about 1847, there were very few additions made to the population of the township, and comparatively few up to the close of the war, when the county commenced to fill up rapidly.
From the best information we have received, the first marriage wasthat of Thos. Thurman and Miss Mary Thanning; in 1842, at the home of the bride's father, Aklis Thanning, on section 20.
The first birth was J. K. Rhoads, a son, to A. F. and Mary Rhoads, October 8, 1840. A son was born to John A. and Elizabeth Powers, on November 3, 1843, named John T.
The first death was that of Martha A. Morris, about 1836, the body having been laid in Harris graveyard, Leslie township.
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